Highview is all style

Traprise

A feature of Saturday’s fixture at Galway last weekend was the final of a competitive Upcoming Sweepstakes A7 525 Yard Stake and backing up her semi-final victory in the event, Robert Moloney & Bertie Treacy’s Highview Fashion (Ballymac Cashout-Highview Audi) landed the spoils in smart style.

Campaigned over sprint trips to commence her career with a brace of victories in that sphere, the Moloney handled March 2023 whelp was having just her second outing over four bends when leading throughout her semi score in 29.96 (-10). Progressing from that performance however, the Roscrea youngster found timely improvement when again dominating on Saturday.

Swift to stride from trap 6, Highview Fashion immediately took command on the run to the opening bend and tackling the turns with a strong length in hand, ably repelled a persistent challenger thereafter. Striking the line with two lengths to spare, she posted 29.38 and should not fear a rise to A4 on the evidence of this sharp competition victory.

That same Galway meeting had already begun in winning fashion for the kennels as Moloney’s Doalittledance (Ballyhimikin Jet-Shoemakers Prim) shed her maiden tag at the fifth time of asking in the opening Welcome to Galway Stadium A8 525.

Without clear passage in any of her previous four outings, the August 2023 whelp ensured better fortune this time when breaking on terms from a suitable trap 2 berth and once rounding her closest rival for a narrow lead at the first bend, she reduced the race to virtual solo passage thereafter. Skipping readily clear to halfway, Doalittledance completed victory with a facile eight and a half lengths to spare and can ably cope with an upgrade to A5, granted clear passage again next time.

Magical hat-trick for Sapphire

It had been hoped to report on Summer Cup victory at Shelbourne Park for Epic Ace but a poor break in Saturday’s final brought all manner of traffic for the Pat Guilfoyle trained star. However, there was compensation at the capital venue on the night as Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags) completed a classy hat-trick of wins in the opener.

Lining up in trap 5 for the Welcome To Shelbourne Park AO 575, the Moneygall darling had previously returned from a five-month layoff for 600-yard victory at Limerick before scoring over 550-yards at Cork last time out, and clearly highly versatile over those extended four bend distances, capped her treble when leading throughout on Saturday.

Breaking on terms, Magical Sapphire immediately began to ease clear on the long run to the opening bend and a retained a one-length lead to the backstraight despite having the much-respected Glenlara Blue on her tail. Gamely repelling that rival within a high-class tussle beyond halfway, the Guilfoyle charge prevailed by a length in a fast 31.11 and will prove tough to contain in her bid for four in-a-row next time.

Also in the capital, Thursday brought the commencement of the Shelbourne Park Dolls A2 525 Yard Stake and in a tricky opening round assignment, trainer Pat Guilfoyle guided a brace of runners through the first heat as Alice Guilfoyle & Tommy Ryan’s Scarelt Ella (Ballymac Cashout-Burgess Sarah) claimed her second career win.

Taking command at halfway for a one length victory in 28.73 as Magical Hope (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy) recovered from a slow start and bumping to fill third, the pair safely advance to this week’s semi-finals where we will pick up on expected progress!

Loughnane Limerick double

All too often surrendering winning opportunities while charting a wide course, Aoife Loughnane’s Kilgarran Mickey (Pestana-Lemon Juliet) took advantage of an appealing grading in Thursday’s Time Derby Continues Saturday A3 525, completing a smart double for his Roscrea kennels.

Taking his tally to an even dozen, the September 2022 whelp was just moderately to stride from trap 6 but displayed much the best early pace to lead at the corner. Stretching to three lengths along the backstraight, he would again afford his closest pursuers renewed hope when wide at the closing turns but game as you like, repelled all threats for a one and a half-length victory while posting 28.92 (+20). Remaining in the same grade, he will hold obvious claims again next time.

Sparking the double for handler Aoife Loughnane in the earlier Book Your Trials Online A5 525, the Ready To Dream Syndicate’s Ready To Shine (Explosive Boy-Express Shine) doubled her win haul when leading throughout.

Successful in the same grade last month, the September 2023 pup rounded her nearest rival at the opening bend before comfortably dictating throughout a three and a half-length victory 29.23 (+20). Taking just one step up the grading ladder, she can handle that rise with aplomb on this evidence.

Ailbhe survives chop in TIME Derby

The second round of the TIME A4 525 Yard Derby proved a tough session for our local challenge in the event and hopes are now pinned on John Kealy’s Tipsy Ailbhe (Ballymac Cashout-Shancol Storm) who gamely stepped up from her opening round runner-up effort with a first career win at the fifth time of asking on Saturday at Limerick.

With the 28.90 time constraint still in place, the September 2023 whelp had only just avoided the chop by 4-spots on the previous weekend and Ailbhe again flirted with going too fast on Saturday having struck the front off the second bend with smart early pace. Gratefully a touch slower than the week before, the Roscrea pup remained in command to the line while posting 28.94 (+10) in a shorthead victory and is an obvious player in the event as the time limit now disappears ahead of quarter final action this Saturday.