Skellig Shane impresses as he retains Kingdom Cup
Kingdom Cup
SKELLIG Shane (Mafi Magic/Skellig Beag) showed his class to retaining the Kingdom Cup at Ballybeggan Racecourse last Wednesday afternoon. There was bumper crowds present over the twoday meeting which celebrated the Kerry Coursing Club’s 100th year in existence.
A star-studded field of 32 went to post for the feature event, with Skellig Shane heading the market at 4/1. The current Irish Cup winner was quickly into his stride with wins over Boomtown Harvey (3l) and Kingsmill Jasper (1l) on the opening day of action and remained at the head of the market at odds of 6/4 heading into the quarter-finals. He was always in control when defeating Wings Of Desire at the quarter-final stage by two lengths, while he put a similar distance between himself and James Treasure in the penultimate round.
The Cork runner did get some work following the opening score of his semi-final victory but it could have been worse and he remained favourite heading into the deciding buckle where he took on winner of the bitch section of the draw, Trillainminella. The Owen McKenna trained runner came through the bitch section of the draw with relative ease, however she faced a difficult assignment in the final against the experienced Cork owned runner.
Skellig went to slips the 1/2 favourite to prevail in the final, but it was the even money shot Trillainminella that showed the early pace to make all the early running. However, as he has done so often before, Skellig Shane was quick to reduce the deficit and hit the front from halfway. With momentum firmly on his side, the winner pulled a length and a half clear by the opening score. Trained by Denis O’Driscoll from Glanmire, Skellig Shane will most likely reappear at the Irish Cup at the end of the season where he will be fancied by many to make a stern defence of his crown.
Sam John James (Razor Ashmore/ Southern Story) finally came good on the promise he showed earlier in the season at Ballyheigue and Lixnaw. The Oliver Healy owned runner was not to be outdone on this occasion and he produced a real resilient display in the final to eventually overcome a game Souldern Street by a bare half a length. Sam John James was priced at 5/1 in the long-odds book, however he shortened significantly to 6/4 by the quarter final stage.
The April pup dismissed Saleen Master by 1 ½ lengths and Rollonfriday (3l) to progress to the final. The final was a thrilling affair with the result very much in the balance for much of the buckle. Sam John James led from slips, however Souldern Street was always in the slipstream of the leader and by halfway there was little to choose between the pair. To his credit, the winner was never headed and he found plenty when asked late on and pulled out a half length advantage where it matter most.
Running in the colours of David Quirke from Tralee, the winners looks a decent sort and connections will no doubt looking forward to the build up between now and the National Meeting which is just under 6 weeks away.
Knockane Gracie (Mafi Magic/Fireheight Una) was a deserving winner of the Reserve Oaks Trial Stake for Listowel handler, Billy Doyle. Having impressed throughout the competition, the June pup was the 1/4 ‘hotpot’ in the final against Beautiful Angel. However the buckle proved much closer than anticipated with both bitches battling hard for supremacy to halfway. However the winner began to dominate from here on and by the opening turn had opened a 1 length advantage.
Lisloose Wonder (NewInn Wonder/ Lisloose Accord) proved the most popular winner of the meeting when she landing the spoils in The Tommy & Jack Sheehy Memorial Cup for Tralee’s Liam Lynch and Seamus Begley. The winner hails from the Classic winning kennels of the late Johnny Carroll, who was much loved and revered amongst the coursing fraternity and in particular in his native Tralee. His son Anthony trains Lisloose Wonder and it was sure to be a poignant yet extremely proud moment for him when she dug deep in the final strides to repel the challenge of Portinard Eagle by half a length.
The memory of the late Johnny Carroll was further honoured by the Kerry Coursing Club with the establishment of a new Stake at the fixture, The Friends of Johnny Carroll Inter-club Stake. Confined to winners of Working Members Stake at the local fixtures, the inaugural winner of the event was the Castleisland representative, Careful Sylvie (NewInn Wonder/ Careful Betty). Owned by Patie and Olga O’Sullivan from Scartaglin, the winner easily accounted for Feora Daniel by four lengths in the final course of the Stake.
Paper Roses (Coolavanny Bingo/ Chevalto) was a decisive winner of the Dr. Chute Surplus Stake. The May whelp led from slips in the final against Brickside Wonder and ran out a comprehensive sixlength winner. Trained in Ballyduff by Tom Houlihan, the winner is owned by Chloe Horgan and Evan Houlihan.
Finally, the Baily Cup has a long a rich tradition at the Christmas fixture at Ballybeggan and this year’s winner was the Timmy Carmody owned Maggie Sixteen (Razor Ashmore/ Maggie Dan). The Ardfert owned bitch was dominant in the final against GlinSyn Wonder and took the winners flag by a six-length winning margin.