TRAPRISE - Dazzler dictates in Derby Plate semi-finals at Shelbourne

With the Irish Derby festival drawing to a conclusion at Shelbourne Park this weekend, local attentions will be firmly fixed on the final of the 2024 Michael Fortune Memorial 550 Yard Derby Plate as the Pat Guilfoyle trained Knockeen Dazzler (Laughil Blake-Love Island) will start favourite following his sizzling semi-final victory on Saturday.

Owned by Kerry native Daniel O’Rahilly, the reigning Kirby Memorial champion was a first-round winner in the event before caught in the closing stages of his quarter final heat. However, the Moneygall star progressed further under the guidance of his recently recruited handler this time when at his sparkling best in a dominant performance.

Displaying his slick early pace from an ideal trap 6 draw, Knockeen Dazzler scampered to a strong two-length lead before tackling the opening bend and could be called the winner when five lengths to the good over St Leger finalist Ventry Faith at halfway. Seeing out the trip stoutly thereafter, a race against the clock ended in a brilliant 29.29, the fastest of the semis. Earning a trap 6 draw for this week’s final with 29.58 semi winner Faypoint Harvey to his immediate inside, Knockeen Dazzler will take all the beating as the €7,500 showdown is broadcast live on Virgin Media TV this Saturday.

There was further local cheer on the Saturday fixture at Shelbourne and following his unlucky elimination from the Irish Derby, Geoff Parnaby’s Tarsna Maasai (Droopys Sydney-Tarsna Rose) resumed winning ways in classy manner.

Breaking on terms from trap 6 in the Boylesports Home of the Early Payout AA0 525, the Borrisoleigh star displayed all of his slick early dash to just deny Hopes Teddy a lead while turning through jostling on his inside shoulder. Gamely taking full command of the race on the approach to the backstraight, Tarsna Maasai had the redoubtable Dynamic Force on his tail all along their high-class tussle to the closing bends but resilient out front, the Parnaby charge defended a half-length advantage to the line while posting 28.50.

In the main event itself, hot favourite for this Saturday’s final of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby, Bockos Diamond equalled his own track record when posting 28.94 for the 550-yards in semi-final victory and is now quoted a 1/3 ahead of the final showdown with kennelmate, and fellow semi-final winner, Cheap Sandwiches who registered 29.13.

The latter will need to prevent his companion from leading to the opening bend if he is to stop the favourite from completing fifteen wins on the spin, however, Bockos Diamond is unlikely to be contained as he bids to complete what would almost certainly be the most impressive Derby campaign of all time.

Sapphire scores at 750

Following her elimination from the Irish Derby Plate last time out, Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags) took a step back up in trip at Shelbourne Park on Friday and resumed winning ways when an impressive winner of her D1 750-yard contest.

In a third outing over six-bends, the June 2022 whelp was enjoying just a fifteenth career outing when breaking behind all rivals from trap 6 but quickly displaying smart dash on the outside of the field, advanced to a challenging third place while tackling the opening bends. Briefly checked and ushered wide into the home straight for the first time, the Moneygall charge had near four lengths to recover on the pacesetting Listen Ellie but was again on the leader’s tail at the third turn. Checked again at that point, Magical Sapphire eventually overhauled the pacesetter at the fifth bend and seeing out the trip stoutly, thereafter, extended to a snug four length winning margin in 41.95.

That winning time will bring a rise to D0 for her next staying test, but she left the distinct impression that there was more to come if granted clear passage and will be a feared opponent in the sphere.

Staying with that Friday fixture in the capital and the semi-finals of the Upcoming Winter Racing Festival A2 Dual Distance Stake provided the opportunity for Peadar & Sarah O’Dwyer’s Banter Boost (Roxholme Olaf-Banter Breeze) to shed his maiden tag at the fourth time of asking.

Without clear passage in three previous outings, the Owen McKenna trained October 2022 whelp ensured safer passage when displaying pleasing early dash following a level break from trap 5 and relishing the long run to the opening bend, the O’Dwyer youngster tackled the corner with a strong length in hand. Reducing the race to a virtual solo spin thereafter, Banter Boost struck the line with a comfortable four lengths in hand while stopping the clock in 31.20.

Open to any amount of improvement while very lightly raced, he can be a final factor if swift to stride from a repeat draw in trap 5 for this week’s 600-yard decider.

Amongst the most entertaining winning performances of the past week was at Limerick on Saturday where the Lorna And Maureen Syndicate’s Cunnigar Mcrae (Good News-Boom Time) claimed the fourth win of his career in thrilling circumstances.

Despite breaking smartly from trap 4 in the Bet On The Tote A1 525, the Pat Steed trained November 2021 whelp suffered crowding throughout the initial exchanges and was shuffled back to last position at the opening bend. Cannily switching inward however, a passage along the rails saw the Ballinaclough charge sneak a path to third place at the top of the backstraight. Still third to the closing bends, Cunnigar Mcrae seized an opportunity on the fence when ranging up on the inside and reached the home straight with just a half-length to claw back. Staying stoutly to the line, Cunnigar Mcrae forged a thrilling three-quarter length victory close home while posting a bump affected time of 29.33. Staying in the same grade, he can hold obvious claims again next time.

Saturday’s fixture at Thurles did not pass without a local winner to cheer and shedding his maiden tag at the sixth time of asking was Laura O’Meara’s Chubbys Impact (Ballymac Bolger-Chubbys Rolex).

Progressing for a step up in trip to contest the Split The Pot At Thurles Greyhound Stadium A4 570, the lightly raced June 2022 whelp raced in mid-division throughout the early exchanges but reaching the backstraight with four lengths to recover, confirmed strong running abilities thereafter. Passing rivals to join the pacesetter on the outside at the closing bends, Chubbys Impact powered his way to a two and a half-length winning verdict while posting 31.77 (-20) and will take just a small rise to A3 next time.