Saleen Grace and Zoe land O’Connor a Tuesday double
MILLSTREET owner/ trainer, Donal G O’Mahony, strikes with a lot of regularity at Tralee and his charge, Millridge Milo, recorded the fastest time of 29.01 (.10 slow) at last week’s Tuesday SIS session.
In front of a good crowd, with families taking advantage of the mid-term school break, Millridge Milo did everything right from a trap 2 draw in the sixth race (A2 525) and he won by a length from Niamhs Big Mike, justifying 2/1 favouritism in the process.
Another man who keeps on churning out the winners with regularity at the Oakview venue is Tarbert trainer, Patrick O’Connor, and he pulled off a fine double with Saleen Grace and Saleen Zoe, both owned by Christina O’Connor.
Saleen Grace was sent off the 6/4 favourite in the third race (A4 525) and, after hopping out smartly from trap 4, she won pretty decisively by five and a half lengths from Kilmore Gold in 29.09.
Saleen Zoe benefited from the absence of Eridani Alpha in the seventh race (A5 525), coming into trap 3 as a reserve for him, and she made the most of the opportunity (at odds of 5/2) by mastering the fast-starting Suelllen Queen by a length and a half in 29.19.
The last race of the night, for A2 class over the standard trip, saw Gneeves Blaze complete a four-timer for Con Guiney, of Meelin in Cork. This fellow clearly loves trap 5, having won his two previous races from it, and he was supported from 5/2 to 2/1.
He duly did the business in very efficient fashion, although those who backed him must have been a bit worried when Headleys Secreto closed on him into the third bend. However, that third bend is not a great place for seeing a challenge through and, being forced to check when on the tail of Gneeves Blaze, Headleys Secreto was not going to catch Gneeves Blaze after that and finished a length and a half adrift of him in 29.25.
A purse of €325 saw Gneeves Blaze extend his career earnings to €3,365 and next time out he will be going for not just a five-timer but a seventh win from just nine starts. Now, that’s consistency!
Other winners when the going was .10 slow for all 525yds races were: Anytimeanywhere, 29.43; Dog Gone It, 29.46; Sporting Connell, 29.31; Black Secret, 29.50; Miss Aero, 29.28; Baltovin Leona, 29.34.