Send It Ducula and Boher Mays go fastest
ON a weekend of fast times generally at Tralee Track, Saturday night got into the act through two winners especially -- Send It Ducula, which clocked 28.53 in the eighth race (A2 525), and Boher Mays Star, which recorded 17.44 for the sprint distance in the sixth race (SS0/S ) class).
Send It Ducula, which Pat McMahon trains locally for his son, Vincent, had been without a win since April of this year and it was quite something the way McMahon had him bouncing like this. Housed in trap 4 and a 2/1 shot in the betting, Send It Ducula simply flew to the first bend and he built up a lead which the strong-finishing Patricks Castle just could not pull back, with a length and a half separating the pair at the line in the aforementioned 28.53.
It was his 12th win from 60 starts and, testifying to outstanding consistency, he has been placed 40 times.
Turning to the sprint run of 17.44 by Boher Mays Star, this fellow hadn’t won since March of this year (350yds race at Limerick) and this was another brilliant piece of handling ability by his owner, Martin Moriarty, of Gortatlea. Boher Mays Star was a 5/2 shot in the betting and he showed tremendous early dash from trap 4 to be a decisive leader around the opening bend. He wound up winning by two and a half lengths from the Tadhg Longtrained Fivestar Topper, which, bearing in mind the winning time, acquitted himself with plenty of distinction as well – as , indeed, did the third and fourth home, Jasons Perl and Darragh Jet, which were pretty close to Fivestar Topper crossing the line (half a length and a neck).
The feature event on the night was the final of an A7/ A8 525 buster sweepstake which acted as a fund-raiser for Annascaul GAA Club (winner, €500) and Mixandmingle emerged as the winner for joint owners, John Murphy and Jim Harris, of Limerick and Listowel.
Mixandmingle shared favouritism at 6/4 with Knock Duty and he came away smartly from trap 3 before badly losing his prominent position rounding the first bend. In most cases, that would have spelled defeat, but Mixandmingle, very much to his credit, managed to get back into contention and he pulled back the front-running Pull Like Harry (trap 1) coming home for a one-length victory over him in 29.27, with a neck back to Knock Duty.
The word was well out about Mixandmingle before the sweepstake began and there is little doubt that he will be getting well inside 29.00secs before long.
No betting was available on the first two races, but Patsy Browne and Kieran Bourke/ Leo Geoghegan made books on all remaining races.
Other winners on a night when the going was standard were Beslow Bow Wow, 17.97; Devon Maestro, 29.38; Kilcow Harry, 29.55; Coltwood Pogba, 17.75; Lybes Destiny, 28.73; Spirit Bostoncon, 29.19.