N ovice Newinn Tesse wins €1,100 A3 purse
A SWEEPSTAKE final which offered a handsome winner’s purse of €1,100 gave a strong extra edge to racing at Tralee Track on Saturday night and it provided a really good winner in Newinn Tesse, which Neilus O’Connell trains in Limerick for Ms Siobhán Burke, of Roscrea.
The sweepstake in question, for A3 class over the standard trip, was sponsored by Gain Feeds and Newinn Tesse entered it as a novice. She won her firstround heat in 28.86 and her second-round heat in 28.97, justifying favouritism on both occasions (even-money and 4/6), but she could be backed at 2/1 on Saturday night – for the very good reason that even-money favourite, Ardrahan Zisko, was also unbeaten in faster times (28.72 and 28.65).
However, Ardrahan Zisko missed the break from trap 2, whereas Newinn Tesse timed her break to perfection from trap 5 and she then proceeded to run away with the final in a time (28.44) which was a quite remarkable 53 spots, or seven and a half lengths, faster than she had clocked in winning her semi-final.
She led off the first bend from Lithuanian Buster and Steeple Rd Raffa, which moved quite wide after leaving traps, and, after being three lengths ahead of Lithuanian Buster rounding the third bend, she extended that lead in particularly impressive fashion to be six lengths ahead of Lithuanian Buster at the line, with five lengths back to Ardrahan Zisko.
The going, as at the semi-final stage, was rated .10 fast (it was .05 fast for 325yds) and, for trainer Neilus O’Connell, it was one hell of an achievement by him to get such a fast time out of Newinn Tesse in just her third competitive outing. It will be interesting to see how she fares in the hotter class she will now be encountering.
The night acted as a fund-raiser for Castleisland Golf Club and it also featured two semi-finals of an A1 550 sweepstake sponsored by North Kerry Tyre Centre (winner, €700).
The first semi-final was won in 29.85 by Garfiney Bolt, which led off the first bend from a trap 6 draw and extended really well from the third bend home to score by three and a half lengths from Ardrahan Zanziba, with six lengths back to Samba Riva.
Garfiney Bolt ran a great line to the first bend, being admirably suited by a wide seeding, and she is sure to make a bold bid for victory from a trap 5 draw in the final this Saturday night.
Her trainer, Anthony Slattery, earlier initiated a double with Bawns Lady, which came into the third race (A5 525) as a reserve and won it by a neck in 29.46.
The second semi-final of the North Kerry Tyre Centre Sweepstake provided another very good winner in Baltovin Johnny, which was always showing prominently from trap 2 and drove home by a length from Champhers Legend in 29.91, with three lengths back to Millridge Zephyr.
Saturday night’s final heads up a benefit meeting for Killocrim National School and the draw is (trap order): Millridge Zephyr, Samba Riva, Baltovin Johnny, Ardrahan Zanziba (M), Garfiney Bolt (W), Champhers Legend (W).
Ardrahan Zanziba will, of course, be attempting to compensate Daniel Nolan, of Ardfert, for the defeat of Ardrahan Zisko in the Gain Feeds final and this fellow is not without a decent chance. He missed the break from trap 5 on Saturday night and ran the first bend really well to be second off it behind Garfiney Bolt.
Over the 325yds trip on Saturday night, the Abbeyfeale-owned Deadly Gorge produced a scintillating run of 17.49 (.05 fast), while the other winners were: My Boy Benny, 17.89; Bower Vodka, 29.41; Hard To Choose, 29.90; Saleen Ted, 31.35 (570yds)..
* Winners at Tralee on Tuesday of last week: Lithuanian Adam, 17.75; Rathmore Destiny, 29.13; Toremore Maestro, 29.27; Millridge Genie, 29.04; Mad About Katie, 17.79; Ring A Dingaling, 29.20; Light Foot Bella, 28.93; Fermoyle Daithi, 28.94; Pennylane Gem, 28.94; Rushpool Dave, 29.22.