TRAPRISE - Mary simply Magical in Cesarewitch

Sparking another joyous family celebration at Mullingar for the Guilfoyle kennels, Alice & Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Mary (Droopys Jet-Mystical Moll) completed her wonderful passage through the 2022 RPGTV Irish Cesarewitch with a stunning final performance on Sunday, providing a fifth victory in Ireland’s 600-yard classic for the prolific Moneygall team.

Fastest in each of the opening rounds, the prodigious talent suffered her sole defeat of the competition at semi stage, but such is her remarkable ability at the extended trip, Magical Mary still went to trap 2 on Sunday as an odds-on shot to resume winning ways.

A return to that blue jacket brought a return to her best break and crucially leading rails runner Beaming Scarlet in the early exchanges, the champion elect repelled that sharp rival to the opening bend when sweeping the turn with a length in hand over the advancing Glendalough. That latter pursuer remained a competitive threat to the closing bends as the leading duo drew well clear and though a gallant Glendalough stumbled at the third turn, Magical Mary proved much the strongest when subsequently drawing clear to a commanding eight length winning margin while posting a brilliant 33.06 (-60).

A March 2020 youngster out of Eoin & Jody Troy’s wonderful dam Mystical Moll, the Cesarewitch winner immediately hit the headlines with her stunning 28.10 debut over 525-yards at Limerick last August and already harbours a rare level of versatility in her early career.

Having secured this fifth Cesarewitch title following the dual winning exploits of Definate Opinion in 2010 & 2011, Skywalker Logan in 2019 and Amazing Alice last season, Pat Guilfoyle more than hinted that Magical Mary’s future may lie at even longer distances.

In the wake if victory a delighted Pat Guilfoyle exclaimed, “She’s a really special bitch. When you get to these big finals you really like to win them, so it’s a big relief to be honest. Sometimes being a favourite is more of a curse than a blessing but thankfully she broke well out of trap 2 again, we’re delighted with her.

“I closed my eyes at the first bend because she just barely got around in front but once she did, she was always going to be very hard to pass because she stays very strongly, and I think her next assignment will be to step up in distance.

“She could be very special over six-bends if she stays those trips because she would have that bit early pace for those distances. She’ll probably go to Cork in two weeks’ time with the Corn Cuchulainn a target after that.”

Girl holds Court at Clonmel

Always hugely entertaining and keenly contested, Friday’s action brought the commencement of the latest Guys & Dolls event at Clonmel and the Kieran Purcell Memorial A3 525 delivered a brace of first round winners from local kennels as John Meelam’s Courty Girl (Laughil Blake-Killaheen Queen) when fastest of the 36-runner competition in a stunning seventh career win.

The John Byrne trained October 2019 whelp had been chasing sweepstake success at Kilkenny most recently when only going down by a length when fourth in a warm A2 event and more than carried that level of form to Clonmel when advancing to a career best this time.

Breaking swiftly from trap 5, Courty Girl was quickest to reach full stride and leading by over a length at the opening bend, extended further clear while tackling the turns at pace. Two lengths to the good approaching halfway, the Byrne winner maintained a visually impressive gallop throughout a commanding five length victory and posting a slick 28.57, lay down a big marker as the fastest of the event!

On the other side of the draw, the warm competition also saw Abigail Morrissey’s Abigail’s Power (Belles Direction-Geelo Lu Lu) bounce back to winning ways in the opening round while fastest in the “guys” half!

Last successful in the same grade back in February, the August 2019 whelp had performed with huge credit above his grading of late and appreciating an ease when returning to A3 level this time, thoroughly impressed despite headed in the early stages.

Breaking on level terms from trap 1, the Morrissey winner was narrowly headed to the opening bend by a brace of rivals to his outside and tight for racing room while turning, found himself shuffled back to a two length third at the top of the backstraight. Displaying eye-catching middle pace however, Abigail’s Power negated his deficit beyond halfway and striking the front at the third bend, drew readily clear in dismissive fashion. Posting 29.01 in a six and a half length verdict, he can have a significant say as the competition progresses this week.

Millrose still singing sweet tune

A stalwart of the Rafferty family kennels in Ballingarry, Millrose Melody has been an ever present on the Open sprint scene over past seasons with a host of prestigious victories in exalted company. Suffering three defeats since last successful in S0 grade however, the Leanne Rafferty owned local favourite was offered an opportunity in S1 at Newbridge on Saturday and duly converted his hugely plausible chance in what turned out to be a sizzling 325-yard contest.

Showing that he retains all appetite for competition, the former Treaty Cup hero broke well from trap 4 and held a narrow advantage throughout the early exchanges. Matched for early dash by choicely bred youngster Penny’s Palermo, the pair raced almost as one when powering into the opening bend.

Retaining the inside line while turning, advantage for the Rafferty speedster remained only narrow and a high-class tussle saw the pair still locked together in a protracted battle all the way to line. Never headed however, Millrose Melody claimed the eighth win of his wonderful career while posting a brilliant 17.42 and back amongst elite company next time, can clearly still impact significantly at the highest level.