TRAPRISE - Defiant Diana sheds maiden tag at Thurles
IT is fair to say that the career start of Mike Duff’s Rathfalla Diana (Skywalker Logan-Devilsbit Storm) had harboured much frustration in 2023 with repeated tales of ill luck seeing her enter this season with a maiden tag intact.
However, commencing a new year campaign as she means to progress, the improving track regular emphatically secured a first race victory when a facile winner of Saturday’s Happy New Year A8 525 at Thurles.
Twice a runner-up in her previous three outings, the June 2021 whelp always appeared capable of advancing beyond her current grading and with an improved start from trap 2 this time, the Duff charge contested the lead within tight quarters on the approach to the opening bend. Turning on the hind quarters of a narrow leader to her inside, Rathfalla Diana advanced to join that rival at the second bend before forcefully striking the front on the run to halfway.
Extending to four lengths at the third bend with victory all but assured, strong staying qualities saw Diana draw further clear in dismissive fashion and striking the like in isolation, she held fifteen lengths over her closest pursuer in a new career best time of 29.81 (-20). The performance will bring a rise to her highest level of A5 next time but having deservedly claimed this first race win in eye-catching fashion, she can be expected to cope well with the upgrade.
BILL BACK TO OLD WAYS
The new season also kicked-off with a local victory to celebrate at Limerick and returning to racing following a nine-week layoff, Bernie Hogan’s Old Bill (Droopys Sydney-Starry Display) also made a welcome return to winning ways with a hugely impressive performance to land Saturday’s Talking Dogs A0 550.
Nursed back to rude health following some recent ails, Bill had not been seen since early November and last visited the winner’s enclosure in his brilliant career best 750-yard victory back in May. Stuck on thirteen race wins, that number appeared to be living up to it’s unlucky repute as the Hogan star returned a host of smart placed efforts in the interim, but he would finally move on to a fourteenth chalk in the win column when just about leading throughout this time.
Presenting in sharp form from trap 3 in a warm contest, the July 2020 whelp found one of his better breaks and gamely repelling his close pursuer to the inside, reached the opening bend with a narrow advantage. Edging to a one length lead at the top of the backstraight, Old Bill predictably displayed his powerful backstraight pace and had all but settled the race as a contest before reaching the closing bends.
One last challenge remained to the home stretch but ably repelling the renowned fast finish of Rural Kihei, Old Bill struck the line with a length to spare in 30.41 (-20) on a slow Saturday circuit. That winning time will keep him in his current grade of A0 and any progress from this racing return will see him very difficult to contain next time.
UIMHIR A SEACHT ON A LUCKY RUN
Seeking a fast start to the new season at Galway, the Borrisokane kennels of Vincent McKenna hit the crossbar when Aulton Jo was second on his debut in the opening contest out west on Saturday but not to be denied on the night, bounced back with victory for the Cupla Focal Syndicate’s Uimhir A Seacht (Droopys Biker-Heathlawn Molly) in the later Racing Only Saturday Nights In January A8 525.
A previous A5 winner, slow starts had hindered the lightly raced September 2021 whelp in his bid for a repeat but swifter to stride from trap 5 this time, he led throughout the initial exchanges before a wide path at the opening bend saw him cede a near two-length lead to a sharp rival on the run to the backstraight. Always strong at the standard trip however, Uimhir A Seacht ranged to within a length of the leader at the third turn and despite again ceding some ground with a wider course to the home stretch, struck the front before straightening on the run to the line.
Maintaining a strong gallop, Uimhir A Seacht stopped the clock in a new personal best of 29.57 (-10) in a one and a half length victory, the second of his eight-race campaign. Taking a rise to A4 next time out, a repeat of his latest improved start will give every claim to handle that rise with further improvement likely.