No Saving rivals from Paddy’s hat-trick

Despite displaying plenty of promise in the Champion Unraced Stake at Kilkenny to commence his career, it had a taken some time for Tina Morrissey’s Save Me Paddy (Kinloch Brae-Geelo Lu Lu) to begin honing his racing skills.

However, completing a hat-trick when landing the S0 330 Yard contest at Thurles Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, the progressive speedster looks set for a career in the top echelons following a classy sprint performance.

A strong runner at the 525 yard trip, Save Me Paddy ventured west for a brace of victories over that standard distance at Galway but returning closer to home, the Cloughjordan charge added a touch of versatility to his profile when his sprinting credentials were searchingly examined on Saturday.

Quick to stride from trap 4, the September 2018 whelp showed just in front for the initial strides before promising sprint prospect Wing Mirror overtook the Morrissey charge with stunning pace on the run to the first bend. Almost two lengths adrift when reaching the turn, Save Me Paddy was offered a gap on the rails as the leader drifted wide and not needing a second invitation, he duly railed with aplomb while striking the front entering the home straight. Certain to gallop strongly to the line, Save Me Paddy registered a two-length verdict over Wing Mirror in a brilliant 17.75 (-10).

A high-class clash between the leading duo, the winning time is quite remarkable when considered that Save Me Paddy was led to the bend while Wing Mirror must be marked down as real up and coming force in this sphere given that he can develop his cornering skills further with this being just a fifth career start.

BLAKE SPARKS LITTER DOUBLE

The best performances over 525 yards on Saturday came from litter comrades and a true standard bearer at Thurles, it was the hugely likeable Amazing Four Syndicate’s Star Blake (Laughil Blake-Stuckeybawn) who went fastest for the trip when landing the A1 event.

Outside the forecast places for just the second time in his twelve-race career a week earlier, the Paddy Everard favourite bounced straight back when producing his best break. From trap 5, he quickly galloped to a one length lead while maintaining a middle path to the bend and ably repelled rivals to his inner while doubly his advantage to the backstraight. Catching the eye with pace to the third turn, Cabra Luna closed to a length but would get no closer as the strong running Star Blake asserted once again off the final bend for an ultimately cosy three length verdict over the running-on Allowdale Shelly in a slick 29.15 (-40).

The concluding A3 contest saw comrade Railteen Dara (Laughil Blake-Stuckeybawn) display similar strong running abilities when registering a second career success for Patrick Kelly & Michael Skehan.

An A6 winner at the venue, the July 2018 whelp returned to the Premier following a host of smart placed efforts in A2 and took full advantage of her ease in grade despite being led in the early exchanges.

Tracking Slaneyside Maisy to the opening turn, command of the inside from trap 2 saw Railteen Dara join that rival off the second bend when railing smoothly and edging clear on the run to halfway, she would waste little time in settling the verdict. Bounding to a seven and a half-length victory over the running-on Rahyvira Rodney while staying stoutly, Ralteen Dara was up to her very best in a sharp 29.30 (-40).

Shiraz goes back to back

Having bounced back to winning ways over 570 yards a fortnight ago, a repeat of the adept break shown then was always likely to see Rallying Shiraz (Droopys Jet-Beaming Shiraz) ably cope with a rise to A2 and young Michael Flanagan’s strong runner duly converted when again swift to stride at trap rise.

Leading by over a length on the long run to the bend, the David Flanagan trained July 2018 whelp extended further clear to the backstraight as Live Jewel rounded rivals to race second. The latter was overhauled by Taylor Kate at third turn but by that point, the winner had flown and although a greater lead was reduced to two lengths at the line, Rallying Shiraz was full value for a two length verdict over Taylor Kate while setting up a hattrick bid in 31.42 (-40).

A second 570-yard contest on the night, the A3 event saw Michael Collins’s Colmyard Pulse (Droopys Cain-Boherna Impulse) win the crucial early battle before sweeping across rivals at the opening turn to stretch readily clear to the backstraight.

Five lengths to the good at halfway, the April 2018 whelp would have her lead reduced to just a length at the line as Cash For Bella thoroughly caught the eye when staying stoutly but Colmyard Pulse had enough resolve to score a second career win in 31.86 (-40).

The first of two novice races on the night, the opening ON3 525 was claimed by Gerard White’s Rahyvira Spice (Greenwell Hulk-Rahyvira Dream) in 30.41 (-40) when recovering from a poor start to impressively advance from fourth at the top of the backstraight. Striking the front off the final turn, her half-length verdict over Ballyphilip Sky was much more impressive than first glance!

The following ON2 contest was equally competitive and produced a very impressive winner in James Murphy’s Clune Rambler (World Class-Havana Lottie) who battled bravely for a backstraight lead having been locked in battle with Leamaneigh Largo throughout the early stages. Edging clear of that rival, the July 2019 pup settled the race on the run to the closing bends before repelling the running-on Diegos Maximus by two lengths in a smart debut time of 29.74 (-40).

Rounding up the results, next best over the 525 yards was Sue O’Neill’s Cabra Misty (Good News-Heavens Lilly) when shedding her maiden tag at the sixth attempt in the A6 contest. Swift to stride from her ideal trap 1 berth, the September 2018 whelp led throughout a four and a half-length defeat of Downbytheabbey in 29.58 (-40).

Pacing up well on the outside of the field in the early stages of the A4 525, Liam O’Riordan’s Moneygall Melody (Droopys Nidge-Bull Run Spice) gamely struck the front on the run to halfway. Containing the staying-on Jimmy Of Ozz thereafter, she registered a second career win in 29.66 (-40).

The earlier A4 525 saw Emmet Quinlan’s Tekapo Proposal (Droopys Jet-Aunty Valerie) secure a first race win at the third time of asking and following a poor start from trap 4, the lightly raced September 2018 whelp left a very pleasing impression. A hugely impressive turn of early pace saw the Quinlan charge secure an unlikely first bend lead before completing a three and half-length verdict over Acres Miracle in 29.89 (-40) and he looks likely to progress quickly if trapping faster.

Frustratingly baulked the last twice, Canice Hyland’s Foxrock Joan (Candlelight King-Swift Joan) would also shed her maiden tag when this time securing the rails pitch on the run to the bend from trap 3 in her fifth career start. Turning with a length advantage in her A6 525 contest, the August 2018 whelp was chased throughout by Whizzing Jet but stronger in the closing stages, pulled readily clear for a six and a half length win while posting 29.70 (-40).

Top Dog - Considering that he is unlikely to pursue a sprint career, the victory of Save Me Paddy in the S0 330-yard feature was highly impressive and sees him rise to Open class in that sphere with this progression likely to me mirrored over four bends.

Best Bitch - Up to her very best form in a dominant A3 victory, Railteen Dara takes just one step up the grading ladder and it would be no shock if she were to follow-up next time.

One To Watch - With a poor start and plenty sings of greenness on debut, Paul Ryan’s Diegos Maximus (Good News-Diegos Ruby) caught the eye with pace throughout his staying-on second to Clune Rambler and will be open to significant progression in graded company next time.