TRAPRISE - Glideaway sings Guilfoyle tune in sublime Derby tilt
Following a month of intense competition in the 2023 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby, racing’s blue riband event will draw to a conclusion at Shelbourne Park this Saturday night and in search of a second title, trainer Pat Guilfoyle holds strong claims for victory following the brilliant semi-final winning performance of the Pension Plan Syndicate’s Music Glideaway (Newinn Taylor-Glideaway Magic).
Having opened his account with victory in the first round of the Derby, Music Glideaway continued to improve throughout his campaign despite not tasting victory in three subsequent heats before contesting the opening semi-final last weekend. However, that initial heat success in a relatively modest time of 30.09 somewhat masked the potential that the June 2021 youngster harboured within this classic tilt as Pat Guilfoyle details a stunted preparation for his Derby finalist.
Pat explain: “I was delighted with him on that first night because he had been off since winning his A1 575 Stake at Shelbourne almost six weeks beforehand,” Guilfoyle explained.
“He had a minor niggle, but it meant some time off and he actually only had a short hand-slip back before the Derby. So, I was just a bit worried that he was short enough work to do himself justice but thankfully he kept qualifying after that first win and kept improving. In fairness to him, he’s not a dog to get put off by a bump or two, he’s very genuine and credit to him, he has run himself into fitness and his form has taken off with every passing round.”
Indeed, the form of Music Glideaway has progressed throughout the classic both visually and on the clock with a new career best arriving in timely fashion when finding his best break from a suitable trap 6 on Saturday.
In command to the opening bend when displaying his slick early dash to turn the first bend in advance of Well Met, the Guilfoyle starlet maintained a powerful gallop throughout a cosy four length victory, improving to a brilliant time of 29.32 with Well Met second and Threesixfive third.
The opposing semi-final was claimed by Jennifer O’Donnell’s bang in-form The Other Kobe, a full-brother to last season’s winner Born Warrior, who led home Bens Teddy and Bockos Crystal in 29.58.
Final Draw: 1) Well Met 2) The Other Kobe 3) Bens Teddy 4) Threesixfive 5) Bockos Crystal 6) Music Glideaway (w)
With some early market leaders falling short at the semi-final stage, Saturday’s Derby showdown harbours an open complexion and having been dominated by juvenile runners for large parts over the past month, just two 2021 whelps have survived to now do chase for €125,000.
The youngest in the final is Music Glideaway and our selfish local bias will wish that his youthful promise can eek out one final telling morsel of improvement come Saturday, and his trainer admits that it will most likely be needed!
“He’s going to need to produce that semi-final run again at the very minimum,” Guilfoyle feels.
“He broke brilliantly on Saturday but with so much early pace on his inside, he has to do it one more time.
“He’s in good form after the race. He was a bit tired on Sunday morning but that’s understandable, and he was bouncing again on Monday.
“As with any big final, we’re just happy to get there. You take what comes after that, it’s all on the night but this is made more special for his owner Bob Shanahan. He is a great friend to the kennels for many years and just the perfect owner. He lets us get on with it, you wouldn’t hear from him only when needs be. He’s a man I admire greatly and having had some luck with Music Toour Ears winning a Gold Cup in the past, we would love to win a Derby for him if possible. We can only hope for the best.”
Priced at 4/1 in the wake of his latest victory, Music Glideaway has realistic final claims from an ideal draw as the sole wide seed remaining. Though bearing an inside seed, all evidence suggests that Bockos Crystal will chart a straight line throughout the early exchanges from trap 5 which augurs well for hopes of a cleanly run battle to the corner.
That first bend will likely decide the Derby for both of those outside runners will seek to turn first, and crucially ahead of fellow early pacers Well Met and The Other Kobe. The latter pair are likely to race in very tight quarters on the inside and any bumping would give Bockos Crystal and Music Glideaway the edge further out, a scenario which would greatly aid our selfish local aspirations.
A true star throughout the season, the remaining 2021 whelp is Pat Buckley’s Bens Teddy and a powerful galloper from halfway, he will be the greatest late threat to any prospective leader in the closing stages but if again breaking smartly, that leader can be Music Glideaway while en-route to Derby glory………here’s hoping!
BALLYGIBBON PLUNDERS GALWAY CASH
Away from the capital there were many smart performances from local challengers across the country and sparking the winning action on Friday, John O’Meara’s Ballygibbon Cash (Ballymac Cashout-Sive To One) shed his tag at the second time of asking when leading throughout the A7 525 contest at Galway.
Very much catching the eye following his debut second over the sprint distance out west when recovering lost ground after a tardy beginning, the April 2022 whelp retained big scope for ready improvement and duly delivered on the promise when breaking on level terms this time.
More suited by an opposite draw in trap 1, he showed smart early pace when easing to a strong one-length lead approaching the corner and extending while turning, the O’Meara pup had stretched to near four lengths at halfway. Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, Ballygibbon Cash struck the line with a commanding five and a half lengths to spare in a smart 29.25. That winning time will bring a rise to A3 grade next time out but clearly harbouring extensive potential in the infancy of his career, he can be expected to cope with aplomb.
Certainly, the most thrilling finish of the weekend arrived at Limerick on Saturday when Terence Delaney’s Dazzes Beauts (Grangeview Ten-Ballybrack Lexi) registered her fifth career victory while emerging best from a three-way photo finish in the Track Bookmakers A1 525.
Last successful in A5 grade back in March, that fact belies the hugely progression profile which the John Byrne trained August 2021 whelp has developed in the interim with her host of competitive placed efforts bringing a rise to A0 level at the backend of July. Overdue this latest notch in the win column, the consistent youngster displayed her strong tunning abilities over the standard trip when tracking early paced leaders throughout the initial exchanges before predictably staying stoutly beyond halfway.
Striking the front in the home stretch when overhauling a brace of rivals in the dying strides, Dazzes Beauts posted 29.06 with a shorthead to spare and without a rise in grade next time, holds every claim to quickly add to her current tally.