‘CLARE’ GETS TOUGH DRAW IN OAKS FINAL

THE DRAW for Saturday’s Sporting Press Irish Oaks decider has thrown the event wide open with six inside seeds in the line-up and the fancied Ballinakil Clare out in trap five.

The best-drawn runners are the inside three with Droopys Loom in one, Jaytee Jordan in two and then Nice Mystery alongside in three.

Ballinakil Clare led virtually all the way when clocking 28.14 in the semi-final but she will need a flying start to clear the field to the bend. The other heat winner was Jaytee Jordan which was bought by John Turner during the week and had a change of kennel. In the circumstances she did very well to clock 28.60.

There was a major upset in the English Derby third round at Towcester when Pat Buckley’s Droopys Biker was very badly baulked and made his exit. His Heat 7 was won by the Brendan Matthews-trained Innocent Times in 29.08 with Buckley’s second runner Borna Gin also qualifying in third.

Peter Cronin managed to qualify two runners for tomorrow’s quarter-finals. His Crossfield Will flew from traps when winning Heat 3 in a brilliant 28.81, while kennel companion Whoops Jack also qualified in third. Fastest heat winner was Kevin Hutton’s Dorotas Wildcat in 28.79.

Jack Foley’s Packing Heat won the €10,000 Lee Strand 550 in brilliant fashion at Tralee, while the semi-finals of the Greyhound & Petworld Golden Muzzle at Limerick were won by Clonbrien Hero in 30.00 and Good News in 29.91.