TRAPRISE - Big Step forward for Fairy in Derby

A session of eight second round heats in the 2024 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby garnered the bulk of racing attentions on Friday at Shelbourne Park.

On an evening of mixed fortunes for our local challenge in the classic, it was the Pat Guilfoyle trained Fairy Footsteps (Droopys Sydney-Enable) who struck a winning blow with a wonderful display of resolve to land Heat 2.

Having battled her way to a qualifying third on the previous weekend, the Rathcabbin owned May 2022 whelp for William Rigney & Keith Allsop was again headed in the early stages when tight for racing room having began in mid-division from trap 3.

Jostled on each side by Ballymac Finn and Dark Dilemma approaching the opening bend while in pursuit of the pacesetting Glitzy Magic, the Guilfoyle charge gamely negotiated a passage when switching to the inside nearing the second turn, from which point she would stamp her authority on the race.

Overturning two length arrears while advancing from fourth place along the backstraight, Fairy Footsteps struck the front at the third bend and with command of the rails, ran out a snug one-length winner over Randolph Scotts in 30.26 for the 550-yards.

That winning time is largely inconsequential given the bumpy nature of the race and it was her backstraight pace versus exalted rivals which was the outstanding feature of a performance which will see her command huge respect ahead of the third-round heats this coming Saturday.

The night’s action had already begun with a trio of local challengers contesting the opening heat and sadly saw the elimination of Magical Sapphire, along with Vincent McKenna’s Crokers Rocket after both had suffered significant early bumping.

However, having taken his opportunity as a reserve for the opening round heats when qualifying in third place, the Liam Cahill & Tony Lacey owned Thats It Jack eased the disappointment for trainer Pat Guilfoyle when staying strongly to fill that same third position on Friday.

Thoroughly catching the eye from halfway, Thats It Jack (Malachi-Clongeel Mills) went down by just a half-length in 29.88 and keeps the Tipperary Senior Hurling manager’s Derby dreams alive to this week’s third round heats.

Further mixed fortunes on Friday saw Daleroad Devon exit the Derby from Heat 6 but although suffering defeat in the same contest, Geoff Parnaby will have been very pleased with the performance of his outright contender Tarsna Maasai (Droopys Sydney-Tarsna Rose) as he filled runner-up spot in a warm qualifier.

A classy first-round winner in 29.52, the July 2022 whelp began well from his ideal trap 6 draw but was matched for early pace on his inside by Seven Beach as that rival crucially retained the inside line while dictating matters around the opening bends.

Tarsna Maasai remained a persistent threat thereafter and lost little in defeat when going down by two lengths in a sharp 29.37. With a professional racing profile and reliable early pace, the Borrisoleigh hopeful retains realistic claims in the Derby and is now five wins and twice second in his latest seven outings at elite level.

A second session of Derby heats on Saturday again harboured contrasting fortunes for the Guilfoyle team but did see opening night winner Mustang Fever (Droopys Sydney-Mustang Kay Cee) gamely advance to the third round despite not securing clear passage.

The Sean Bourke & Paul Horig owned January 2022 whelp began in mid-division from trap 5 before immediately absorbing a bump to her inside from Dromana Dano but responding in most eye-catching manner, she displayed slick dash to extricate herself from a precarious position while advancing to second place at the opening bend in pursuit of Ballinabola Jim.

Ceding ground to that rival from halfway, Mustang fever struck the line in a nine and a half-length third behind an astounding 29.07 winner but has more to offer if back to her best breaking form going forward.

Billy collars Blake in Limerick thriller

A host of local challengers were also in competition action at Limerick on Saturday.

The quarter final heats of the Michael Gyke O’Sullivan Memorial A1 525 Yard Stake delivered a thrilling clash as Christopher Delaney’s Cagey Billy (Pestana-Lilly Lula) got up in the dying strides to deny Grouchos Blake back-to-back victories in the event.

Progressing from first-round defeat, the April 2022 winner began sharply from trap 5 this time but would cede advantage to runners on his inside while tackling the opening bends, as the John Byrne trained Grouchos Blake led to halfway.

In behind, the Delaney winner raced in a close-up third and a strong runner at the trip, made his telling challenge on the outside in the home stretch. Denying a gallant Grouchos Blake in the final strides, Cagey Billy prevailed by half a length in a sharp 28.59 and both clearly remain big players as the event reaches semi-final stage this weekend.

Never Toolate for Batman

Not for the first time this season, the Thursday SIS fixture at Limerick proved fruitful for the kennels of Tina & Abigail Morrissey who registered yet another double winning achievement as firstly, Abigails Batman (Great Blue Shark-Errill Cindy) claimed his sixth career win in smart style.

Last successful at A3 level, the August 2022 whelp was back to his best breaking form this time and quickly taking command of the Race Entries By Text/Online A4 525 from trap 3, comfortably led throughout a three-length winning verdict in 29.04 (+10). A sixth career win, he will return to A3 for his next outing.

Completing the kennel double in the later Gammell Car Sales A4 525, Abigail Morrissey’s hugely likeable veteran racer Toolate Shannon (Toolatetosell-Security) took her tally to fifteen in a 105th race start.

Last successful at A5 level back in August, the evergreen July 2019 whelp broke smartly from trap 3 and harbouring a fervent appetite for racing into the twilight of her competitive career, fully took command of the race at the crown of the opening bends when displaying steely determination through bumping.

Dominant thereafter while extending to a dismissive five and a half-length verdict, Toolate Shannon matched the winning time of her travelling companion, posting 29.04 (+10).