TAKE A CHANCE WITH BALLYMAC SLICK IN SPRING DERBY DECIDER

Barry Drake

The €7,500 to the winner A2 Spring Derby Final is the feature race at Curraheen Park tonight and a narrow vote goes to the Liam Dowling-trained Ballymac Slick. 

In truth, it's a wide-open decider and a chance is worth taking with the July youngster. Katsumoto will start as favourite along the inside of the track and the Gerry Holain-trained runner has strong claims from the rails pitch, however, the Ballymac runner has huge pace and if he can produce a slightly better start, he should go very well. 

Only a short head separated both in last week's semi-final and it promises to be another terrific contest. Of the others, the James Kelleher-trained Coosey Hall is the big local runner. Owned by the Castlegrounds-Syndicate, he's a 20-time winner for connections and if he can reproduce his 28.65 run from two starts ago, he would be right in the mix. A big run is expected from the strong running tracker. 

Burgess Jack can return to winning ways in race number seven. Sarah Shannon's dog is no stranger to big performances and the recent Supersprint finalist can make the most of the drop-in class in this. When he gets it right, he's as fast as any dog in the country over sprinting trips. 

Footfield Violet, trained by Johnny Linehan for Martin Hagan, is the obvious danger. The August youngster looked like a real star on debut, posting a top-class 17.64 winning performance. The daughter of Droopys Sydney lacks experience, but she's one to follow in the coming weeks and rates a serious prospect for connections.

Arrivee should make a bold bid from the front in race eight. Ned Kerrisk's runner is still chasing a maiden success, however, he has run a number of big races in defeat. All about early speed, he looks the certain leader from the rails pitch and he should take plenty of catching in this. That was a fine performance in defeat last time out and he's a leading player in this line-up. The Paraic Campion trained Rons Hero has some strong form in the book and he rates the main danger to the selection.