SEVEN BEACH A WORTHY CHAMPION ON A SPECIAL NIGHT IN DUBLIN
Ian Fortune
On a night of truly outstanding racing at Shelbourne Park, Seven Beach once again stole the headlines when claiming a fourth major prize of the year as he raced to a brilliant victory in the Boylesports Champion Stakes.
There was so much to get excited about through the ten-race card including an incredible finish to the Celtic Cool Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Open Unraced and a power-packed display from Ballymac Tibet in the Champion Plate but Seven Beach simply had to get top billing as he again showed why he is seen as one of the best in the business.
BRILLIANT BEACH TOO HOT TO HANDLE
In the absence of Ballyhooly Bruno from trap three, those drawn on either side of the vacant box were given room to race into the bend and it was quite a battle.
Ballymac Danica came away racing from four with Seven Beach right beside her five, while Cheque For Cash was just behind the duo in third.
By the turn Seven Beach held a very narrow advantage but Ballymac Danica had the inside line and was soon back on terms. The pair were locked in battle to the second bend only for Seven Beach to hit the afterburners.
Cheque For Cash was third, a length and a half behind Ballymac Danica as they straightened up into the back straight. It was time for Seven Beach to show his incredible back straight pace. Mastering Ballymac Danica to halfway, he quickly moved into a two length lead and was on his way to victory by the time he hit the third turn.
Cheque For Cash was now on a charge and challenging Ballymac Danica. Faypoint Harvey and Lennies Desire were another four lengths and a length behind and failing to land a telling blow.
By this point, the race was effectively settled. Seven Beach was in charge and on his way to victory for his owners the Beach Boys Trio Syndicate. After success in the Gold Cup, Select Stakes and Race of Champions, the brilliant son of Pestana and Whitings Gift would go on to capture a fourth major prize of the year.
Despite the best efforts of Cheque For Cash, who stayed on rally strongly to take second just three parts of a length away, Seven Beach was to emerge a comfortable winner in a fast 29.39. Behind the front two, Lennies Desire absolutely flew home, coming from the back of the field to take third, a length and a half further adrift.
It was another wonderful run from Seven Beach. He may be just a couple of months shy of his fourth birthday but is running as well as ever and will now be given a short break with a Derby challenge in mind. Jennifer O’Donnell really does have her star singing a sweet tune and, at 20-1 for Derby glory with sponsors Boylesports, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him go deep in the classic once again.
Jill Blakeswift presents the trophy to Joint Owners Kevin Oates and Robert Vaughan after Seven Beach won the 2025 BoyleSports Champion Stakes. Also included are trainer Jennifer O'Donnell. Pic: Imelda Grauer
STUD AND MAJOR CAN’T BE SEPARATED
The final of the Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Open Unraced promised so much with so many talented youngsters in the line-up and it certainly didn’t disappoint with the judge called into action and failing to separate Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Stud and Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Major as they shared the €15,000 prize.
Both greyhounds showed what they are all about with Ballymac Stud taking off in the opening half of the contest, while Magical Major took off in the second half of the contest. Ballymac Stud went up with real purpose, opening a clear advantage into the turn, while Pennys Nugget went up well in second only to lose his position.
Coloursaregreen slipped into second on the bend, while Magical Major was soon third after mistiming the start. The race was now on although Ballymac Stud seemed a certain winner with the son of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Pete maintaining his lead down the back straight. Magical Major was on a mission, however.
Moving through the gears from halfway, the son of King Sheeran and Magical Mary flew up to and past his brother, Coloursaregreen, between the last two bends. In the process, he cut in and was slightly clipped from behind. This would prove a costly manoeuvre.
Ballymac Stud continued to dominate into the turn but Magical Major was advancing fast. In an incredible finish, the latter joined Ballymac Stud on the line. It took the judge a few moments to make his decision but he simply couldn’t. A dead-heat was declared in 28.26. There was a four and a half length gap to Getup the Boy in third.
Lewis Byrne presents the trophy to Helen Dowling and Pat Guilfoyle after Ballymac Stud and Magical Major dead heated in the final of the Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning ON1. Pic: Imelda Grauer
TIBET SHOWS HIS QUALITY TO WIN CHAMPION PLATE
Despite his inexperience, Liam Dowling thought enough of Ballymac Tibet to aim him at the English Derby.
While he made an early exit from the classic, he displayed enough in Towcester to suggest he was going to be a top-class tracker.
Hence, it was no shock to see him put it all together to capture the Boylesports Champion Plate in fine style. Owned by the Metinthehalfway Syndicate, who have owned talented trackers with the Ballymac team in the past, he would prove too strong for his rivals once turning closer than normal.
Sent to traps a 10-1 chance, his prospects were far greater once coming away on terms to chase reserve Lotto Other News around the opening two bends. Clona Comet raced alongside Ballymac Tibet in second to this point but Ballymac Tibet made his move before halfway.
