Maasai makes Magical mark in Irish Derby heats

With greyhound racing’s blue riband event delayed this season on the back of refurbishment works at Shelbourne Park, the 2024 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby commenced in the capital on Friday and a strong challenge from an elite local contingent sees fervent interest extended to this coming weekend’s second round following a host of pleasing opening round performances.

With the first half of 26 first-round heats filling Friday’s fixture, it was Geoff Parnaby’s Tarsna Maasai (Droopys Sydney-Tarsna Rose) who led the local classic tilt as he extended his wonderful recent run of form with a dominant passage throughout heat 11.

A runner-up at Shelbourne last time following a string of four victories which included a stunning 27.97 for the 525-yard distance at Limerick, the Borrisoleigh star was back to his best breaking form on Saturday and displaying sharp dash on the run to the corner, contained a talented chasing pack which was headed by Bubbly Shadow. Gamely defending a one-length lead to the third bend, Tarsna Maasai eased dismissively clear from that point for a snug four-length victory in a classy 29.52 for the 550-yard Derby trip.

Sapphire sparkles on Friday

Assembling a quality team for his Derby tilt, trainer Pat Guilfoyle’s challenge also commenced on Friday and building on her sharp victory of the previous weekend, Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags) went back-to-back at Shelbourne with a gutsy performance to land Heat 8.

Ideally housed with a wide seed in trap 6, the June 2022 whelp was taking her tally to six wins from just eleven career outings despite headed in the early exchanges as Tinahue Pappone led all to the opening bend. However, showing smart pace to remain within two lengths of that pacesetter to the second turn, the Moneygall darling impressed along the backstraight and ranging up on the outside, struck the front while tackling the closing bends on the outside.

With form at further, Magical Sapphire fully sees out the Derby distance and containing fellow strong running rivals from that point, she retained a one length winning margin to the line while posting 29.91 in advance of Superfast Gorden.

The night had already begun in pleasing manner for Guilfoyle as he safely guided the Keith Allsop & William Rigney owned Fairy Footsteps (Droopys Sydney-Enable) through the opening heat. In what was also just an eleventh race start for the May 2022 whelp, she went down by just four lengths when third to Breaghmore Dice in 29.77 despite early crowding and is open to significant improvement.

A third qualifier for the Moneygall kennels on Friday was from heat 4 as Thomas O’Keefe’s exciting prospect Daleroad Devon (Ballymac Cashout-Mystical Luna) further acquainted himself with the capital circuit in a battling third place effort.

Suffering repeated crowding throughout, there was much more hope to glean than the bare figures would suggest while twelve lengths adrift of Carrick Aldo in 29.42 and although he will need to trap more sharply going forward, remains a lurking threat while open to as much improvement as any in the event.

Fever is Dazzling on Saturday

The second session of Derby heats on Saturday could hardly have gone any better for the local challenge and with a brace of contenders commencing their campaigns in heat 19, Pat Guilfoyle registered the first leg of a double as he guided Sean Bourke & Paul Horig’s Mustang Fever (Droopys Sydney-Mustang Kay Cee) to a thrilling victory over the Vincent McKenna trained Crokers Rocket (Droopys Sydney-Crokers Princess).

Occupying the outside boxes, both began sharply and would track the early pace of a lively Grangeclare Lady on the run to the opening bend with Mustang Fever on the leaders tail while tackling the opening bends, as the McKenna charge safely negotiated a pitch behind the leading duo in a four-length third to that point. Little had changed along the backstraight, and Mustang Fever still had a length to recover as the leading duo reached the final turn, but the Moneygall charge began to reduce those arrears when straightening in the home stretch. Having stalked that leading battle to that point, Crokers Rocket was staying stronger than both the leading duo and he would make a line of three in a tight photo-finish to conclude a thrilling contest. Timing her effort to perfection however, Mustang Fever prevailed by a head in 29.86 over a gallant Crokers Rocket as both looked primed for their classic tilt.

An exciting recent addition to the Pat Guilfoyle team ahead of this Derby campaign was Daniel O’Rahilly’s Knockeen Dazzler (Laughil Blake-Love Island) who commenced his campaign from heat 21 and all connected will have been pleased with a professional victory as he seeks to extend a wonderful season.

A most popular winner of the Kirby Memorial at Limerick back in April, he was last seen in the final of the Irish St. Leger at the same venue but returning from a short two-month absence, displayed all of his wonderful early pace when leading throughout on Saturday.

Breaking on terms from trap 6, the new Moneygall recruit eased to a one length lead over Dromana Dano at the corner before extending to halfway. Threatened late on by the strong staying Arthurs Cornflake, Knockeen Dazzler was full value for his three-quarter length verdict in 29.72 and can be expected to progress for this pleasing comeback.

Fox let Rip at Limerick

Elsewhere on Saturday, further competition action saw Denis McGrath’s Foxwood Rip (Bockos Jon Jo-Oakfield Dancer) advance to the final of the Gammell Car Sales Kennedy Cup A3 525 Yard Stake at Limerick with a timely first heat victory in the event at the semi-final stage.

Progressing for previous placed efforts in the event, the August 2022 whelp began well from his ideal trap 1 draw and pacing up well on the approach to the corner, impressed when overhauling rivals to his outside while turning. Holding strong against a minor bump, the McGrath winner skipped readily clear to halfway and dominant thereafter, Foxwood Rip struck the line with five lengths to spare in 28.42 (+20).

Fastest of the semi-finals, clear passage from his trap 3 final draw will make him difficult to contain on the back of this second career victory.