DOLLY AND LYNX PURR IN SHELBOURNE 600
Ian Fortune
Another big crowd poured through the Shelbourne Park stiles on Saturday ahead of a superb night of racing action. There were brilliant displays throughout the card but those of Singalong Dolly and Pennys Lynx in the semi-finals of the Shelbourne open 600 were on a different level.
DASHING DOLLY GOES FAST
Singalong Dolly certainly set the tone in the opening heat as she clocked a sensationally fast 32.02 on her way to a memorable success over another flying female, Fashion Model. Ballinabola Jim had a fraction more early speed than his rivals and led into the bend but Gilbert Anderson’s Singalong Dolly defended her rails pitch like a lady on a mission.
Once holding Ballymac Gizmo into the turn, the Pat Buckley trained Cesarewitch winner slipped up the inside of Ballinabola Jim to take over off the second turn. Fashion Model sat behind the pair in third but was to come through for second on the run in.
Of course, there was no stopping Singalong Dolly. The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Mydras Dawn had no intention of letting her lead slip and galloped on mercilessly to emerge a hugely impressive three length winner over Fashion Model with Ballymac Gizmo, running a bigger race than the result suggests, a further length and a half away in third. The fact that the winner’s clock was just eleven spots off the track record tells its own story.
LYNX POUNCES BEFORE IMPRESSING
Pennys Lynx may not have gone as fast in the second heat but he was every bit as impressive, putting the result beyond doubt in the early yards. The Rosemary price trained son of Droopys Sydney and Jetstream Lynx resembled his older half-sister Susie Sapphire at boxes, flashing from three to dominate.
Azurite initially took up the chase but she fell away on the run in. In truth, Pennys Lynx was never under any pressure even when Ryhope Beach arrived with a rush into the third turn. he continued to close fast around the last bend and home, going second early on the run in but Eugene Price and Colin Rosbottom’s Pennys Lynx was simply too good on this occasion, staying on strongly to win by two and a half lengths in a very quick 32.18. Ryhope Beach was a good second after giving his rivals a big head start, while third went to Kyanite Kate a further four lengths adrift.
Shelbourne Open 600
Final draw
1 Singalong Dolly
2 Pennys Lynx
3 Ballymac Gizmo
4 Fashion Model (m)
5 Kyanite Kate (m)
6 Ryhope Beach (w)
DEELISH DISPLAY FROM NORA
Deelish Nora came across the water with a big reputation and is easy to see why after her brilliant first victory on Irish soil in the seventh race on the card, the opening semi-final of the Retired Greyhound Trust A0 525.
Now under the care of John McGee for JS Porter, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Orna was a facile winner after a fast start from the inside box. Clear into the turn, she was never under any sort of pressure from the pursuing Abbeyside Spice before drawing clear from the final turn. At the line she had an ever-increasing six and a half length advantage in a wonderful 28.31.
METAPHOR DOMINATES
Remarkably, the second heat was won in similar trap to line fashion in an identical fashion by the exciting Droopys Metaphor. Representing Robert Gleeson and the Newmarket Racing Syndicate, the son of Dromana Bucko and Droopys Zero flashed from trap five and was soon in complete command.
Driving the turn with real purpose, the leader increased his advantage significantly to enter the back straight well clear of the chasing Beepers Lariat. Droopys Metaphor’s stride did shorten on the run in but he was never going to be picked up and he hit the line a length clear of the staying on Beepers Lariat in 28.31.
Retired Greyhound Trust A0
Final draw
1 Beepers Lariat
2 Lets Go Bubbles
3 Abbeyside Spice
4 Deelish Nora
5 Ballyea Buck
6 Droopys Metaphor
KING RULES AGAIN IN FINALE
Carmac King is no longer one of the most progressive trackers in training but rather one of the best in training and another foot-perfect display in the finale over 550yds was evidence of the fact. This was a truly professional display of front running from the son of Droopys Sydney and Peters Queen.
Representing Owen McKenna and Timmy Carmody, the March ’22 whelp shot into the turn to dominate from start to finish. Swords Hero rode a bump or two to move second into the back straight but he was chasing shadows. Carmac King was typically relentless from the second turn and went on to score by five lengths in a superb 29.58.
