Houlihan’s Cashen pair might have to give way to Outdoor Cracker in Novice 3 final
SATURDAY night’s programme at Tralee Track was headed up by two semi-finals of a 525 sweepstake for novice 3 class (winner, €1,000) and Macroom trainer, Liam O’Callaghan, who won a lot of important sweepstakes back the years at the Oakview venue, supplied the fastest winner in Outdoor Cracker, which broke last from trap 5 and still won the second semi-final by four lengths in 29.20.
It was quite something the way the November ’22 son of Magical Bale and Outdoor Roller, which was 4/6 favourite, drove into the opening bend to be third off it to Pennylane View and Parkgate Tilly and he overpowered Pennylane View from the last bend home for the four-length victory over her, with three-quarters of a length back to Parkgate Tilly.
The first semi-final provided an even more decisive winner in Cashen Hoffa, which Ballyduff’s Chris Houlihan trains for the Three Stumps syndicate headed up by himself. Housed in trap 2 and a 2/1 shot with Patsy Browne and Kieran Bourke, Cashen Hoffa impressively overtook the front-running Westwind Bono and went on to score by six and a half lengths from none other than his kennelmate and litter sister, Cashen Felicity, in 29.39 (same ownership syndicate here, too), with three-quarters of a length back to Westwind Bono.
The fact that Outdoor Cracker’s winning time was 19 spots faster than that of Cashen Hoffa, plus the fact that he did it after badly missing the break, clearly suggests that he can win the final this Saturday night and he is duly given the vote.
Saturday night’s programme also featured three first-round heats of a 525 sweepstake for ON2 class (winner, €875) and the Askeaton-owned Pulleen Ariel was marginally the fastest heat winner on 28.81 after driving home six lengths ahead of College Square in heat 3.
On 28.82 in heat 2 was the James O’Rourke-trained Slippy Brett, which beat Strideaway Kid by three lengths, while heat 1 saw Cúl Na Braithre short-head Zari Betty in 29.13.
It is a novice sweepstake worth plenty of attention and, with four qualifying from each heat, we can look forward to two very interesting semi-finals this Saturday night.
A purse of €500 was at stake in a concluding A3 570 and this was won in 31.36 by the Cahersiveen-owned Beginish Blondie, which prevailed by a neck from Mystic Showtime in a very exciting finish, while a 325yds race for S4 class was won in a hot 17.67 by the Jonathon Best-trained Wellstreet Joe, and equally hot in winning an A3 525 in 28.71 was the Gneeveguilla-owned Coom Zoom.
Other winners were Blackpool Julie, 29.45; Youcrackmeup, 17.94; Principality, 29.09.
TUESDAY SIS MEETING
It was a pretty empty stadium come the last race of 12 at last week’s Tuesday SIS meeting at Tralee Track, even with free admission, but such was the Tote betting on line that the winner, Dubh Galóre, paid a quite remarkable €117.10 to a €1 win bet.
Owned by Anthony O’Sullivan, of Ventry, and a 5/1 shot in the betting with Patsy Browne and Kieran Bourke, Dubh Galóre won an exciting finish by a head from 2/1 shot, Lissycasey Mini, in 29.45.
Other winners were Gentle Dolly, 29.23; Saul Good, 29.14; Muingwee Kid, 30.16; Satellite Tango, 29.19; Five Fold, 29.62; Tommys Lad, 29.20; Luna sky, 29.32; Wristy Hurling, 29.24; Killahan Pedro, 28.97; Lissycasey Flor, 28.99; Tadhg Boher, 29.14.