KATSUMOTO QUICKEST IN THE SEMI FINALS OF THE SPRING DERBY AT CURRAHEEN PARK

Barry Drake

Katsumoto, trained by Gerry Holian for owners Basil and Bernadette Holian, went quickest in the semi-finals of the €7,500 to the winner A2 Spring Derby at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

The 5-4 favourite displayed impressive early gears to pull clear down the back straight, however, it got very close in the end as Ballymac Slick came from the clouds to get within a short head, in 28.72. Burgess Cannon a length and a half back in second place. 

Labana King drove a great opening two corners when winning the second semi-final for Batt O'Shea. Once winning the all important early lead, he was always doing enough up front and he beat Tempestade, by a length and a half, in 29.29, with a length back to Coosey Hall in third place. 

SPRING DERBY A2 FINAL DRAW

1 KATSUMOTO

2 LABANA KING

3 TEMPESTADE

4 BURGESS CANNON

5 COOSEY HALL

6 BALLYMAC SLICK

In the Mini Bitch A0, Clonmore Alice made the most of the drop in class to return to winning ways for Breda and Cian Moloney. The even-money favourite didn't produce her best start, but she displayed plenty of early pace and she worked very hard to slip around in front. Kicking clear down the back straight, the impressive winner pulled away to win in style, coming home with six and a half lengths to spare over Subtle Jill, in 28.72.

Racing ended with another outstanding winning performance from in-form Butterbridge Roy, who recorded four wins on the trot for trainer Kieran Lynch and owner Mark O'Shea. A flying start took the even-money favourite to the front early and he showed plenty of all-round pace to beat Garfiney Blake, by a length and a half, in 30.02. (550 A0).