TRAPRISE - Ted makes triumphant return in Winter Festival
The Winter Racing Festival has replaced the Night of Stars as a season ending celebration of greyhound racing excellence over the past two seasons and with the elite of the sport clashing across all distances at Shelbourne Park last weekend, the Greyhoundtrader.com AA0 575 brought a triumphant return to action for the brilliant All About Ted (Kinloch Brae-Enable).
The Rathcabbin bred star had not been seen in public since his brilliant run to the final of the Irish Derby in September but presenting in sparkling fresh form, William Rigney & Richard Brown’s All About Ted dominated one of the hottest races of the entire festival.
Always adept at trap rise, the middle seed broke on terms from trap 5 and securing clear racing room in the early strides, relished the long run to the opening bend when extending to over a length clear of main market rival Jacob Tashadelek. Still that same one length to the good at the top of the backstraight, a high-class buckle between the pair was still in the balance to the third bend with that same margin in hand for the Peter Cronin trained winner. Briefly threatening a move on the outside at the crown of the bends, Jacob Tashadelek would further test the stamina limitations of All About Ted in this racing return but responding to every question asked, the Rigney powerhouse readily settled the verdict in the home stretch. Staying the extended distance with great aplomb, All About Ted stopped the clock in a sublime 30.91 for a two and a half length verdict over a gallant runner-up.
A ninth win from his nineteen career starts, the lightly raced March 2019 whelp emphatically confirms his position amongst the very elite and as his current campaign has been tailored with 2022 firmly in mind, connections can look ahead to an exciting season of classic contention on all fronts.
Mags is marvellous at Galway
Galway proved a fruitful source of local success over last weekend and starring as the winner of Saturday’s featured AA0 525-yard contest, Michael Hogan’s Grangeview Mags (Droopys Jet-Blastoff Khalesi) continued her stealthy return to top form when leading throughout a ninth career victory.
Elevating herself to the upper echelons with a stunning 28.34 over the same trip at Shelbourne Park in September, the October 2018 whelp ended an indifferent spell with a 28.69 (-20) score in the West just three weeks ago and claiming the second win from her latest three starts, immediately took command of Saturday’s warm contest when very swift to stride from trap 1.
Quickly establishing a one length lead which would afford a gradual drift toward the middle of the track, the Lorrha favourite retained that advantage to the opening bend before extending to three lengths at the top of the backstraight. Pursued by the strong staying Cheerio throughout, that rival would reduce the winning margin late on but full value for her half-length verdict, Grangeview Mags posted a slick 28.77 (-20).
That victory followed another hugely pleasing outing for Paul Hogan’s Five Alley Jack (Bull Run Bolt-Vinneys Beauty) as the lightly raced prospect claimed a third win on just his fifth career start in the opening round heats of the WGOBA Sean Scully Memorial A4 525 Stake.
A winner of his first two starts back in July before away from the track until October, Five Alley Jack left his latest bumpy outing well behind when back to his smart breaking form from trap 4. Ranging up on the inside of an early paced rival at the opening bend, he skipped clear for a three-quarter length verdict in 29.30 (-20).
That winning time reads well within the first-round results with just a solitary faster effort on Saturday, and Five Alley Jack can clearly be a major player as the stake reaches semi-final stage at Galway this weekend.
Commencing the local winning action on Limerick’s ever competitive Thursday SIS programme of last week, the A4 525 contest brought a highly pleasing return to form for Daryl O’Lone’s Dripdropsnackbox (Candlelight King-Balance Sheet).
A debut winner in August, the lightly raced September 2019 whelp found racing room impossible to secure in his latest outings but level away from a suitable trap 1 berth this time, defence of the rail would ultimately see him double his win tally in his seventh career start.
Reaching the opening turn on the inside of a line of three pacesetters, the Roscrea charge battled bravely for a one length advantage at the second bend before readily extending at the top of the backstraight. Reaching his three-length winning margin at halfway when displaying impressive middle pace, the intriguingly named Dripdropsnackbox maintained a strong gallop throughout a new career best of 28.90. Clearly progressive when securing racing room, a rise to A2 for his next outing should not unduly faze the O’Lone improver.