Restless Night wins unraced final for McKenna
THE rain came down so continuously and so heavily at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting at the Oakview venue that the going was rated .80 slow for the last six 525yds races, which is the equivalent of eleven and a half lengths. Three earlier 525yds races were rated .30, .40 and .70 slow, with the only 325yds race on the programme rated .30 slow.
The winners, in order, were: Knocknaboul Nidge, 30.08; Kilcurra Deacon, 29.71; Glengort Bolt, 18.39; Tallulah Jones, 29.90; Lane Rd Recruit, 29.83; Tokenfire James, 29.97; Boomtown Tony, 29.70; Courancove Dick, 30.26; Swiss Storm, 29.74; Muireanns Magic, 29.90. NORMALLY, it’s the calm after the storm, but 24 hours on from the final of the GMHD juvenile classic a terrific crowd turned up at Tralee on Saturday night and some very good entertainment was provided in pretty miserable weather conditions.
The feature event was the final of an unraced 525 sweepstake which carried a handsome winner’s purse of €1,750 and a very worthy winner emerged in Restless Night, owned by Lisa McKenna, of Lixnaw.
The 4/6 favourite, Safe Crash, badly mistimed the break from trap 1 and victory was always going to belong to Restless Night (2/1), which very smartly cleared the first bend in the lead from her trap 6 draw and, firmly controlling matters after that, she finished two lengths in front of Scart Jim in 29.07 (.30 slow), with four lengths back to Pennylane Knight, a litter brother to Restless Night.
Six first-round heats of an unraced 325yds sweepstake (winner, €900) also formed part of Saturday night’s programme and Brendan O’Shea, of Millstreet, holds a mighty double hand with litter brothers, Crossfield Vader and Crossfield Earl, which were the only winners to get inside 18.00secs – Crossfield Vader on a quite magnificent 17.76 and Crossfield Earl on 17.99, with a .15 secs deduction applying in both cases for the state of the going.
Three qualified from each heat and that leaves 18 going through to three semi-finals this Friday night, the draw for which worked out as follows (trap order):
First semi-final: Slipalong Legend, Crossfield Earl, Whistling Rover, Abou, Latest Girl, Maggie Mustang.
Second semi-final: Quivers Fergie, Denville Hayley, Against The Law, Deadly Perro, Steeple Rd Trump, Lady Wink.
Third semi-final: Crossfield Vader, Exit Ruby, Exiles Rocket, Sams Cousin, Vale Recruit, Slippy Etty.
Needless to say, the two Crossfield pups (June ’17) are going to command huge attention, especially Crossfield Vader from trap 1 in the third semi-final.
Other winners on Saturday night: Kiaras Callnow, 18.24; Springwater One, 30.55; Vale Recruit, 18.13; Whistling Rover, 18.47; Camp Paddy, 29.88; Slipalong Legend, 18.08; Latest Girl, 18.42; Meenala Bruce, 29.86; Payyaway Sue, 30.19.
SUNDAY SIS MEETING
A RUN of 28.91 by the Rathmore-owned Samba Active on going rated .30 slow stood out at Sunday’s SIS session. The first four 525yds races were rated .20 slow and the remaining four were rated .30 slow.
Other winners: Yesterdays News, 29.38; Unbroken, 29.60; Kilmore Gold, 29.53; Steeple Rd Magic, 29.26; Send It Seasons, 29.41; Hey Im Zsazsa, 29.58; Chilout Sarkozy, 29.47.