TRAPRISE - O’Donnell was Born to be a Derby champion

The eyes of the racing world were firmly fixed on Shelbourne Park last Saturday for the final act in the 2022 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby and there could hardly have been a more aptly named champion of the sport when the Jennifer O’Donnell trained Born Warrior (Ballymac Best-Mountaylor Queen) galloped to a hugely deserved victory for his Killenaule based Whatever-You-Like Syndicate of owners.

His stunning early pace was one of the outstanding features of the blue riband event when repeatedly leading the elite of racing to halfway in every round but with the 550-yard Derby trip testing his stamina limitations, the champion elect had been passed in the home stretch in all but one of his qualifying heats.

However, in a training performance to rival any before her, Jennifer O’Donnell preserved Born Warrior in sparkling form over this six-week Derby campaign and once leading to the opening turn from trap 5, he simply refused to wilt this time despite the persistent attentions of Ballymac Finn from halfway.

Almost assured to lead, the O’Donnell star was easy to back on the night when drifting to 11/2 from mid-week quotes of 3/1 and the predictable occurred at trap rise when off a level start, Born Warrior displayed the best early pace to lead by a length at the opening bend as Callaway Pro Am rushed up on the inside rail to dispute second in tight quarters with comrades Maries Wedding and Ballymac Finn.

Crowding in behind the leader saw Ballymac Finn ushered wide but maintaining forward momentum, the Liam Dowling youngster retained second place when setting sights on Born Warrior at the top of the backstraight with three lengths to recover. Making little inroads on the run to the third bend, Born Warrior would however feel the Dowling runner’s presence on his inside off the final turn when ranging to within a length and O’Donnell supporters could have been forgiven for fearing the worst in a testing run to line. Although all out close home, Born Warrior was not for passing this time and in a display of brave resilience in addition to his blistering raw speed, a wonderful Derby champion was crowned with a half length to spare in a winning time of 29.53, with Crafty Kokoro a never nearer three lengths back in third.

A fitting end to a wide-open Derby which saw bitches fill half the traps for the final, four finalists who entered the event as pups, along with a brace of comrades lining out side-by-side on Saturday, the most remarkable legacy of Born Warrior’s victory is that of trainer Jennifer O’Donnell.

From a famed greyhound family, the daughter of three-time Derby winning trainer Matt O’Donnell, aided her mam Frances who claimed Derby victory a decade ago with Skywalker Puma but now completes an astounding Derby fairy-tale for the O’Donnell family by emulating her parent’s victories in the sport’s premier event.

Kuba concludes Magical Derby programme

The undercard to the Derby action at Shelbourne Park on Saturday was sizzling fare throughout the programme and in the Boylesports Betbuilder AA0 600, the Westwell Racing Club’s Magical Kuba (Magical Bale-Impact Miami) produced a stunning victory while reminding all of his astounding raw ability.

Scorching to 30.71 over 575-yards last time for trainer Pat Guilfoyle, the Moneygall star was fourteen spots outside the track record on that occasion and upped in distance on Saturday, was only sixteen spots off the 600-yard record when dominant against elite rivals.

Breaking just behind the lead from trap 6, the May 2020 whelp displayed superior early dash when relishing the long run to the bend and turning with three lengths in hand, reduced the race to a virtual procession thereafter. Pursued to halfway by 575 record holder Sentimental Lad, Droopys Nextone would eventually fill second behind Magical Kuba who held six and a half lengths in hand while posting a sublime 32.05.

Shay wins showdown at Shelbourne

A kennel in sparkling form throughout the 2021 season, Thursday’s final in the This Runs Deep A4 Series 525 Yard Stake at Shelbourne Park offered further sweepstake glory for trainer John Byrne and despite not winning a heat on his way to the €1500 showdown, an expertly timed challenge delivered a most game final victory for the Premier Spirit Syndicate’s Diegos Shay (Dorotas Wildcat-Diegos Roxy).

Second in the opening round of the 36-runner competition, the September 2020 youngster progressed to a career best despite settling for third at semi stage but more forward in the early stages on Thursday, the Byrne charge would reverse that form in another strong running display.

A length adrift of a fast-starting rival in the initial stages following his adept break from trap 5, Diegos Shay paced up well on the run to the corner and despite suffering a minor bump, retained second place with only a length to recover entering the second bend. Now on the rails, the inside seed wasted little time in readily advancing past the pacesetter on the approach to halfway and in command by a length and a half to the third bend, ably defended that same margin over a strong staying rival when reaching the line in 29.30.

A well-timed third win from his eight race outings, a semi-final time of 29.09 will see him rise to A2 for his next outing but buffering that upgrade with bookmaker support on top of his deserved winner’s purse, the progressive Diegos Shay likely has more to offer, especially if stepped back up in trip.