The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Cash Is King takes K.G.O.B.A A7/A8 title for Manchester
THE Final of the K.G.O.B.A Stakes Final A7/A8 was the feature race on Saturday night’s card at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium. On an ideal racing surface on a balmy evening, the going was rated +.10 for the standard trip and +.05 for the sprint course.
Killahas Brandy, who sported the white jacket, was sent to traps the warm 6/4 favourite, but the sole wide seed Hopeful Aidan, and Cash Is King from trap one were not without their supporters. The ‘jollys’ fate was decided from trap rise as Cash Is King moved right and badly hampered the progress of the runners on his outside. Boxer Miley took full advantage on the rails and led the field into the opening bends. He was joined by the black jacket of Lone Jet as they set off down the back straight. Cash Is King was moving well and this stage and was reducing a one-time three-length deficit with every stride down the back.
The race was very much in the melting pot as the straightened up for home but it was the Brendan Maunsell trained Cash Is King who finished the stronger and ran out a deserving two-length winner passing the line from Boxer Miley. Hopeful Aidan ran on the complete the trio a further 1 ½ lengths back. The winner is owned by the Smart Teacher Syndicate from Manchester, stopped the clock in 28.92 and looks a decent sort.
Another eye-catching performance on the night came in the A3 Race 6 as the lightly raced Ahavoher Beauty produced a trap to line victory in a blistering time of 28.35. Trained by Nelius O’ Connell, the daughter of Ballymac Vic and Earls Diva was only making her 5th start in company have previously recorded three wins from four outings. The 2/1jf was smartly into stride from the coffin box and had pulled 1 ½ lengths clear of her rivals by the opening turn. She hit top flight down the back and approaching the third was 5 lengths clear of a strung out field with trap 2 well water being her nearest rival.
The winner did come back to the field slightly on the run to the finish; however it would be hard to pick holes in her 28.35 performance. Wellwater ran well to reduce the deficit to two lengths on the line while it was a further three lengths back to Spirit Honey in third. The winner is owned by the Lynch and Walsh Syndicate from Listowel and looks well capable for a tilt at the Sporting Press Irish Oaks, which gets underway on Thursday September 21.
Stormy Jake got his fledging career back in track in the best fashion possible when posting a time of 28.47 in Race 7 for grade A1. Having failed to win in 5 races since his maiden back in April, the 2/1 shot broke well and disputed the lead with Russmor Vic who came in as a reserve in trap 5.
The two touched slightly as they negotiated the opening curve however it failed to impede the momentum of the eventual winner and he never looked back from this point and finished powerfully, 3 1/2 lengths of his earlier foe. It was 7 ½ lengths further back to third placed Knockeen Bruce. The winner is jointly owned by Thomas and Dermot Fitzgerald, Listowel and Glin.
There were 2 sprints on the 10 race card and fastest for the 325 trip on the night was the Bill Carmody owned Maglass Duke who was making his debut against some seasoned performers. Drawn in trap 4, this was an impressive debut success by the youngster who started smartly and had his rivals in the Indian file as he came off the second bend. Finishing with a punch he stopped the clock in 17.84 with his nearest rival Farran Toyota 3/4‘s of a length back in second. Frosty Fingers was the best of the rest a further 9 lengths in arrears.
Other winners on the night were Villa Dawn 17.98, Stormy Special 29.48, Lithuanian Boss 29.37, Millridge Misty 29.04, Spirit Elvis 31.12 and Warp factor One 29.32.