GMHD Juvenile Classic sure to attract top trainers

THE start of the no.1 event at Tralee Track in 2017, the GMHD Juvenile Classic, is only just over five weeks away (February 10) and it can be safely assumed that it will be targeted by most of the top trainers, if not all of them.

Remember last year? Owen McKenna won with Escapism, jointly owned by Eimear Coffey, of Youghal and Dominick Griffin, of Tralee, who occasionally does the race commentaries at the Oakview venue - and what a back-up the man is for the outstanding Mike Flaherty!

Escapism, which ran from trap 1 and was a 3/1 shot, won by two and a half lengths from Turree Bolt in 28.35 and the third home, four and a half lengths behind Turree Bolt, was Lenson Rocky.

Massive class there, as was well proven afterwards, and, doubtless, Owen McKenna will have a good one (or two!) in his bid to follow up the victory of Escapism.

The winner’s purse will again be €15,000, thanks to the benevolence of Gallivan, Murphy, Hooper, Dolan, the Killarney-based insurance company, with the only contingency in relation to the prizemoney being the necessity to have the required 48 runners.

Interestingly, Graham Holland won the 2015 final with Sidarian Vega, which clocked a phenomenal 28.18, and none other than Ballymac Matt was back in fifth place.

We all know what Ballymac Matt went on to achieve afterwards and it can be safely assumed that a lot of future classic hopefuls will be amongst the field of 48 going to traps on February 10. Come final night on March 3, they will have been well identified.

Another very important date on the Tralee calendar is June 26, when the final of the Boylesports Race of Champions Sweepstake will be run, while the Lee Strand A3 550 Sweepstake will conclude on May 13 and the final of the Supporters’ Club Kingdom Derby is pencilled in for December 15.

These, and a host of other important sweepstakes, whet the appetite well for 2017.