KERRY ‘MAN’ TO PREVAIL AT NEWBRIDGE

A LONG list of champions have emerged through the Texacloth Juvenile Derby at Newbridge over the 40-year-plus existence of the competition.

The odds are that another future champion lurks among the six runners which will race for the €9,000 prize tonight and the likely market leaders are Man Twenty One and Holycross Lad.

Man Twenty One is the better drawn of the two favourites as he wears the red jacket and he has a sizzling 28.45 run from the second round. The dog is handled by Brendan Maunsell down in Abbeydorney, Co Kerry and he is very happy with the dog and his wish is for a fast start.

Owen McKenna would also love a fast exit for Holycross Lad and he says: “He is good as any of them but he hasn’t been trapping”. He has the ability, though, and he must be strongly respected.

Right Half Back and Market Brexit both have plenty of early pace, while Cabra Angel and She who dares wins will be doing their best work in the second half of the race. We’ll side with Man

Twenty One to lead them home. The other major event tonight is the Langton Hotel Derby at Kilkenny and the semi-finals of this valuable event can be won by Paul Hennessy’s Priceless Rum and Murt Leahy’s Dutch Dream.

Entries for the Sporting Press Irish Oaks and the Dublin Coach Juvenile Derby close at Shelbourne on Monday and Tuesday respectively and the entries are beginning to flow in.

An interesting entry for the Oaks is Geelo Sapphire which is trained by Carl Perry. She has won two prestigious UK events recently and she will be a real test for the Irish bitches.