TRAPRISE - Brian remains unbeaten ahead of Thurles showdown

Having gone fastest in the opening round of the Thurles Racecourse A4 570 Yard Stake, James Treacy’s Montore Brian (Ardnasool Jet-Montore Sally) will enter this week’s final at Thurles as the sole unbeaten runner following a thrilling opening semi-final on Saturday.

In the form of his career at present, the kennel stalwart was completing a hat-trick of victories having arrived to the opening round of the event on the back of his second career win at Newbridge. Dominant when claiming his opening round heat in 31.93 (-20), he was however made to work considerably harder for victory in Saturday’s semi-final.

Striking the front passing halfway having tracked the early pace following a moderate start, the May 2020 whelp found Terence Delaney’s local rival Dazzes Beauts on his inside at the third bend and the pair would dispute the lead in a desperately tight tussle to the home stretch. Repeated bumping between the pair as they fought out a thrilling finish almost scuppered the chances of both as Lisdaleen Range split the pair with a fast finish to force a three-way photo. On the right side of that thrilling conclusion, Montore Brian earned his fourth career win with a head to spare over that latter strong finisher in 32.34 (-20), with Dazzes Beauts just a further short-head back in third.

The faster of the semi-finals despite the bumping, both local challengers will hold obvious claims of victory in Saturday’s final.

VETERAN LAD SCHOOLS AT GALWAY

The winning action began early last week and maintained in sparkling form beyond his fourth birthday, John O’Meara’s Ballygibbon Lad (Droopys Jet/Liosgarbh Elsa) secured a third win from his latest six race outings on a vibrant student night of racing at the Sportsground in Galway on Wednesday of last week.

Successful in the same grade last month, the October 2018 whelp was back in his favourite trap 1 for his A4 525 event this time having found traffic from an unsuitable wide draw last time out and though bested for early dash having broken on level terms, the O’Meara veteran secured clear passage on the inside of rivals while negotiating his way to a challenge for second entering the backstraight.

Within two lengths of the lead at halfway, Ballygibbon Lad has always been a strong finisher at the standard trip, and he duly began to reduce his arrears around the closing bends. Joining the leader on the inside at the top of the home stretch, a strong running twelfth career victory was completed with a length and three-quarters to spare in 29.83 (-20). Avoiding a rise for this success, Ballygibbon Lad clearly remains very well graded and will be a feared opponent at whatever distance he tackles next time.

There had been plenty for local racegoers to cheer before the weekend action even got into full swing as the Thursday SIS fixture at Limerick returned a brace of Roscrea winners and having hinted at a return to his best with a runner-up performance in a warm A3 contest last time out, John Moloney’s Joeys Champ (Kinloch Brae-Mt Heaton Daisy) built on that effort when fastest of the night!

Last successful in A3 grade back in December, the May 2020 whelp was taking a rise for his latest smart placed performance but breaking best from trap 3 in the Barking Buzz App A2 525, displayed all of his slick early dash while repelling a sharp rival to his outside for a one-length lead while tackling the opening bends. That same length separated the leading duo all along the backstraight but displaying pleasing resolve while on the bunny throughout, the Moloney winner hit the line with one and a half lengths to spare in 28.93.

An eighth career victory, Joeys Champ will remain in A2 for his next outing and having reached a high of A1, retains ample scope to add to his tally given this latest revival in form.

Sparking the Roscrea double on Thursday at Limerick, the O-L Syndicate’s Whats Up Tracey (Grangeview Ten-Pink Turkey) shed her maiden tag in the RCETS APP A4 525 when showing sharp early dash to lead throughout her fifth career outing. Finding crowding at the opening bends under similar circumstances last time, the Padraig O’Lone trained April 2021 whelp began well from trap 6 and easing her way to the front, edged towards the inside rail on the approach to the corner. Less than a length to the good before turning, she this time held strong against a brush to her hind quarters before bravely settling the race while skipping clear to the top of the backstraight. Tested with a rival closing to her tail at the third bend, Whats Up Treacy was never for catching and seeing out the trip in most pleasing fashion, the O’Lone pup extended to three lengths at the line while posting 29.29.

The performance will see her rise to A3 for her next outing but open to further progression, she can be expected to cope with the upgrade.

The weekend winners kept coming and Friday’ fixture at Galway delivered another brace as Abigail Morrissey’s Abigails Mystery (Belles Direction-Geelo Lu Lu) backed-up his latest A5 victory with his eighth career win over 550-yards on return to A4 grade.

Chasing down Peadar O’Dwyer’s Banter Blitz from the second bend, the Cloughjordan stalwart powered from halfway for a two-length verdict in 30.76 (-10) and will seek his hat-trick at the same level next time.

However, the highlight of that Galway fixture arrived in the earlier S8 350 when Dinny O’Brien experience his first winner in partnership with handler Paul Hogan as their Five Alley Din (Ballymac Best-Annual Tears) shed his maiden tag at the fourth time of asking.

Breaking on level terms this time, the Nenagh youngster held just a narrow lead nearing the opening bend but extending while turning, impressed when drawing readily clear to a four and a half length winning margin in 19.45 (-5). With huge scope to progress further, Five Alley Din can be expected to ably cope with his small rise to S6 next time.

In a very busy week for local kennels across many venues, further winning exploits saw Bernie Hogan’s Old Bill (Droopys Sydney-Starry Display) go back-to-back at Limerick in a very smart A1 525 performance, staying very strongly for a three-quarter length verdict in 28.71 and he will seek his hat-trick in the same grade next time.

Saturday also brought the commencement of the 2023 Greyhound & Pet World Juvenile Classic at Tralee and trainer Pat Guilfoyle will take a brace of very bright prospects to the second round with Good Maestro (Good News-Mysterious Lola) a brilliant winner of his opening heat in 28.27 which followed a pleasing runner-up performance from Music Glideaway, four and a half lengths adrift in 28.12, the fastest time of the round. We will chart their expected progress in next week’s issue.