The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Crossfield Kate wins Unraced Bitch stake
THERE was a real buzz around the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium on Friday night as a top class card featuring the final of the Red Mills Unraced Bitch Stake final as well as the opening round of the K.G.S.S.C Kingdom Derby attracted a large attendance.
Crossfield Kate (Sparta Maestro/ Crossfield Betty) was a warm favourite going to traps for the final of the Red Mills Unraced Bitch Stake final having impressed with a 5 ½ length defeat of Hitachi Nicki at the semi-final stage a week previous. The latter was not without support in the ring and traded at odds of 2/1 as the hare began to make its way around the circuit.
The break was all important here, and it was the ‘jolly’ who was first to show from trap 3, and produced a terrific turn of early foot to race clear to the opening bend in a 2.95 sectional. Indeed, the Brendan O’Shea owned May whelp held a three-length advantage at the opening bend from litter sister Crossfield Dolly and Boher Catchmenow. Hitachi Nicki didn’t make the quickest of starts from trap 4 and crowding at the first was also to hamper her progress.
Crossfield Katie continued to increase her advantage down the back start and raced four clear of the chasing duo passing the sprint boxes. Hitachi Nicki showed good acceleration to reel in the chasing duo down the back and sprinted clear of the pair to lie a clear second by the third bend. She continued to reduce the deficit on the leader as they straightened up for home, however Crossfield Kate had done enough to maintain her lead and crossed the line 1 ½ lengths clear of the fast finishing runner-up in a time of 28.75. Crossfield Dolly stayed on for third to complete the placings a further length and a half in arrears.
The Kingdom Derby is always one of the major highlights in the racing calender at the Oakpark venue and this year’s event, under the sponsorship if the K.G.S.S.C, attracted an elite field of 24 that contested the opening round of the prestigious event on Friday.
The opening heat belonged to the Denis Kiely trained Shaneboy Russell (Shaneboy Spencer/ Shaneboy Kylie), a 2/1 shot drawn in the blue jacket. Brogan Pilgrim broke well from trap 4, however he scuppered his chance of leading at the bend when moving right on the run down to opening turn. The winner just shaded Boxer Lady from trap 1 on the run down, and claimed the rails to lead his rival off the opener. He quickly opened a four-length advantage and continued to extend his lead on the run to the third. Trap 4 faded badly down the back as Milbank Alex in the striped jacket outpaced Boxer Lady to lie second approaching the closing curves.
The leader stayed on well to the finishing line and stopped the clock in an impressive 28.58, 7 ½ lengths of Milbank Alex. Boxer Lady qualified third just a neck behind Milbank.
Coolavanny Mason (Aero Majestic/ Little Flutter) landed a sizeable gamble with an impressive win in heat 2 for Mark Lowther and trainer Pat Buckley. Backed from 2/1 into evens favourite, he showed good early pace following a sluggish start from traps, and while he was led at the opening bend by Black Tom from trap 3, Coolavanny quickly took up the running, opening a healthy threelength advantage off the second bend.
The winner extended his lead with every stride down the back and the race in behind was merely for qualifying positions at this stage. Black Tom continued to give chase in behind, two lengths clear of Skywalker Leaf with the rest of the field well strung out. The winner continued to keep his foot on the pedal approaching the finish line and claimed a six-length win from Black Tom in a fast time of 28.41. Skywalker Leaf held on for third a further length behind.
The 3/1 priced Crohane Ronnie (Godsend/ Moorstown) upset the odds in heat 3 when leading even money favourite Senans by 2 ½ lengths at the line in a winning time of 28.49. Drawn in trap 3, the Declan Byrne trained runner made a swift exit from traps to lead at the opening bend from Ballymac Scala and Senans Forever. The chasing duo bumped between the opening bends as they jostled for position. Senans Forever raced a half length behind the leader down the back straight, but Crohane Ronnie pulled clear off the closing bends from his wide running rival. Lassa Excitement ran on for third, 1 ½ lengths in arrears.
College Paradise (Paradise Madision/Boreenmannia) continued his impressive run of form to claim the final heat in 28.82. The Liam Dowling trained runner was the 7/4 second favourite for the race with the well supported Water Fern sent to traps the 6/4 for Owen McKenna. Both runners would battle it out for honours in an intriguing race.
While Water Fern popped out in front from trap 4, College Paradise was equally as smart in the white jacket and cleared his inside rivals to claim the rails in the race to the first bend. The winner held the inicitive as the pair straightened for the run down to the third bend, although he never held more than a half length advantage. The experienced College Paradise raced tight to the rails off the closing bends and finished much the stronger as his rival raced wide on the run to the line.
The winning distance was 1 ½ lengths with Send It Ducula finishing third a further four lengths back.
The second round of the event continues next Friday night and the €9,000 winner’s prize is still very much in the melting pot.
The Battie O’Connor owned Exiles Act (Tullymurry Act/ Rafa Baby) led home litter comrade Sleepy Caoimhe by a ‘short head’ in the final of the Boherbue National School Buster Sweepstake A7 final to claim the €600 winner’s prize. The performance of the runner-up was eye-catching having closed an eight length deficit at halfway to just come-up short by the narrowest of margins at the line. The winner is trained by Mossie O’Connor.
Other winners on the night were Scarty Sonoco 29.62, Boher Romeo Blue 17.93, Ballymac Cook 28.70, and Kileacle Wayne 28.48.