POETIC EFFORT FROM DAWN
Poets Dawn has developed into a very tidy performer for Laurence Jones and Ray Byrne and she made full use of an ideal draw on the fence to see off some razor-sharp rivals in the penultimate race on the card.
Flashing from the inside box, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Got The Charm stayed tight to the fence to stay in front of some advancing rivals on the bend. Once turning in front, she always seemed to have the upper hand, although Lincoln Legacy did push her hard into the third turn. Poets Dawn was always going to be too strong for her rival, however, and she duly stayed on well to emerge a comfortable two length winner over Lincoln Legacy in a quick 28.39.
ALF IN AN EPIC
The fifth race over two bends highlighted everything that is great about top class sprint action with two of the finest in the country going toe to toe to the line. Ballinakil Alf (Pestana/ Newinn Madam) and Hopes Hurricane were both headed by the fast starting Zaconey Vulcan in the early yards but the pair showed their class into the turn to take over.
Ballinakil Alf, with the inside line in his favour, held a very narrow advantage but Hopes Hurricane really put it up to him. Virtually side by side from the second bend, the pair raced right to the line with the judge forced to separate the duo.
In the end, Ballinakil Alf, trained by Graham Holland for the Pillar Syndicate, got the decision by a short head in 18.49 but the runner-up lost nothing in defeat. This was simply a tremendous greyhound race.
KINTURK ROAD SEES OFF GUTSY RIVAL
Frank Thornton’s 2023 Corn Cuchulainn champion and recent named 2023 Stayer of the Year Kinturk Road returned to winning ways in the sixth race over the six bends although she had to work considerably harder than most expected despite making a flying exit from trap two.
Entering the home straight for the first time, the Liam Dowling trained daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Arminta had three lengths in hand on Colossal Venture but it was soon evident she would have a battle on her hands.
Colossal Venture was having just her third start over six bends and her first since September but it didn’t stop her from producing what was arguably the biggest run of her career. Closing on the leader to the fifth turn, she looked a serious threat off the final turn. Kinturk Road is very gutsy, however, and she dug deep to repel her rival by a half length in 41.65.
PRINCE TAKES HIS CHANCE
Maireads Prince found himself a golden highway at the opening turn in the fourth race and took full advantage. Only fourth into the bend, he slipped up the inside of the front three as the got in each other’s way, leaving the Fraser Black trained son of Droopys Sydney and Clona Skye to enter the back straight with a clear advantage.
Annie On Faya took up the chase but she was never going to worry the new pace-setter. Instead, Silverhill Adam entered the notebook, flying from halfway to move second on the run in. Maireads Prince was always in charge, however, going on to score for Joe Horan by five and half lengths in 29.74.
ME SON SHOWS REAL POTENTIAL
If his performance in the S0 third race is anything to go by, Getup Me Son is a young sprinter to keep a note of. Trained by Mark Robinson for Daniel Ornstein, the son of Ballymac Cashout and Skirk Grace displayed real pace and determination to come out on top in a rapid 18.68.
Headed into the turn by A New Addition, Getup Me Son displayed fine track craft on the turn, stepping right of the pace-setter to launch a decisive challenge. Running a tremendous second bend, he quickly took over at the head of affairs before staying on well to beat the early leader by a length and a half.
MICK IMPRESSES IN OPENER
A flying start saw Headinthewindow get loose in the A1 opener but, despite building a decent lead, she failed to contain the big finish of Kilcolgan Mick. The latter was only third into the back straight but really started to move with purpose once they hit halfway.
Going second between the last two bends, he snuck up the inside of the pace-setter off the final turn but only got up in the final stride to give Neilus O’Connell and Karen Geoghegan the perfect start to the evening.
At the line Kilcolgan Mick (Droopys Sydney/ Razldazl Annie) had just a short head to spare over Headinthewindow in a rapid 28.36. It was a fine display by both the winner and runner-up.
BELLE BOUNCES OUT TO DOMINATE
Neilus O’Connell and Karen Geoghegan were once again on the scoresheet in the second race as Kilcolgan Belle made a successful start to her six bend career with a trap to line success. A sister to Kilcolgan Mick, she was always in charge despite the close attentions of Typical Bono.
Showing plenty of resolve, Kilcolcan Belle comfortably held off Typical Bono to emerge a two length winner in 42.35, in turn completing a superb double for her owner and trained combination.