Cashen Jaguar fancied for A8 525 An Ghaeltacht GAA fundraiser final

MAYBE it was the fact that there was no Saturday night racing, but the crowd at Tralee Track on Friday night was a good bit bigger than usual and a particularly good atmosphere was generated in the upstairs area in particular.

The Tote certainly benefited and there was some very good Pick Six dividends as the night progressed.

Racing-wise, a ten-race programme featured three semi-finals of an 18-greyhound A8 525 sweepstake which is acting as a fund-raiser for An Ghaeltacht GAA Club and, with just seven spots covering the three winners, the final this Saturday has a particularly open look about it.

The fastest winner, on 29.37 in the second semi-final, was Killahan Cian, owned by Vincent McKenna, of Abbeydorney. A 2/1 shot in the betting, he showed excellent early pace from trap 3 to be beautifully positioned on the inside of Melodys Vicky (trap 5) at the head of affairs rounding the first bend and, with Melodys Vicky and 4/5 favourite, Exiles Act, coming into serious contact behind him, he proceeded to establish very clear superiority and won by four lengths from Main Road Neymar, with a length and a half back to Gale Dasher.

Only two qualified for Saturday night’s final, of course, and Killahan Cian has to contend with a trap 6 draw, which can hardly be described as ideal.

The second fastest winner, on 29.43 in the first semi-final, was Cashen Jaguar, owned and trained by Chris Houlihan, of Ballyduff, a man with powerful doggy and hurling pedigree.

The 4/6 favourite was Lisloose Kingdom, but he ran into serious trouble at the first bend, being thrown back to last place, and, although he ran on really well to be third to Cashen Jaguar, he was out of a qualification place. Most definitely one for the future, though.

Things worked out much differently for Cashen Jaguar, which was 6/4 second favourite. He broke poorly enough from trap 4, but he showed excellent early pace and got a lovely run on the rails rounding the first bend, enabling him to occupy second place to flying starter, Millridge Misty.

He then proceeded to pick up Millridge Misty, heading her around the third bend, and he raced home four lengths ahead of Donal G O’Mahony’s bitch, with two and a half lengths back to Lisloose Kingdom.

Just a single spot behind Cashen Jaguar in the third semi-final, on 29.44, was Aughacasla Abbey, owned by Gabriel Keane, of Castlegregory. A 2/1 shot, she did everything absolutely right from a trap 1 draw, leading off the first bend from 5/4 favourite, Shanless Frank, and racing home three and a half lengths ahead of Slippy Hero, with three lengths back to Seomra Recruit.

Shanless Frank was only a length behind her rounding the third bend, but he was unable to see his challenge through and weakened to fourth.

Aughacasla Abbey runs from trap 4 in Saturday night’s final and another lightning start will be required by her. The best drawn finalist is Cashen Jaguar, which will be in trap 1, and he is taken to land the winner’s purse of €580 for Chris Houlihan.

The draw is (trap order): Cashen Jaguar, Millridge Misty, Slippy Hero, Aughacasla Abbey, Main Road Neymar, Killahan Cian.

Another of Chris Houlihan’s runners, Cashen Hunter, completed a lovely 9/1 double for him by winning the hottest race of the night (A0/ A1 525) by two lengths in 28.98.

A 3/1 shot, Cashen Hunter did everything right from a trap 1 draw, especially in leading the charge to the first bend. Confident Cato challenged him for much of the trip and was just over a length behind him rounding the third bend, but he was most definitely not for catching and Kilburn Dude actually came through to claim the runner-up spot by a neck from Confident Cato.

The hottest favourite of the night, at 1/3, was the Edward O’Sullivan-trained Slippy Anna and she duly obliged by six and a half lengths in 29.80 (A9/ A10 525), while the other winners were Acting The Baby, 18.13; Ever So Cain, 17.97; Astra Kuluna, 29.31; Spirit Zaconey, 28.98; Jackie Soxs, 29.12.