Going a clear second, he was always far too close for the pace-setter. Joining and running straight pace Lotto Other News between the last two bends, the son of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Minton would power clear to emerge a three and a half length scorer in 29.40. Hello Diego flew home to take second with Ballymac Jester grabbing third a further length and a half adrift.
Jill Blakeswift presents the trophy To Liam Dowling after Ballymac Tibet won The 2025 BoyleSports Champion Plate, also included are Dylan Brennan Racing Manager Shelbourne Park and Ann Channon GRI. Pic: Imelda Grauer
MAGICAL RUN FROM MAG
Magical Mag was always in complete control in the third race, showing real alacrity at boxes to make every inch.
Owned by Pat and Donal Guilfoyle, the rapidly progressive daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Mystical Luna was making it four wins on the spin as she comfortable held those in pursuit.
Maintaining a relentless gallop throughout and clocking a very quick 15.86 to the third turn, she would eventually see off the always second Lookandlep by six lengths in a sizzling 28.11.
HOPE COMPLETES A MAGICAL TREBLE FOR GUILFOYLE
After the victories of Magical Mag and Magical Major, Pat Guilfoyle completed a tremendous treble in the finale over 575yds with Magical Hope dominating from the opening yards.
Going clear down the back straight, the daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Magical Poppy came back to her rivals in the closing yards but would go on to win by a length and a half from Read The Room in 31.26.
MINT LEAVES RIVALS BREATHLESS
Ballymac Mint produced the sort of run she has been threatening for some time when coming home a mile clear in the A1 second race.
It was quite a way to say goodbye to graded company with the daughter of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Ariel clearing the turn before finding herself a mile clear after avoiding opening bend traffic.
Showing fine all-round speed, posting a rapid 15.94 to the third turn, Liam Dowling’s exciting puppy would eventually come home seventeen lengths to the good over Fahee Phantom in a brilliant 28.18.
SILENT LOOKS VERY EXCITING
Tom Nolan’s Glengar Silent may not have been the fastest winner on the card but he certainly gave notice that he will be a serious performer going forward when winning the fifth race.
Bred in the purple, the son of Droopys Sydney and Singalong Sally broke reasonably well but got a little lost into the turn behind the early paced Solo And Go. The latter would set a really strong pace to the final turn but would, ultimately, run out of steam.
In contrast, the likes of Montana Shadow, Made To Measure and Glengar Silent were really starting to move by the third turn and it was left to the last named to come through to score. Coming between rivals. He challenged off the final turn before powering home to win by two and a half lengths from the long-time pace-setter in 28.26. Have no doubt, the Pat Buckley trained winner has a massive future.
MASSIVE DEBUT FROM FAITHFUL
As a half-sister to the likes of Droopys Flytline and Droopys Mandolin and a litter sister to recent Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced winner Toolmaker King, it is perhaps no surprise that Droopys Faithful is fast but few could have expected her to see off a talented field in what looked a very difficult racing debut in the penultimate race on the card.
After some superb qualifying trials, she was sent off a cautious 11/2 chance but her chances seemed remote at trap rise as she gave each of her five rivals a start. What was to follow was pretty special, however.
Staying to the middle of the track at the bend, she shot around a couple of her rivals to enter the back straight in third, some three and a half lengths behind the pace-setters Old Chicago and Badly Behaving.
It was at halfway that she really began to move. Closing fast on the front two, Droopys Faithful shot to the front between the last two bends and kept going, stretching on to win by four lengths in 28.44.
Her owner, Daniel O’Rahilly, who own last year’s Kirby Memorial with Knockeen Dazzler, has clearly found another star. The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Curio produced one of the great racing debuts and seems certain to be a brilliant performer going forward.
A HAT TRICK FOR DARRAGHS
Darraghs Sydney (Droopys Sydney/ Nothing Gained) has been in the form of his career in recent weeks and he made it three wins on the bounce in the opener when holding off the big finish of Lemon Orla over the 575yd trip.
Representing Paul Duffy and owner Gerry Daly, Darraghs Sydney moved to the front on the long run to the turn and was always going to take some catching.
Lemon Orla is very strong, however, and once turning second did look a serious threat. Waiting for a gap up the fence that Darraghs Sydney was reluctant to offer, Lemon Orla only found the room she needed on the fence on the run in but it was too late. Darraghs Sydney ran right to the line to hold off his rival by a rapidly diminishing short head in a rapid 30.99.
UNA ANOTHER FOR THE FRONT RUNNERS
Breffni Una made it four from four for the front runners when coming home clear in the fourth race of the card for Seamus Reilly.
A flying start from trap five secured her the early advantage and she was left well clear of her rivals at the second turn. It was little more than a procession for the daughter of Pestana and Breffni Comet thereafter as she came home seven lengths clear of Kristofferson in 28.54.