Cobra strikes to deny local Rocket in Prendiville Cup
Listowel meeting
COBRA Commander (NewInn Wonder/ Late Drama) spoilt the party when beating the locally owned Lone Rocket in the final of the John Prendiville Cup at Listowel last weekend.
The long odds favourite Outoftheshadow was a big name absentee prior to the opening round on Saturday. The Pat Curtain trained Roquefort Teddy took over at the head of the market and went on to really impress when posting the fastest clock of the day when defeating Post Graduate by a length. He remained at helm as the 4/6 favourite but he was defeated by the early paced Barrack Jackie at the quarter-final stage.
Cobra Commander came through a stern test against Tin Man by the minimum to book the white collar in the opening semi-final against James’s Treasure. Cobra Commander dominated the buckle and prevailed by two lengths to book his place in the deciding course.
Lone Rocket was producing the goods in the bottom half of the draw and was the 4/5 favourite by the semi-final stage. However, he was made work all the way to the turn in his penultimate course against Barrack Jackie and only got his head in front late on to secure victory by three parts of a length. Cobra Commander was the clear favourite heading to slips for the final course and the Paul Matthews trained runner was full of early running and held a clear advantage passing halfway. Lone Rocket was trying hard to feature, but he struggled to make an impression and Cobra Commander ran out a convincing two-length winner.
There was a thrilling finale to the All Age Bitch Stake as long odds favourite Blades Of Honour (Adios Alonso/ Blades Of Glory) was put to the pin of her collar against a resilient Cobra Angel. Owned by Tara Guiney from Rathkeale, Blades Of Glory was expected to dominate the deciding course, but she found herself behind leaving slips and by halfway was making little impression on the early paced leader. The Jerry Holian trained runner began to narrow the gap late in the buckle and as the pair closed in on the opening turn she just managed to edge in front in the final stride to take the flag by the minimum.
Holian completed a double on the card when Manor Moat (NewInn Wonder/ Moat Matilda) earned the Derby ticket following a thrilling final buckle against the Owen McKenna trained Cooney.
Owned by the McManus-McDaid-Foley Syndicate from Killmallock, Manor Moat went to slips the outsider for the final course. Cooney made a fast exit from slips and held a commanding advantage moving up to the mid-point. Manor Moat but began to build up momentum at this stage and he edged closer with every stride. The winner was much the keener of the pair approaching the opening score and just about shaded it in a just up decision.
McKenna found solace in the Oaks decider as NewInn Fifi (Blades Of Hope/ NewInn Gaga) ran out a most convincing winner for the Tipperary handler. The winner was eye catching throughout and dominated the final against Garbally Fire. She produced a terrific turn of early pace to pull clear of her rival and extended her lead with every stride through to the opening turn to take the flag by three lengths. Such was the manner of her victory NewInn Fifi goes straight in at the head of the Oaks market at 12/1.
The Dick Galvin Cup was won by the Dan Lynch owned Homestead West (Mafi Magic/ Pretty Stranger) who came from off the pace to beat Portinard Castle by two lengths in the final.
The Aoife Curtain owned Trump Train (Bexhill Eoin/ Annual Time) finished well to deny the early paced Bomber Rocket in the Maurice Cahill Cup final by two lengths.
Lone Sonic (Killimor Matey/ Nickies Tip), the property of Darragh Keane and Jerry McElligott, was declared the winner of the Dick Galvin Cup following the withdrawal of Fortfield Fire from the deciding course.
Next weekend the Ballyduff meeting takes centre stage with the Kit Browne North Kerry Cup being the feature of the three-day card.