Dramatic Rosie wins Kennedy Memorial final
THE final of the Steve Kennedy Memorial Stake was the feature event on a busy card at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday night last.
Steve spent many years involved with the KGOBA and was a founding member of the Track Supporters Club which has been of immense benefit with regards race sponsorship since its inception. Now an annual event, this Stake is a fitting tribute to the great man’s memory.
The Oliver Healy owned Dramatic Rosie went to traps the warm evens favourite for the feature following impressive displays throughout the Stake. The daughter of in-form sire Vulturi and Coyote Queen broke well from trap 2, but she was led to the opening bend by Rashers Diva who raced on her immediate right. Rashers Diva continued to lead down the back straight but the “jolly” was always in the shadow of the front runner and made her move for victory off the third bend. Once she took up the running the result was never in doubt and she finished powerfully, opening a 3 ½ length advantage from Rashers Diva when crossing the line in 29.05. Ballyhar George completed the trio a neck back from the runner-up.
The semi-finals of the Steve Ellis Memorial Stakes (Grade A1) produced two exciting raced with the opener going to the James Broderick owned Promising who produced a powerful kick off the last bend to collar Jasons FiFi by the tightest of margins on the line. Drawn in trap 6, the 3/1 shot broke moderately from the striped jacket and was third in line off the opening bends however he stayed in touch with the leaders (Send It Treron and Jasons Fifi) on the run down to the third bend. Running wide of the closing bends, Promising stayed on gamely to the finish line to stop the clock in a respectable 28.81. Jasons Fifi (sh) and Send It Treron (3l) completed the qualifying positions.
The second semi-final was a real thriller when the Chris Houlihan owned Cashen Jaguar produced a gutsy performance to land the spoils in 29.11. Drawn in the white jacket, the son of Cashen Legend and Leigh Fantastic broke smartly and just made the rails at the opening bend. She had close company from the second bend onwards from the “odds on jolly” Pennylane Masara, who raced on the winners immediate outside having moved wide from Trap 1 at the opening bend.
The pair were locked in battle for the remainder of the race; however Cashen always held the initiative throughout a closely fought contest. Racing stride for stride off the closing bends and with the winner refusing to give an inch, he held on by a head from his fancied rival in a time of 29.10. Saleen Brax ran on to book the final qualifying spot a further ½ length in arrears.
Stephen Reidy and his father Thomas had a treble on the card. Stephens first winner came in Race 4 as Betsys Babs finished with gusto to claim the plaudits in 17.71. He followed this with victory in race 7 as Knockout Drift stopped the watch in a fast 17.56. Finally Thomas produced Shlowdown Janey to justify favouritism in the final race of the night to record a time of 31.37 for the 570 trip. Stephen is a grandson of the legendary Mickey Reidy, a man no stranger to producing winners at the Oakview venue. As the old saying goes “an ounce of breeding...”
Other winners on the night were Barrow Mike 17.63, Hawthorn Impact 29.57, Guleen Mark 28.64 and Knockeen Bruce 28.91.