Dowling and O’Leary keep local interest in the Kingdom Derby

THERE we were on Friday night wondering if Liam Dowling would have any winner at the quarter-final stage of the Tilemaster Kingdom Derby after enjoying a treble in the opening round a week previously... and, hey presto, he wins the fourth quarter-final in quite magnificent fashion with Chespirito, which he trains for Javier Jarne, of Zaragoza, Spain.

There were three other very good quarter-final winners on the night in Holycross Lad (last year’s winner), Glynnscross Jake and Skywalker Rafa, but Chespirito put them all in the shade by clocking a fabulous 28.31 on going rated .10 slow.

Dowling also had the fastest first-round winner in Akelawre, also owned by Javier Jarne, and this fellow qualified in third place behind Holycross Lad in the first quarter-final. Throw in Dowling’s own Ballymac Anton, which was third behind Skywalker Rafa in the third quarter-final, and you have a pretty fearsome trio for him facing into the semi-finals this Friday night.

However, there has hardly even been a more competitive Kingdom Derby than this and any one of the twelve still standing can go on and win it. Absolutely no question about that and sponsor John O’Shea, of Tilemaster, should be fairly chuffed about it all.

Anyway, let’s focus on the four quarter-finals, starting with the fourth won by Chespirito. This fellow was one of three 2/1 joint favourites housed in trap 4, the others being Braveheart Bobby and Newinn Lester, and he got the kind of start which smoothed everything beautifully for him.

Sawdust Club also started well from trap 2, but Chespirito assumed firm control as the race progressed and he hit the line two and a half lengths ahead of Sawdust Club, with a length back to Braveheart Bobby.

The Owen McKenna-trained Holycross Lad won the opening quarter-final in 28.55. Last year’s winner was freely on offer at 4/1, with 6/4 favouritism resting with Akelawre, but he could be called the winner once the traps went up, flying to the head of affairs from trap 5 and controlling matters to the line for a one-length victory over Churchfield Der in 28.55, with a short head back to Akelawre.

The second quarter-final saw trainer, Kieran Lynch, pull off a terrific 1-2 with Glynnscross Jake (trap 6) and God Of Fire (trap 2). These two contested the lead into the third bend, from which point 3/1 shot, Glynnscross Jake, exerted supremacy and hit the line two lengths ahead of his kennelmate in 28.47, with a length back to Boynepark King.

The remaining quarter-final, the third, saw the Michael J O’Donovan-trained Skywalker Rafa atone for his surprise defeat at odds of ½ in the opening round. This time, at the much more attractive odds of 7/4, he got the timing perfectly right from trap 3 and he built up a lead of three and a half lengths by the third bend. The one chasing him at this point, Loher Grove, finished very strongly, but a length separated the pair at the line in 28.74, with a similar distance back to Ballymac Anton, which was only fifth into the third bend.

So, the way has been cleared in quite outstanding fashion for the two semi-finals this Friday night and it will be very interesting to see how Liam Dowling’s three charges fare, especially Chespirito from trap 6 in the first semi-final. Dowling and Noel O’Leary (breeder/ owner/ trainer of Loher Grove) are the only two Kerry personalities now involved and a local victory would obviously be very popular.

Two very big hurdles are yet to be crossed, though, before the winner is declared on December 21.

The draw for Friday night’s semi-finals is (trap order): First semi-final: God Of Fire, Sawdust Club, Ballymac Anton, Loher Grove, Braveheart Bobby, Chespirito. Second semi-final: Akelawre, Holycross Lad, Churchfield Der, Boynepark King, Skywalker Rafa, Glynnscross Jake (M).

The supporting programme last Friday night saw Donal G O’Mahony, of Millstreet, win the last two races in splendid fashion with litter sister and brother, Millridge Dame (28.88) and MillridgeMilo (29.01), while the other winners were: Helenas Cillian, 29.52; Firming Bud, 29.81; Tallulah Jones, 29.54; Headleys Bud, 29.15; Another Pickels, 29.23.