RAVENSWOOD ELSIE LOOKS PERFECTLY DRAWN

THE semi-finals of the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks 525 take centre stage at Shelbourne Park this evening.

Three bitches will qualify from each heat for the €10,000 final in a week’s time.

The opening heat is a cracking contest, with heat winners Droopys Wriggle, Sober Flower and Ravenswood Elsie meeting the talented Kerogue Lady, Fairy Footsteps and Flying Desire.

Droopys Wriggle was impressive last week when winning by three lengths in 28.45 and Ravenswood Elsie showed great early pace to win her heat in 28.47, so it’s hard to split them.

Fairy Footsteps must be given a mention too for trainer Patrick Guilfoyle.

She reached the Brownstown Tango Unraced Bitch Stake final at Newbridge showing plenty of class.

She will go much better tonight as she needed the spin around the Dublin circuit in the opening round.

It’s a tough one but I think

Ravenswood Elsie is perfectly drawn to set the pace from trap six.

She isn’t the strongest of stayers, but a chance can be taken on her for trainer Gerry Barber.

The second semi-final is more of a straight forward decision for me as Ballymac Danica is the one to beat for trainer Liam Dowling despite a tricky draw in trap six.

Record

She clocked 28.28 last week winning by six and a half lengths, just two weeks after breaking the track record at Limerick for 525 yards.

This daughter of Ballymac Cooper-Ballymac Arminta must trap sharp as Crafty Bondi in trap five will be hard to hold off if she gets loose.

The semi-finals of the €80,000 Con & Annie Kirby take place at Limerick. Romeo Kingpin is the one for me in race 9.

Trained by Graham Holland, this son of SupermanBuckos Lass will set the pace again with challenges from Ballymac Patriot and Epic Chick.

Faypoint Sean ran another huge race last week to win, coming from off the pace and leading near the line to clock 28.66. He picked up Phoenix Tyson to win by a neck and the pair face each other again here.

Heat winners Scooby Pacemaker and Merits Inclusion are both perfectly drawn, while Feshtys Mo in trap three cannot be dismissed.

My vote goes to the Jennifer O’Donnell trained Scooby Pacemaker but it’s going to be a great buckle.