Mickey makes a mark in Mullingar for Loughnane
TRAPRISE
With all of his previous races contested at Limerick, Aoife Loughnane turned attentions towards Mullingar with a recent trial for her Kilgarran Mickey (Pestana-Lemon Juliet) and making his race debut at the midland’s venue on Saturday, the progressive youngster advanced to the Open ranks for sprinting with a brilliant performance in the Follow Us On Our Social Media S2 400.
Campaigned solely over 525-yards with four victories over that standard trip, the September 2022 whelp was ideally housed in trap 6 for his first sprint race and breaking adeptly, raced within a length of the lead within a tight tussle on the long run to the opening bend. Widest while turning however, the Roscrea winner was shuffled back to over two lengths adrift in fourth position entering the backstraight with a task on his paws behind a sharp pacesetter. Predictably strong at the trip however, Kilgarran Mickey readily advanced to second when straightening for the long run to the finish line and producing a flying finish, overhauled the leader close home for an ultimately comfortable two length winning margin.
Posting 21.69 (-20), he will be obliged to tackle S0 company for his next sprint contest while retaining ominous potential to also improve past his current 525-yard grading of A3 on this evidence!
Dominant debut for Doc
The Saturday action in the Treaty County featured opening round heats in the Limerick Stadium ON2 525 and commencing the fixture, the O-L Syndicate’s Whats Up Doc (Grangeview Ten-Muckinish Flyer) left a highly pleasing impression throughout a winning debut performance.
Breaking just behind the lead from trap 3, the Padraig O’Lone trained August 2022 whelp showed sharp early pace on the run to the corner and advancing past rivals to his inside, seized command of the rails. Holding strong against a significant bump with an early paced challenger to his outside while tackling the opening bend, the Roscrea pup effectively settled the race as a contest when streaking clear to the backstraight. Visually impressive from that point while dominant out front, Whats Up Doc struck the line with ten lengths in hand, posting a smart 29.26 and will hold obvious claims as the event continues with semi-finals this weekend.
The SIS fixture at Limerick on Thursday was again the starting point for local winning exploits over last weekend and prevailing in a thrilling A2 525 contest, Abigail Morrissey’s Abigails Duke (Great Blue Shark-Abigails Sky) claimed a most game sixth career win while extending a purple patch of form for his Cloughjordan kennels.
A winner in the same grade last month before a bumpy outing after a missed break latest, the June 2022 whelp trapped behind the early pace this time but overturning a one length deficit with superior dash to the corner from trap 2, tackled the opening bends with a narrow advantage while commanding the inside rail. Joined by a brace of rivals along the backstraight, Abigails Duke was flanked on both sides within a three-way tussle for the lead entering the closing turns but wonderfully defiant from that point, retained a lead into the home straight. Defending a narrow advantage to the line in a thrilling contest, Duke posted 29.02 and will retain realistic claims to follow up without penalty on the grading table next time.
A kennel in sparkling form over recent months, Christopher Delaney & Billy Finnerty’s Cagey Pauline (Pestana-Lilly Lula) claimed a third win from her latest four race starts when commencing her campaign in the Cloughtaney Kennels A3 550 Yard Stake with a smart victory at Clonmel on Friday.
A winner over the same trip in A5 grade back in May, the Delaney trained April 2022 whelp added 525-yard success when ably handling her upgrade next time and back to winning ways on Friday, scarcely sighted a rival following a sharp break from trap 5. Forging a one length advantage on the long run to the opening bend, the Roscrea youngster eased her way to a three-length halfway lead and remaining in full command, thereafter, held that same margin at the line when posting 30.54.
The winning time compares favourably within the event as the second fastest of the heats and drawn in an ideal trap 6 for the second semi-final on Friday, Cagey Pauline can be strongly fancied to advance to final stage.