PUPS OVERCOME TOUGH CONDITIONS IN KILKENNY’S CHAMPION UNRACED
Ian Fortune
Conditions were far from ideal at Kilkenny on Friday night but the pups didn’t mind as they again provided some superb racing in the second round of the Kilkenny Track Champion Open Unraced.
The wind and rain was persistent through the evening and the track got slower and slower with each passing minute. This was evident in the four heat times with Croydon Avenger going far faster in the opening heat than the three subsequent heat winners.
Karol Ramsbottom won’t mind, however, as he sent out the last two winners to complete a wonderful double for the second week running.
AVENGER TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Croydon Avenger was second favourite for the opening heat and but he won as though he should have been long odds-on, showing a fine turn of early speed to dominate from start to finish.
This was little more than a solo trial for Michael Clarke’s son of Sober Glory and Assarula Runner.
Flashing from the inside box, the Pat Barrett trained youngster quickly raced into a decisive lead. Ballyhooly Cliff turned second and did all he could to stay with the leader but it was a lost cause.
Instead, Toolmaker Wanabe motored into the third turn to take up the pursuit but there was no stopping the leader. Croydon Avenger raced to a comfortable six and a half length victory in 29.16 on a track rated .50 slow (sectionals: 4.31/16.79). Toolmaker Wanabe had two and a half lengths in hand on Ballyhooly Cliff.
ECHO SEES OFF COTHAL IN A THRILLER
The second heat served up an incredible buckle between Glengar Echo and Cill Dubh Cathol with neither giving an inch at any point.
The bookends on the card, Glengar Echo went up fast from six while Cill Dubh Cathol was just behind him into the bend.
Nothing else could land a blow as the front two went toe to toe. Richard Colwell’s Glengar Echo entered the back straight with a lead of almost three quarters of a length but Cill Dubh Cathol was very soon back on terms.
The duo continued to race nose to nose into the third turn, although Glengar Echo edged on slightly at this point. Still, Cill Dubh Cothal gave his all and closed again by the turn they entered the home straight.
In a wonderful drive to the line, it was the Pat Buckley trained Glengar Echo that finally got the better of the argument with the promising son of Ballinabola Ed and Ambey Bamby seeing off his determined rival by a neck in 29.39 (sectionals: 4.29/ 16.89).
JIM SETS UP RAMSBOTTOM DOUBLE
Uncle Jim probably had to endure the worst of the conditions as he provided Karol Ramsbottom with the opening leg of his double in Heat 3.
The massive son of Droopy Sydney and Susie Sapphire was the 4-7 favourite despite suffering defeat in the opening round, highlighting the quality of his qualifying trials and those that took the odds were never too concerned.
Leading from the opening yards, he was never going to be stopped once getting loose. Fun Time Max gave chase from the start and did well to stay as close as he did but the leader maintained a superb gallop throughout to eventually win by two lengths in 29.70. By this point in proceedings, the track was rated at .80 slow. Goldcash Legend ran on well to take third, some three and a half lengths further adrift.
COLEY POWERS HOME
After setting the standard in the opening round with a brilliant front-running effort, Kapuka Coley proved that there was more than one string to his bow in the final heat as he completed the double for Karol Ramsbottom, staying on powerfully to come from third.
It was no surprise to see both Kilgraney Cash and Carrick Becks to the fore in the early yards with both showing huge early dash in the opening round. Kapuka Coley was always close in third, however. Kilgraney Cash took a bump off the second turn, leaving Carrick Becks to go to the front on his own but he was always a sitting duck with Kapuka Coley going second.
Matt Dunne’s powerful son of Sober Glory and Assarula Runner was too strong. Moving through the gears as they hit the third turn, he hit the front before they turned for home and pulled away. Relentless up the home straight, he crossed the line five and a half lengths to the good in 29.44, rated .80 slow. Carrick Becks was second as he held the big finish of Grouchos Frank by a short head.
SHARK FASTEST IN LEAHY MEMORIAL
By the time the semi-finals of the Georgy Leahy Memorial were run at the end of the evening, conditions had eased somewhat with the track rated just .30 slow.
Comer Shark went marginally faster in the opening heat than second semi-final winner Killough Bird.
Comer Shark was in front from the opening turn and kept finding to repel Mission Control and the fast-finishing Arrigle Out. Mission Control was the 4-6 favourite and looked poised to head Comer Shark down the back straight but the leader kept finding. Owned by the Comer Syndicate, the son of Great Blue Shark and Arterbury held off Arrigle Out by a half length in 29.47 (.30 slow). Mission Control was just a head away in third.
BIRD FLIES IN FINALE
Killough Bird was a more straightforward winner of Heat 2, showing her rivals a clean pair of heels from early.
Derek Loughnane’s daughter of Good Cody and Lululemon proceeded to make every inch to win by five lengths from Foyle Milo in 29.53 (.30 slow). Lemon Paris was another length adrift in third.