Hope shines amidst Banner’s St Leger celebrations

TRAPRISE

Taking hopes of classic glory to the final of the Callaway Pro Am at Stud Irish St Leger through Christopher Delaney’s Cagey Billy, local aspirations for a precious victory at Limerick on Saturday were scuppered in the early stages of the €30,000 decider, but the Dock Road faithful gained a new hero to laud as rank outsider Drombeg Banner prevailed in a thriller.

Owned by teenager Evan McCauliffe and trained by the up-and-coming handler from his family kennels in Kilmallock, Drombeg Banner ignited fervent celebrations at the Dock Road venue as a stalwart of racing in the Treaty County.

A brilliant early pacer, he was matched from traps by Cagey Billy to his immediate outside but extending clear after the pair brushed in the initial strides, the champion elect led the St Leger hat-trick seeking Clonbrien Treaty around the opening bends.

Further crowded at that point, Cagey Billy would subsequently settle for fifth place following his wonderful campaign. However, a fairytale was developing out front and having seen off the attentions of Clonbrien Treaty to the final bend, Drombeg Banner desperately defended a shorthead winning margin over the strong staying Flight Club in 29.57 (+10) for the 550-yards, sparking rapturous celebrations amongst a delighted patronage.

There was a winner for our own local presence on the classic final night to cheer home and it was a victory which was never in doubt from the very early strides as Pat & Donal Guilfoyle’s Magical Hope (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy) further extended a wonderful strike-rate in the www.gogreyhoundracing.ie A0 550.

Steadily progressive while climbing the grading ladder since debut victory back in February, the May 2023 whelp was claiming her ninth race victory from just fourteen career outings when breaking on terms from trap 6 on Saturday.

Outpacing rivals to her inside on the run to the corner, the Moneygall darling turned with a strong one length in hand before bounding clear to the backstraight. Completing a commanding victory with two and a half lengths to spare over a strong staying rival, Magical Hope rubber stamped her graduation to the top grade with 29.78 (+10) and will not fear elite company next time out.

Ace seeks Epic Sprint Cup victory

The 2025 renewal of the Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup has been a predictably sizzling competition and following semi-final action at Dundalk on Saturday, the Pat Guilfoyle trained Epic Ace (Signet Ace-Free From Desire) will chase final glory in the 400-yard major after another hugely game qualifying performance.

Once again contesting the hottest heat of the round when drawn with defending champion Broadstrand Syd and recent Limerick record breaker Stonepark Browne, the John Kennedy owned December 2022 whelp filled third place behind that duo for the second week in succession.

At trap rise it was a familiar story for the Moneygall speedster as he ceded early ground to the principals and it was Broadstrand Syd who trapped best, immediately taking command. Before reaching full gallop, Epic Ace was already two lengths adrift from his trap 4 draw and treacherously positioned between runners in a share of last place. Battling well on the long run to the first bend however, he advanced to third position before tackling the corner, with the aforementioned duo shaping the race to the home stretch. Flying along that run to the line, Epic Ace completed in third while two and a half lengths adrift of Broadstrand Syd in 20.91.

Epic Ace has been drawn in trap 6 for this Friday’s final with a field of sprinting stars to his inside and hopes for victory are quite polarised as he simply must break faster and reach full gallop sooner. He can match all for raw speed and a clear path on the outside awaits if he can indeed exit swiftly. Fingers crossed!

Erica is Swift at Thurles

Having doubled her win tally at Thurles early in July, Sally & Maureen Mounsey’s Patterdale Erica (Good News-Patterdale Lena) endured a luckless passage last time out but back at the Premier circuit on Saturday, emphatically gained her third career success in the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust A2 525.

Widest drawn of six inside seeds, the lightly raced July 2022 whelp began on terms but just showing the best early pace within a tight tussle on the run to the corner, forged a one length lead before sweeping the opening bend. In behind, Mike Duff’s Rathfalla Swift looked set to chase her local rival into the backstraight but bumping while turning would see her eight lengths adrift in third on the run to halfway. That latter Duff runner-up very much caught the eye from that point when reducing the winning margin to four and a half lengths at the line but in truth, Patterdale Erica was a commanding winner while never under threat from that first bend and posting 29.38, avoids a rise in grade for her next outing.

Defeat in that latter contest denied Mike Duff a double on the night for his Rathfalla Kim (Jacob Tashadelek-Call Me Sky) had already got on the scoresheet, gamely going back-to-back at Thurles in the RCETS Update your App Weekly A6 525.

Shedding her maiden tag in the same grade last time, the August 2023 youngster again began well from trap 3 and contested an early tussle to the opening bend before checked back to a three length second at the top of the backstraight. Little changed to the closing bends but closing steadily into the home stretch, Rathfalla Kim timed her late challenge to perfection when getting up in the dying strides for a thrilling shorthead victory in 29.87.