Lemon Pete on winning streak
Sixth on trot for owner Roban
THE ANNUAL running of the April Stakes got under way at Enniscorthy Dog Track last week, and while Lemon Pete was not the fastest heat winner, he was recording his sixth straight success for local owner Patrick Roban when putting in another game effort to hold all challengers in the final heat in a time of 29.13.
Another runner who is on a hot streak is the ‘Shanks’ Whelanowned Piercestown Moll who has run up a sequence of four wins on the bounce.
She came from off the pace to win well in heat two in a good 29.03, and this lady is proving hard to beat at present as her strong running style is well suited to Enniscorthy.
Heat four saw the fastest run of the night when Tagalong Roy returned to something like his best form. Breaking fast, he was always in control and ran out a good winner in a swift 28.84 his 19th career win. The Nick Turner-trained Good Ability also returned to something like his form when flashing clear in heat three. Although he got a little weary up the straight, he did enough to hold on and score in a time of 29.12.
This week’s second round has all the makings of a very good night’s racing for sure. Two finals were held last Thursday night, and the Track Bar A3/4 dual distance final went to the Noel Kehoe-owned Tip The Penny, getting the better of Whitefort Mickey by half a length to record his fifth race win in a time of 31.76, over 575 yards.
The other final, the Enniscorthy A3/4 575 (no backgraders) saw hot favourite Fortunate Ronnie run out a comfortable three and a half lengths winner from Neamstown Beast for Kilkenny trainer Margaret Fortune in a good 31.53.
Fortunate has now won his last five races in a row. There seems to be something in the air of late with all these runners going on unbeaten runs.
April 10 results - race one, The Kingsmill Messi @ Stud Open Unraced round two, heat one: 1, Battstreet Kane (owner, Eugene McCabe, The Faythe, Wexford town), 29.32.
Race two, heat two: 1, Slaneyside Rhona (owner, Derek Kehoe, Thurles), 29.57.
Race three, heat three: 1, Karlow Rocket (owner, Henry Kelly, Co. Carlow), 29.23.
Race four, heat four: 1, Karlow Leader (owner, Henry Kelly, Co. Carlow), 29.20.
Race five, The 2017 April Stakes A2/A3 525 round one, heat one: 1, Piercestown Moll (owner, Seamus Whelan, Piercestown), 29.03.
Race six, heat two: 1, Mild And Misty (owner, P.J. Phelan, Co. Kildare), 29.15.
Race seven, heat three: 1, Good Ability (owner, Robert F. Bennett, England; trainer, Nick Turner, Barntown), 29.12.
Race eight, heat four: 1, Tagalong Roy (owners, John Codd and Diana Brodie, Enniscorthy; trainer, John Codd), 28.84.
Race nine, heat five: 1, Lemon Pete (owner, Patrick Roban, Enniscorthy), 29.13.
April 13 results - race one, Welcome To Enniscorthy S2/S3 350: 1, Mattys Hero (owners, David Scallan and James Gordon, Wexford town), 19.23; 2, Raise A Glass, 19.33.
Race two, Intertrack Betting A7 525: 1, Sandeal Racer (owners, Felthard syndicate), 29.38; 2, Metric, 29.66.
Race three, Unrecorded Trials Wednesday and Friday A6 525: 1, Moiras Wanderer (owners, Dog Wanderers syndicate; trainer, Owen Doyle, Gorey), 29.25; 2, Metric Brae, 29.63.
Race four, The Trackside Diner A5 525: 1, Duffry Gate Pat (owner, Alex Cooney, Enniscorthy), 29.62; 2, Rathbally Titan, 29.65.
Race five, The www.igb.ie A4 525: 1, Coco Blaze (owner, Mary Flynn, Waterford; trainer, Nick Turner, Barntown), 29.09; 2, Shes Our Maureen, 29.54.
Race six, The Track Bar A3/A4 Dual Distance 550/575 final: 1, Tip The Penny (owner, Noel Kehoe, Co. Wexford), 31.76; 2, Whitefort Mickey, 31.79.
Race seven, The Enniscorthy A3/A4 575 final: 1, Fortunate Ronnie (owners, Ben and Tom Davies; trainer, Margaret Fortune, Kilkenny), 31.53; 2, Neamstown Beast, 31.77.
Race eight, The Track Bar A3 525: 1, Glenbrien Nifty (owner, Kathleen Stamp, Glenbrien), 29.13; 2, Karlow Snapper, 29.23.
Race nine, April A1/A2 525: 1, Slaneyside Reidy (owner, Derek Kehoe, Thurles), 29.03; 2, Kiltrea Brian, 29.31.