SHORT HOLDS TIGHT GRIP ON LIMERICK OAKS

Peter Farrell

The opening round heats of the Clonbrien Treaty Limerick Oaks took centre stage at Limerick Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night and all three heats oozed quality as Short Grip set the standard with a blistering 28.13 effort.

Kindly sponsored by the Murphy Family, there is a brilliant €4,000 on offer to the eventual winner in seven days time and it will take a special effort to prevail as all three semis were landed in sparkling fashion on the night.

GRIP LOWERS THE COLOURS OF DANICA

Ballymac Danica was all the rage heading into the third semi and this was reflected by her starting price of 8/13. The track record holder was expected to make every inch of the running from a favourable draw in three, however, Short Grip did not read the script as Patrick John Cocoman’s tracker bolted from trap three to outpace her rivals in the opening yards.

Taking a lead of around one length into the back, the 2/1 chance was holding Sawdust Storm down the back, while Ballymac Danica was improving at the halfway mark and still remaining a threat. However, Short Grip was not hanging around up top and the daughter of Grangeview Ten and Mystical Luna, the Juvenile Derby runner-up, cranked it up a notch around the bottom two bends.

Staying on expertly thereafter, this was a thoroughly impressive performance from a bitch that is certainly back to her best as she emerged five lengths clear of Ballymac Danica, who held on to progress into the decider. The time was an incredible 28.13.

FAYA ON FIRE

In the second semi, Anna On Faya produced an excellent display to emerge a 4/1 winner for Murt Leahy and Cian Mulrooney.

The even money favourite heading into this contest was Coolavanny Poppy but this contest proved to be all one-way traffic as Anna On Faya, who came in as a reserve, grabbed her chance with two paws. Running from trap five, the daughter of Superior Panama and Cabra Skylar was spring-like from traps and she quickly excelled into a four length lead midway down the back as Coolavanny Poppy drifted off the second turn.

Setting a blistering gallop thereafter, ‘Anna’ never relented in the closing stages of the contest, however, was forced to pull out all the stops as the fast-finishing Ballymac Wendy made a real fist of it in her attempts to make it back-to-back wins. That said, Anna On Faya still held a one length advantage over her rival as she stopped the clock in a brisk 28.21.

RAFAS BACK TO HER BEST

After the best part of three months off the racing scene, Rafas Friend returned in superb style in the opening semi as she made every inch of the running.

After a super performance last time out, Castleivy Ginge was sent to traps as the even money jolly, however, she failed to come away in the same manner as her previous victory. In contrast, Rafa Friend used her rails berth in one brilliantly to trap in front and hold a narrow lead rounding the opening turn.

Holding a three parts of a length advantage over ‘Ginge’ entering the back, the two served up quite the buckle down the back, however, the wide-running ‘Rafas’ was always in the driving seat. Sweeping the penultimate turn, the daughter Droopys Sydney and Rafas Babys Baby maintained a powerful gallop in the closing stages and the 5/2 chance pulled clear in the final fifty yards to cross the line with a two length success over Castleivy Ginge in second. The time was a swift 28.58.