TRAPRISE - Duke can dictate in Shelbourne decider

Having missed his break a week ago, the immensely exciting Grouchos Duke (Grangeview Ten-Mystical Luna) quickly got back to winning ways at Shelbourne Park on Thursday for the Paddy Last Syndicate when a dominant winner of his semi-final in the RCETS ON1 525 Stake and further confirming his prodigious latent abilities, posted a stunning 28.31 while ensuring that he will start a strong favourite for this coming Saturday’s concluding act in the hot novice event.

Announcing himself as a real prospect with 28.23 in opening round victory before made to settle for second last time, the John Byrne trained December 2021 whelp exited trap 4 much more smoothly this time and quickly displaying the best early pace, stretched to a one length lead over Saleen Zac at the opening bend. Extending while turning, Grouchos Duke had the race settled as a contest before halfway and seeing out the trip in strong running fashion, held ten lengths over the staying-on Mbappe at the line in 28.31.

The opposing semi-final was claimed by Droopys Mandolin with just a shorthead to Droopys Tico in 28.45 so clearly the final will house plenty of threatening opposition for Grouchos Duke but just an adept break from his rails-draw in trap 1 should suffice as he seeks a first stake victory at the outset of what promises to be an exciting career amidst the elite of racing.

Scaglietti again sizzles in Derby

The second-round heats of the 2023 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby were again held over two meetings last weekend and setting the standard on the Friday session for the second week in succession was Scaglietti (Magical Bale-Outdoor Roller) as the Cheryl Sutcliffe owned star backed up his brilliant opening round score in a heat of mixed fortune for trainer Pat Guilfoyle.

Breaking on level terms from trap 3 in Heat 5, Scaglietti took a strong one-length lead to the opening bend and would negotiate the turns in advance of fellow Round One heat winner Ballyhimikin Rex who tracked the Guilfoyle winner while kennel companion Good Maestro endured a horrid passage at the bends when repeated bumping saw him relegated to fourth at the top of the backstraight before further checked at the third turn.

Out front however, Scaglietti dismissed the gallant challenge of Ballyhimikin Rex when extending to two lengths at the closing bends before staying stoutly to further stretch the winning margin to four lengths at the line in a brilliant 29.26, which matched his time from the previous week as Good Maestro agonisingly lost out on qualification by a shorthead following his luckless passage.

Port on point in Derby

That Friday Derby session had already commenced with local celebrations following victory for the Hill Of Port Syndicate’s Newinn Port (Kinloch Brae-Delboys Cushty) as the lightly raced youngster improved for his third placing a week earlier when a strong running winner of Heat 1.

Bouncing back to his very best career form, the Graham Holland trained July 2021 whelp was having just his eighth race start when breaking just behind the pace from trap 6 but pacing up well on the run to the corner, the Portroe hopeful duelled with Capitan Garfio to his inside and the pair would remain locked together until Newinn Port swept to the outright lead at the third turn. Seeing out the trip stoutly when extending to two lengths over that same rival at the line, Newinn Port posted 29.53 and more open to further progression than any in the Derby, announced himself as a serious classic contender.

Undisputed remains undefeated in Derby

Further Derby action on Saturday brought the remaining eight heats of the second round and retaining her unbeaten event tag to the third round was Wayne McCarthy & Paul Prendergast’s Undisputed (Pestana-Unlock Unlock) on another successful session for trainer Pat Guilfoyle.

An opening round winner in 29.47, the January 2021 whelp all but matched that performance on the clock when a dominant winner of Heat 12 following a smart break from trap 4. Rounding Another Holiday despite taking a bump to her inside while tackling the first bend, the Moneygall charge skipped readily clear to the backstraight and seeing out the trip stoutly, held six lengths over that same rival at the line in 29.48.

Guiding his third runner to this Saturday’s round of 48, Pat Guilfoyle will have been pleased with the runner-up performance of the Pension Plan Syndicate’s Music Glideaway (Newinn Taylor-Glideaway Magic) when chasing home Ballymac Marino in following Heat 13.

Moderately to stride from trap 6, the progressive June 2021 youngster displayed pleasing early dash before bumped wide and relegated to a tussle for fourth at the crown of the opening bends. Gathering his stride on the run to halfway however, Music Glideaway impressed when advancing to third at the closing bends before staying eye-catchingly well to claim second close home, just three lengths adrift of Ballymac Marino in 29.52.

All three remaining Guilfoyle trained runners have avoided each other in the draw for this Saturday night but Newinn Port will contest the same Heat 2 from trap six as Undisputed who occupies trap 4 in a treacherous assignment for both, where any qualification position would be gratefully accepted.

Galway double for Abigail

A daytime meeting at Galway Greyhound Stadium as part of race week in the west commenced the local winning action last weekend as young Abigail Morrissey enjoyed a smart double with her Abigails Hope (Premier Fantasy-Geelo Lu Lu) leading the way in an impressive return to winning ways. Amongst the most likeable racers on the local scene, the November 2020 whelp has filled forecast places in more than half of her thirty-two starts and took her win tally to double figures when leading throughout the www.grireland.ie A3 525. A multiple winner at higher, the Morrissey darling was never likely to surrender a winning opportunity having led throughout the early exchanges following a smart break from trap 2 and duly dominating in a typically strong running display, Abigails Hope posted 29.05 (-10) in a five and a quarter length verdict.

Sparking the kennel double in the earlier Try A Trio A5 525 was Abigails Muffin (Great Blue Shark-Arterbury) as the improving 2021 pup doubled his win tally in a seventh career outing. Very much catching the eye in a trio of runner-up displays since maiden victory, the strong runner overturned a seven-length deficit off the second bend when striking the front on the inside entering the home stretch. Easing clear to the line, Abigails Muffin posted 29.45 (-10) in an ultimately cosy two length verdict and likely has further progress to come on this evidence.