TRAPRISE - Hugo retains hopes for Timely Derby success at Limerick
The inaugural staging of the TIME Greyhound Nutrition A4 525 Derby has been an enthralling competition at Limerick Greyhound Stadium over the past month and reduced to a final six hopefuls over last weekend, Borrisokane trainer Vincent McKenna will bid to land the €20,000 decider this Saturday with John Croker’s Crokers Hugo (Droopys Sydney-Crokers Princess).
It has been a long and eventful journey to final stage since the June 2022 whelp led home his kennel companion in a McKenna forecast to commence the Derby at the beginning of June but game as you like at every turn, Crokers Hugo will take realistic claims to the final having improved to a new career best performance when claiming a precious qualifying place in his semi-final on Saturday evening.
Settling for third place in his two previous heats, the McKenna youngster had form to find before exiting his tricky trap 4 berth but with the pressure on as just two runners would qualify from three heats, Hugo produced his best start of the event to crucially lead on the run to the bend. Sweeping across hot heat winner Gaytime Elmo while turning, Crokers Hugo was joined by Yotota Lad on the approach to the third bend before ceding victory to that rival while filling the forecast at a three-length deficit in 28.64.
Defeat here having led to halfway will be of minimal concern to connections, especially having found pleasing progression on the clock, and in final terms, the task remains the same for Hugo as it has been throughout the competition; he simply must tackle the opening bend with a lead. Some traffic problems in behind would greatly aid the cause also!
Drawn in trap 2, Crokers Hugo can be expected to lead the rails drawn Carrigmore Dante in the early stages for command of the inside throughout and entirely capable of leading to the backstraight, can make a bold bid for victory. C’mon Hugo!
Billy and Beauts clash again
The support card to the TIME Derby Final will feature a host of further competition action with plenty of local challengers for sweepstake victory and no more so than in the Time Garmivite Extra A2 550 where Christopher Delaney’s Cagey Billy (Pestana-Lilly Lula) and Terence Delaney’s Dazzes Beauts will renew rivalry having filled the forecast in Saturday’s opening semi-final of the warm event.
A winner in the same grade last time, Delaney’s Cagey Billy tracked the early pace of the John Byrne trained Dazzes Beauts around the opening bends and remained a length and a half adrift at halfway. Steadily reducing arrears however, the Roscrea winner ranged up on the outside in the home straight and timing his effort to perfection, struck the front in the dying strides for a shorthead verdict over Dazzes Beauts in 30.26.
The local duo do have some time to find on the opposing semi winner Gurtnara Jax who posted 29.91 but plenty capable of denying that rival the early lead he enjoyed then, our pair remain big factors ahead of Saturday’s final!
Mo makes Treaty Cup Final
The 2024 Treaty Cup Open 350 Stake has been largely dominated by the track record breaking Ballinakill Alf at Limerick. However, for local supporters, the event has been of particular interest as it brought a return to racing action for Michael & Terence Delaney’s Feshtys Mo (Grangeview Ten-Rifles Flash) following her run to the semi-finals of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial back in April.
Blessed with exceptional early pace over four bends, the John Byrne trained April 2022 whelp switched to the sprint trip for her comeback and impressing in her 350-yard debut, only went down by a head to established sprint star Burgess Jack in their 18.86 opening round clash.
Facing that same rival in last Saturday’s semi-finals, Feshtys Mo tracked the early pace of Hopes Hurricane throughout the initial exchanges before suffering a bump to her inside at the opening bend. Benefitting with a passage on the rails at that point, Burgess Jack would strike the front but bravely battling to secure second through traffic, the Knockalton darling safely negotiated a path to qualification when a two-length second in 18.73.
Final victory appears a big ask for all in opposition to Ballinakil Alf who added 18.48 semi success to his astounding 18.22 track record of the previous week for Graham Holland. However, sprinting is a fickle sphere within racing and if Feshtys Mo can produce her best break, a minor upset is well within reason if leading to the corner.
Trainer John Byrne will contest a further two finals on the big night at Limerick as firstly, John McKenna’s Ballintoher Bud (Premier Fantasy-Sidarian Fern) reached the final of the Time Greyhound 28 A3 525 when second in his semi-final on Friday. In a fourth career start, he very much caught the eye despite beaten eight lengths in 28.53 and can be a bigger player in the final than first glance may suggest!
Later on that Friday fixture, Stephanie Byrne’s Knockalton Mooza (Premier Fantasy-Meduza) also negotiated a passage to final participation when third in her semi-final of the Limerick & Clare GOBA A1 525. A winner of three in just four previous outings, the lightly raced April 2022 whelp battled well through crowding for a four length third in 28.87 on Friday and retains big scope to improve ahead of this week’s decider.
Returning to Saturday at Limerick, another advancing to the next round of competition while making an overdue return to winning ways was Patrick Conway’s Curraghmorecoco (Droopys Sydney-Allowdale Coco), leaving a frustrating run of form well behind for a third career win in the quarter finals of the Time Record Breaker A3 600. Swifter to stride from trap 2 this time, the October 2021 whelp led throughout a commanding six-length winning verdict while posting 32.77 and will be a leading player in the event ahead of this week’s semi-finals.
Away from the Treaty venue, the Saturday fixture at Thurles did not pass without local cheer as the Greyhounds Make Great Pets A4 525 brought a second win on the bounce for Pat Kennedy’s Flexible Sian (Broadstrand Bono-Ballinalick Rua).
Successful in A6 last time, the December 2021 whelp ably handled her rise for this tenth career start when tracking an early paced leader at a two-length deficit to halfway. Stronger from that point, the lightly raced Flexible Sian struck the front at the closing bends for a one length victory in 29.54 (-20) and will seek a hat-trick following this third career score.