St Leger Treat as Clonbrien repeats at Limerick

TRAPRISE

The Willwego.com Irish St Leger enjoyed an earlier start within a busy first half of the season at Limerick Greyhound Stadium in 2024 and the history books for this most prestigious of racing classics were rewritten following Saturday’s €30,000 final decider as Clonbrien Treaty (Pestana-Clonbrien Millie) claimed back-to-back victories in the St Leger within a near incredulous racing career.

First announcing himself as a star of the sport with Kirby Memorial victory at the Dock Road venue in 2023 for local Athlacca owners James & Muireann Murphy, the Graham Holland trained August 2021 whelp completed a remarkable Limerick double when advancing to St Leger victory back in November.

Despite an earlier start for the Limerick classic this season, Clonbrien Treaty had ample time to supplement those exploits with Easter Cup success in the capital before turning attentions to this title defence and despite tasting defeat in the opening three rounds this year, the champion elect timed his challenge to perfection when securing a first heat win at semi stage before dominating Saturday’s final while justifying favourite odds of 5/4.

Off just a moderate break from trap 6, his early pace brought a crucial first bend lead and once turning in advance of eventual runner-up Miami King, Clonbrien Treaty completed a virtual solo passage with one and a half lengths to spare over that strong runner in a brilliant 29.28 for the 550-yard trip.

The completion of this Limerick trilogy makes Clonbrien Treaty just the third back-to-back winner of the St Leger, a feat which was last achieved by Borrisokane’s legendary Ger McKenna with Time Up Please in 1972, and how fitting that his son Owen would contest this 2024 final with semi-final winner Ventry Faith, despite missing out on the final places.

Evolution for Darwin

A busy weekend at the Dock Road venue had already returned a brace of very smart local winners to cheer on the Friday fixture and fastest of the meeting when shedding his maiden tag at the second time of asking was the Pat Guilfoyle trained prospect Mustang Darwin (Magical Bale-Mustang Kay Cee).

An October 2022 whelp for owners Sean Bourke & Paul Horig, the Moneygall pup had made a pleasing debut when second at Thurles but finding impressive improvement for that first race experience, completely dominated on Friday when displaying the best early pace off a level break from trap 2. Easing his way to a one length lead at the corner, Mustang Darwin streaked clear to the backstraight and scarcely sighting a rival in a facile eleven length victory, posted a classy 28.53.

Rising to the Open ranks for his next outing, he is clearly another to follow closely for the remainder of the season.

Deserved victory for Daz

Later on that same Friday programme, the Roma Casino Limerick A1 525 saw Terence Delaney’s Dazzes Beauts (Grangeview Ten-Ballybrack Lexi) return the next best winning time on a warm fixture when gaining due reward for her recent consistency in a thrilling contest.

A late starter this season, the John Byrne trained August 2021 whelp had spent six months away from racing before filling runner-up position in each of her latest three starts since a June return to racing action.

Hugely competitive in each, she was no more than a length adrift in any of those defeats but deservedly emerged on the right side of the photograph this time having tracked an early pacesetter to the backstraight following an adept break from trap 5.

Always strong at the standard trip, Dazzes Beauts stealthily reduced the arrears beyond halfway and with a game sustained effort in the home stretch, struck the front in the dying strides for a shorthead victory.

Approaching her very best career form in a time of 28.67, she can be expected to supplement this seventh career win before very long at all!

Also on Friday, the Book Your Trials Online S8 350 introduced yet another new winner to the local scene at Galway as Vincent McKenna guided the Garrafrauns Syndicate’s Lally’s Legacy (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Lucia) to maiden victory at the fifth time of asking.

Lightly campaigned thus far, the August 2022 whelp had gone close in a similar event at the beginning of the month but went one better this time despite breaking a length behind the pace from trap 3. Pacing up well to the corner, the Borrisokane youngster joined a pacesetting rival on the inside at the opening bend and easing his way to the front while turning, extended clear along the home stretch for a snug one and a half-length winning verdict.

Posting 19.71 (-5), Lally’s Legacy left ample scope for further improvement without a rise in grade next time but could prove well worth following having now broken his duck, especially when considered that his McKenna trained littler brother Healy’s Legacy has recently advanced to the Open ranks for sprinting within a progressive racing campaign!