The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Pudgie Budgie is fastest of A3 550 quarter-final winners
IT’S a long way from Gowran in Kilkenny to Tralee, but it could prove to be a very profitable journey for trainer, Paul Hennessy, who, after three rounds of the €10,000-tothe-winner Lee Strand A3 550 Sweepstake, has the leading contender in Pudgie Budgie, a February ’16 son of Taylors Sky and Lemon Lucy.
The four quarter-finals of the event were run off at the Oakview venue last Friday and Pudgie Budgie was the only winner to get inside 30.00 seconds – in sharp contrast to the second round when five of the eight winners bettered 30.00 seconds.
Paul Hennessy’s charge was running from trap 3 in the third quarter-final and he could be backed at 6/4, with even-money favouritism resting with Liam Dowling’s Mc Razl, which was housed in trap 2. The pair of them duly filled the first two places, but Pudgie Budgie was always going to be the winner after decisively leading the charge to the first bend.
He led off that first bend from Coom Mary Mattie and Mc Razl and he was four lengths ahead of Mc Razl rounding the third bend before finishing three and a half lengths ahead of him in 29.84, with two and a half lengths back to Coom Mary Mattie.
It was another very impressive performance by Pudgie Budgie after a second-round victory in 29.83 and, very interestingly, he renews rivalry with Mc Razl in the first semi-final this Friday night, holding the advantage of a trap 1 draw (Mc Razl is just outside him in trap 2).
Which of them will get away best this time?
The field is completed by Ballyverane Boy, Cashen Kuba, Coom Mary Mattie and Lissycasey Ruth, none of which won last Friday night.
The other quarter-final winners were Packing Heat (30.02), Ballymac Pele (30.44) and Bowline Raider (30.23) and, of the three, Packing Heat was particularly impressive in
coming from off the pace in the first quarter-final to score by a length and a half from the front-running Native Treasure.
Packing Heat, which is owned by an Abbeyfeale syndicate, has a trap 3 draw in Friday night’s second semi-final and he again comes up against Native Treasure, which has a favourable trap 1 draw. Housed in trap 2 is Ballymac Pele, which was back in time in justifying ½ favouritism last Friday night but which posted 29.90 in the second round.
The field here is completed by Lenas Dasher, Bowline Raider and Shaneboy Kimmy.
In winning the fourth quarter-final in 30.23 for trainer, Chris Houlihan, Bowline Raider did so at the expense of kennelmate, Cashen Kuba, which is owned by Chris Houlihan’s wife, Katie, and which was the hottest of favourites at ½.
Cashen Kuba dramatically lost his position when disputing the lead on the back
straight and it allowed Bowline Raider to dart into a strong winning lead (he finished five lengths ahead of Lissycasey Ruth, with a length and a half back to Cashen Kuba).
The thing about this sweepstake is that you ran rule nothing in or out and we all saw the misfortune that befell the Abbeyfeale syndicate dog, Caint Agus Craic, at the first bend in the fourth quarter-final won by Bowline Raider.
At the same time, Paul Hennessy holds the strongest of hands at this stage with Pudgie Budgie and this fellow will surely qualify for the final from his trap 1 draw in the first semi-final this Friday night. Mc Razl has to be odds-on to go through with him and it will be more than interesting to see what will accompany the two of them into the final and also what will come through from the second semi-final in which Native Treasure has the plum draw on the rails.
The draw for the semi-finals is (trap order):
First semi-final: Pudgie Budgie, Mc Razl, Ballyverane Boy, Cashen Kuba, Coom Mary Mattie (M), Lissycasey Ruth (W).
Second semi-final: Native Treasure, Ballymac Pele, Packing Heat, Lenas Dasher, Bowline Raider, Shaneboy Kimmy.
Other winners last Friday night were Tobarmartin Blue, 18.37; Garfiney Bigmike, 29.31; Loher Storm, 29.04; Wonderful Magic, 29.11; Slippy William, 17.90; Ballyard Kasper, 28.42; Ballyboy King, 28.83.