BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Third Round Heats Thoughts...
ROCKET AGAIN THE DERBY STAR BUT SONIC MAKES STRONG SOUNDS - PLUS DRAW
It was a really special night at Shelbourne with a smashing crowd on hand for the third round of the BoyleSports Irish Derby.
They weren’t disappointed with kennel companions Clares Rocket and Sonic producing powerful performances while Tyrur Harold and Kilgraney Ace also served up very tasty efforts.
Graham Holland maintained his grip on the classic with four of the eight heat winners while he had eight qualifiers altogether for the quarter finals next week. Fastest winner again was Clares Rocket but he was only two spots quicker than Tyrur Harold. Few, though, will argue against the statement that Sonic produced the most impressive run of the night.
Heat 1 – FERN LEADS HOME A FEMALE ONE-TWO
After running well to finish second in the opening two rounds, Sidarian Fern obliged for her loyal followers in the first of the third round heats.
The Sidarian Syndicate owned daughter of Tyrur Big Mike and Diegos Lady hit the ground running from trap three to lead the field from the start.
The favourite, Burnt Beans soon gave chase, but he failed to show the same sparkle as nine days previous. It meant that Graham Holland trained Sidarian Fern was allowed to take them along into the back straight. Burnt Beans did turn second, but he could never threaten and was headed by Ballymac Sarah Jo around the final two bends.
In contrast Sidarian Fern was galloping along freely out front and she went on to cross the line a length and a half to the god over the staying on Ballymac Sarah Jo in 29.98. Burnt Beans was the same distance away in third.
Heat 2 – HAROLD THE BOSS
PJ Fahy’s Tyrur Harold was understandably installed a hot favourite for the second heat and he duly obliged in style.
Black Farren was actually fastest into stride on the inside of the track, but he couldn’t match the early speed of Tyrur Harold.
The favourite moved to the front well before the corner and once doing so he was always dominant. Jaytee Barracuda slipped around in second from a wide draw, but he never looked threatening despite running hard throughout.
Tyrur Harold (Tullymurry Act/ Badminton Girl) was simply too good as he stayed on strongly to maintain his unbeaten record in the event by three lengths in 29.60. Black Farren took the third qualifying spot a further two and a half lengths adrift.
Heat 3 – CHIMES PLAYS THE RIGHT TUNE
Native Chimes was another winning favourite when coming home clear in Heat 3 for Johnny O’Sullivan, John Kelleher and Pat Norton.
Rather predictably Clona Kid performed the pace-setting duties, but his fate was sealed when Native Chimes displayed fine early pace after a tardy start to turn second on the wide outside.
Once doing so Native Chimes was always going to be difficult to contain. The powerful son of Premier Fantasy and Native Gypsy is renowned for his back straight pace and he picked up the leader by the third turn before driving through on the rail.
From that point it was plain sailing for Native Chimes. Maintaining a strong gallop to the finish he emerged a comfortable two length winner over Clona Kid in 29.81, while Milldean Skip ran a fine race to finish just a length away in third.
Heat 4 – JET POWERED JAYTEE
John Turner’s Jaytee Jet (Droopys Scolari/ Chin Gach Gook) was gifted plenty of room to race in Heat 4 and he seized his opportunity with all four paws coming home fast to beat Skywalker Manner.
The latter was draw in five, but he cut straight for the fence at trap rise leaving Jaytee Jet with clear space to run into.
The Paul Hennessy trained Jaytee Jet disputed second into the turn with Me Phat Daddy, but got the better of that rival between the bends. Skywalker Manner remained clear, but Jaytee Jet inched closer down the far side before launching a decisive challenge on the run in. The former English Derby champion powered up the straight to assume control before crossing the line two and a half lengths in 29.79. Skywalker Manner held off the fast finishing Mick by a length to take second.
HEAT 5 – -CABAYE REMAINS UNBEATEN
Surely the most improved tracker of recent weeks, Droopys Cabaye produced another smashing effort to maintain his unbeaten record in the classic when winning this heat.
