The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
O’Leary enjoys 1-2 with Loher brothers in A1 Buster final
BENEFIT meetings, well organised, are brilliant for both the organisers and Tralee Track itself and that was certainly the case at the Oakview venue last Friday when a terrific crowd turned up to support a fund-raiser for St Olivers National School, Killarney.
The feature event was the final of the €1,000-to-the-winner St Olivers National School A1 525 Buster Sweepstake and the man who supplied the two semi-final winners, Noel O’Leary, of Lohercannon, Tralee, saw one of them, Loher Grove, score a runaway victory, with the other, litter brother Loher Blake, beaten by just a short head for the runner-up spot.
It was actually expected that Loher Blake, which was 6/4 favourite, would get a better start from trap 4 than Loher Grove from trap 3, based on semi-final running anyway, but Loher Grove, which drifted from 6/4 to 2/1, timed his break to absolute perfection and, once that happened, he was always going to put the opposition to the sword, which he did in some style.
He had won his semi-final coming from behind in an estimated 28.73 and he improved this time to a quite magnificent 28.43 (28.63 on going rated .20 slow). Nothing could live with that time and it left Loher Grove with a winning margin of no less than eight and a half lengths over Cheeky Bob, which won a consolation prize of €380 for Trevor O’Connell, of Abbeydorney, after he short-headed Loher Blake for the runner-up spot.
It is not often that twelve races are run at the Oakview venue, but, even with presentations after every race, the programme was expedited really well and there was a high level of enjoyment, helped by a first-class atmosphere.
Two training doubles were recorded, one by Liam Dowling and the other by Neilus O’Connell, and, in completing Liam Dowling’s double in the eighth race (AA0 525), the Spanish-owned Akelawre clocked a terrific fastest of the night 28.50 on going rated .20 slow.
Akelawre, which ran from trap 6 and was at the surprisingly generous odds of 2/1, was led to the first bend by flying starter, Rallying Saidso (from the Neilus O’Connell kennels), but he quickly hit the front on the back straight and he raced home two lengths ahead of Rallying Saidso, with a length and a half back to Beepers Paddy.
Liam Dowling’s double was initiated in the seventh race (A1 525) by Ballymac Garden, which justified 6/4 favouritism from a trap 2 draw – but only after a terrific battle with Promising, with Just a neck separating the pair at the line in 28.83.
Turning to Neilus O’Connell’s double, Mohane Odie (5/4 fav) easily won over the sprint distance for him in 17.80, while Rallying Dawn prevailed by half a length from Brindle Ciss in the second last race of the night, the time being 29.15.
The last race, for A4 class over the standard trip, saw the Ballybunion-owned Charo, which was 6/4 favourite, produce a truly amazing run from away off the pace to snatch victory on the line by a short head in 29.76. It was actually her first victory in seven starts and, assuming she gets any kind of a run next time out, she must be banker material.
Other winners: Allowdale Mia, 18.32; Cailín Bideach, 30.23; Bowline Jack, 30.02; Impact Miami, 28.85; Another Pickels, 29.43; Hillview Paddy, 28.99.
• The going was .20 slow for all 525yds races and .10 slow for two 325yds races.
SUNDAY SIS MEETING Two winners, Your Brandy (28.96) and Headleys Rusty (28.99), were the only ones to get inside 29.00secs, while the other winners were: Curryhills Óisín, 29.77; Send It Tonight, 17.81; Bolus Pete, 29.07; Samba Active, 29.19; Millridge Milo, 29.04; Pennylane Star, 29.41.