Pennylane Storm flies Kerry flag in Dowling sweepstake heats
FULL normality may take a while yet, but it’s great that they’re back running for a handsome purse of €3,000 at Tralee Track and it centres around an A1 570 sweepstake which honours the memory of the late John and Mary Dowling, whose home place in Killeacle, Ardfert, inspired the Killeacle prefix which was so successful back the years.
Five first-round heats were run off at last Friday’s meeting and, while a bigger entry than 30 was expected, that €3,000 purse proved to be very appealing to trainers from outside the county and, indeed, all but one of the five heats were won by them, with a terrific double being recorded by the Tipperary-based Patrick Guilfoyle.
The other outside heat winners were trained by Neilus O’Connell (Limerick) and Thomas O’Donovan (Tipperary), while the Kerry flag was kept flying by a Lixnaw syndicate bitch, Pennylane Storm.
Patrick Guilfoyle is actually a teacher by profession, but he has acquired a huge reputation as a trainer and, to date, he has won 762 races nationally, including, of course, classic success.
His double was initiated in heat 2 by Magical Jasper, which ran from trap 1 and was 4/6 with the only bookmaker in attendance, Kieran Bourke.
The July ’17 son of Head Bound and Laughil Louise managed to be clear of serious first-bend trouble and he drove home five and a half lengths ahead of Pawsfordell in 31.22 (.10 slow).
The double was completed in heat 4 by Patterdale Greg (Tyrur Big Mike – Minor Winner), which won by exactly the same margin as Magical Jasper (at the same odds of 4/6 too!) and, by clocking 31.14, this fellow bettered the time of Magical Jasper by eight spots.
Particularly impressive was the early pace shown from trap 3 by Patterdale Greg and, interestingly, the greyhound which contested well with him to the first bend, Fast Hurling, re-opposes in the second round this Friday night.
Fast Hurling dropped out of contention behind Patterdale Greg and finished fifth, which normally means relegation, but the four fastest fifths (along with all the fourths) were allowed to qualify from the first round and Chris Houlihan’s charge was one of them.
Heading into the fifth heat, Patrick Guilfoyle was certainly holding very much the strongest hand with Magical Jasper and Patterdale Greg, but Neilus O’Connell then came along and sent out Razldazl Monarch to outshine both of them with Razldazl Monarch, which clocked a quite magnificent 31.09.
Housed in trap 2 and a 6/4 shot with Kieran Bourke, Razldazl Monarch (Makeshift – Razldazl Pru) absolutely flew to the opening bend and, always totally in control, he hit the line five lengths ahead of the Brendan Maunsell-trained Goatsoul Paddy.
It brought O’Connell’s career wins to a quite amazing 991 and, surely, by the time this sweepstake is over, the man will have gone past the magical 1,000 mark and joined a very exclusive club.
Very interestingly, Razldazl Monarch has been drawn against Magical Jasper in heat 1 of the second round this Friday night and, although 13 spots behind on first-round running, Magical Jasper could well upstage Neilus O’Connell’s dog from his trap 1 draw.
Turning to the other heat winners, the Thomas O’Donovan-trained Tepin (Droopys Scolari – Hey Delilah) won heat 1 in 31.31 and the Lixnaw syndicate bitch, Pennylane Storm (Ballymac Matt – Pennylane Lace), won heat 3 in 31.44.
Pennylane Storm made a brilliant start count from trap 2, but she comes up against Patterdale Greg in the second round (heat 4) and that is putting it up to her in a big way. Tepin should keep on the winning trail in heat 2.
Between everything, it is a sweepstake of real substance, even if a bigger entry wasn’t achieved, and maybe, just maybe, we will see a winning time in it that that will be better than 31.00 seconds.
As for coming near the remarkable record of 30.62 set in 2008 by Raparee Molly, well, that ain’t going to happen, is it? Draw for second round is (trap order): Heat 1: Magical Jasper, Mikes Kemzo, Pawsfordell, Razldazl Monarch, Rockburst Mike (W), Fifthavenu Bell (W).
Heat 2: Tepin, Dark Trend, Ballymac Bliss, Goatsoul Paddy (M), Lissycasey Roy (W), Ballyheigue Brae (W).
Heat 3: Millridge Zoey, Ramona Recruit, Jirano Classic, Lanody Pat, Catch The Action (M), Ardfert Rooster (W).
Heat 4: Jasons Taz, Pennylane Storm, Fast Hurling, Patterdale Greg (M), Sugar Plum Fairy (M), Livz Dream (M).
Other winners on Friday night were Laughil Tom, 29.04; Maga Baby, 29.43; Academic Molly, 18.03; Slippy Con, 29.60; Over The Bonnet, 29.01.