It was Droopys Noah which led up from Good News and Droopys Cabaye but Good News was forced to check when Droopys Noah cut the bend.
Droopys Cabaye was second on the bend and, as usual, he kicked at this point and was in front early in the back straight. Good News, meanwhile, ran the back straight hard and a moved second at the third bend. He ran on strongly but couldn’t catch the Larry O’Rourke owned, Graham Holland trained Droopys Cabaye which won by a length in 29.80. It was then two and a half lengths to Swithins Brae which came through on the run-in to finish third.
HEAT 6 – ANOTHER PROCESSION FOR THE ROCKET
Priced at 1-6 in the ring, the Graham Holland trained Clares Rocket was all the rage for this contest and he won it as easily as his odds suggested he would.
He broke well from the outside trap and was in front after a stride. He hit the corner a few lengths in front of Pension Plan with Drumsna Star in third.
Now the Full House Syndicate owned son of Confident Rankin and Lemon Madrid he turned on the gas and moved clear. He was six in front at halfway and, fair play to Pension Plan, the margin only increased to seven lengths by the line in a time of 29.58. Pension Plan ran a cracking contest and he was three lengths in front of Drumsna Star.
HEAT 7 – A TURBO POWERED SONIC
Making it a fourth heat winner on the night for Graham Holland, Sonic (Knockgrass Billy/ Vickis Dream) gave an exhibition of power and tracking ability in winning Heat 7 and he would have to be rated a threat to his illustrious kennel companion which had won the previous race.
Sonic broke reasonably but was no match to the bend for Buckos Dream and Hey Bound but he took the bend in third place. He was almost six lengths off the lead entering the back straight but it was from here than he produced the fireworks. Motoring along the back straight he switched inside Hey Bound to go second at the third bend and then adroitly moved out to challenge Buckos Dream on his outside turning for home. Marion Moloney’s star then absolutely stormed up the straight to win by three lengths from Buckos Dream in 29.69 with Hey Bound two lengths third.
Heat 8 – KILGRANEY AN ACE FOR TOM
Thoughts that the last of the heats lay between the kennel companions Drive On Tipp and Clonbrien Hero were blown right out of the water as Tom Buggy’s Kilgraney Ace (Scolari Me Daddy/ Kilgraney Poppy) produced an explosive display in winning the final heat in 29.70.
The field broke pretty level with Drive On Tipp well away on the inner but the black jacket of Kilgraney Ace soon shot to the front and he was two lengths in front at the bend of Drive On Tipp with Clonbrien Hero third. Kilgraney Ace then proceeded to move right away down the back and he was five to the good from Drive On Tipp at the third bend with Clonbrien still a close third.
Typical Ash was now beginning a drive from the back. Kilgraney Ace powered home a six length winner in 29.70 from Drive On Tipp. Typical Ash got up to deny Clonbrien Hero of third by three parts of a length.
BOYLESPORTS IRISH DERBY – QUARTER FINAL DRAW
{To be run on Saturday next }
HEAT 1
1 CLONA KID
2 DRIVE ON TIPP
3 PENSION PLAN
4 HEY BOUND
5 SONIC (W)
6 JAYTEE BARRACUDA (W)
HEAT 2
1 SIDARIAN FERN
2 DRUMSNA STAR
3 SWITHINS BRAE
4 BALLYMAC SARAHJO
5 NATIVE CHIMES
6 KILGRANEY ACE (W)
HEAT 3
1 MILLDEAN SKIP
2 BLACK FARREN
3 BURNT BEANS (M)
4 DROOPYS CABAYE (M)
5 TYRUR HAROLD (M)
6 JAYTEE JET (W)
HEAT 4
1 HOVEX MICK
2 GOOD NEWS
3 SKYWALKER MANNER
4 BUCKOS DREAM (W)
5 TYPICAL ASH (W)
6 CLARES ROCKET (W)