Cashen Kaboodle fancied to win open novice 325 final
THERE was a very icy feel to the air at Tralee last Friday night and it definitely put a question over racing. The sand surface, you see, can harden up and that puts greyhounds in danger of injury.
Proceedings did get underway as normal but the cold intensified and it was no great surprise that the stewards of the meeting held an inspection of the racing surface after the fourth race.
That inspection led to the rest of the card being abandoned and the eight races in question will be run off this Friday night. Admission will be free to those who present the programme from last Friday night.
Two of the four races which were decided were semi-finals of an open novice 325 sweepstake (winner, €750) and a bitch owned and trained by Ballyduff’s Chris Houlihan, namely Cashen Kaboodle, was the fastest winner on 18.12 (.05 slow) in the second semi-final.
The daughter of Cashen Legend and Paradise Siesta, which was 5/4 second favourite, took a flier from trap 1 and she was always in control against even-money favourite, Stormy Jet, which did run on well but was a length adrift at the line, with three and a half lengths back to Notabotherblitz.
Just five spots behind Cashen Kaboodle in the first semi-final, on 18.17, was Ballymac Gina and this daughter of Ballymac Best and College Quality was bringing to a quite remarkable 990 the number of wins by Liam Dowling at IGB tracks.
Ballymac Gina was sent off the 4/6 favourite from a trap 3 draw, with Duke Of Harold (trap 4) a strong second favourite at 6/4, and she needed to come home with a very strong rattle to score by two lengths from Foildarrigh Lady, with half a length back to Villa Home.
Villa Home actually led around the opening bend and Ballymac Gina was crowded a bit into the home bend as Foildarrigh Lady (trap 5) got into the picture, but there was to be no mistaking the superior power of Liam Dowling’s bitch on the run home.
Amazingly, for a 4/6 favourite, the trio paid €225.00.
Both semi-final winners, it should be pointed out, were following up on good first round victories and, although Stormy Jet cannot be ruled out, it will be a surprise if either Cashen Kaboodle or Ballymac Gina doesn’t win the final this Friday night, with slight preference for Cashen Kaboodle from trap 2.
The draw is (trap order): Foildarrigh Lady, Cashen Kaboodle, Ballymac Gina, Notabotherblitz, Stormy Jet, Villa Home.
The other winners on the card were Ballinorig Rock and Goya. Ballinorig Rock, which is actually five years old this month, was running from trap 4 in the first race (S6/ S7 325) and it was nice to see him recapture form like this for local joint owners, Martin Enright and Maurice Boyle. Mind you, it wasn’t easy to see him coming home in front after being nicely behind the front-running Yorkville Blaze and My Boy Benny rounding the first bend. However, he finished with the proverbial wet sail and hit the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Yorkville Blaze in 18.28.
There was no betting on that first race, but a market was in play for the second race (A7/ A8 525) and Knocktoo Paul was a very strong favourite at 5/4. However, he badly missed the break from trap 1 and it was always going to be between the fast-starting Toronto Ruth (trap 3) and Goya (trap 2).
Goya, which was a 5/2 shot, held the lead around the opening bend and he stuck it out well at the head of affairs to score by two lengths from Toronto Ruth in 29.86 (.10 slow).