Bally good show for £600 fightback win in Drumbo Park final

BALLYBEG Nidge justified the faith of Lurgan owners John Byrne and Sarah Stevenson in lifting the £600 Campbell Trade Sales & DTSC A3 final at Drumbo Park on Saturday night.

Fancied in the semi-finals, but crowded and beaten four lengths by Eastside Flyer, Nidge enjoyed better fortune at the right time, reversing the form and landing his maiden victory at the sixth attempt.

This time it was Flyer who suffered at the first bend, kennel mate Sizzlilng Don taking a flyer and holding Flyer up.

There was trouble on the turn involving Pookies Arrow and Flyer and both dogs lost their chance. Ballybeg was in last place turning the bend but was untroubled and got a clear run round the inside.

Down the far side, he gave chase to Don and second-placed Buddy. The latter was in front approaching the final bend but Nidge bided his time on the inner and finished with panache, beating Don three lengths in a healthy 28.96 seconds with Buddy in third.

The best run of the night came in the last, courtesy of Gerpats Eclipse in the care of Banbridge’s Willie Connolly.

The black and white dog made it three in a row, his previous success being 28.72 seconds in Dundalk.

He equalled that here, clocking an identical time in beating Millroad Ana an easy six lengths. Ana cut out the running until the penultimate bend where Eclipse came through and strode away.