O’Rahilly is chasing Kirby final win with Knockeen Dazzler

CAN it really happen? Can a Ballymacelligott family who won the Irish Laurels back in 1981 with Knockeen Master win the final of the most valuable juvenile event in the world at Limerick Track next Saturday night.

We are talking, of course, about Daniel O’Rahilly’s Knockeen Dazzler, which scored a quite magnificent victory in the first semi-final of the €80,000-to-the-winner Kirby Sweepstake at Limerick Track last Saturday and, being the only wide seed with the fastest semi-final winning time of 28.23, the pointers are very strong in his favour.

Kerry entered a pretty powerful team in this great annual event at Limerick and Knockeen Dazzler is the only one still standing. His winning time last Saturday night was a single spot ahead of the 28.24 produced in the second semi-final by the Brendan Matthews-trained Merits Inclusion and, very clearly, that puts him in the final with the mightiest of chances.

It would be something else altogether if Knockeen Dazzler was to emerge victorious and, having been at the old Cork track when the late Roger O’Rahilly won the Laurels 43 years ago with Knockeen Master, it is a victory that would have special resonance for me.

Things like this keep the old heart beating, don’t they.

THEY are running for a purse of €10,000 in the final of the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and Kerry is represented by two finalists, the Liam Dowling-trained Ballymac Danica and the Patrick O’Connor-trained Kerogue Lady.

Both won their semi-finals last Saturday night, with Ballymac Danica, which broke the track record in the opening round of the Kirby sweepstake in a fantastic time of 27.83, winning the second semi-final n 28.34 and Kerogue Lady winning the first semi-final in 29.14 (this lady clocked 28.34 in upstaging the highly-rated Coolavanny Otto in the Tralee juvenile classic).

The last race at headquarters was won in 28.50 by Timmy Carmody’s Carmac King (trained by Owen McKenna).

LIAM Dowling’s Ballymac Katie and Kinturk Road (owned by Frank Thornton) missed out on a purse of €2,200 in the final of the TP Weadick Open 725 Sweepstake at Kilkenny Track on Friday night.

Ballymac Katie finished third for a consolation prize of €440 (beaten a total of five lengths) and Kinturk Road finished fourth for a consolation prize of €200.

At Curraheen Park, Niosfearrnabolt, with which the footballing Clifford brothers and Shane Enright are associated, finished fourth in the final of the Greyhound and Pet World Supersprint Sweepstake for a consolation prize of €670.

The supporting card saw Ballymac Run win in 28.57.