Darragh proves Lucky forAlex at Shelbourne Park
TRAPRISE
Feature of Thursday’s fixture at Shelbourne Park last week was the final of the Racing Three Nights A Week A5 525 Yard Stake and finding timely career progression to claim a highly impressive victory in the event was Alex Byrne’s Lucky Darragh (Ballyhimikin Jet-Courty Girl).
Handled by his young owner with dad John, the December 2023 whelp had just a sole sprint win to his name before turning attentions to the capital for the opening round of the 18-runner competition. Fastest of all in that debut on the circuit, Lucky Darragh posted 29.01 before settling for a battling runner-up placing at semi-final stage.
Joined in Thursday’s showdown by John Meelam’s Lucky Mover (Grangeview Ten-Meduza) who chased the Byrne youngster to the line in their semi-final clash, the latter Tullaheady pup would endure a bumpy final passage before settling for fifth place, while Lucky Darragh came out on top from a tight tussle at the head of the field.
Immediately contesting the lead following a smart break from trap 5, the Byrne winner showed just narrowly in front on the run to the opening bend but edging left, would brush with runners to his inside. Prevented from rounding the field for a valuable lead while turning, he would dispute matters with a rival to his inner as the pair approached halfway as one. Brave as you like entering the third turn, the Knockalton pup forcefully struck the front when sweeping across packing pursuers and advanced to a clear lead before reaching the home straight. Fending off the late attentions of a strong staying rival for a one-length victory, Lucky Darragh posted a smart 29.06.
His improvement within the event will bring a rise to A2 for his next outing but out of John Meelam’s wonderful dam Courty Girl who was a progressive racer for the entirety of her career, there can be strong suspicion that the Byrne youngster will extend his upward trajectory over the coming months.
Ella is electric in Guilfoyle Limerick double
A model of consistency, the win column for Tommy Ryan & Alice Guilfoyle’s Scarlet Ella (Ballymac Cashout-Burgess Sarah) had not represented due reward for her talents in recent months but securing a most deserved third race victory, she produced a stunning fastest of the night performance at Limerick on Saturday.
Four times a runner-up since last successful at the same level, the Pat Guilfoyle trained September 2023 whelp had a host of smart paced efforts in higher company and was easy to fancy this time when ideally drawn in trap 1.
Ably defending her rails pitch on the run to the opening bend, the Guilfoyle winner turned with a length in hand before extending dismissively clear to the backstraight. Always in command thereafter, Scarlet Ella stopped the clock in a classy 28.21 with eight lengths to spare and now joins elite company for her next outing.
Completing a double for the busy Moneygall kennels in the concluding Getting Out A1 525 at Limerick, Donal & Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Hope (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy) also resumed her winning ways in smart style.
Breaking well from trap 4, the May 2023 whelp would take her win tally to double figures in this eighteenth career outing when tracking an early pacesetter to the opening bend. Rounding that rival to lead while turning on the outside, Magical Hope settled the race as a contest when streaking clear to halfway. Never under serious threat thereafter, the Guilfoyle winner struck the line with a commanding seven and a half lengths in hand while posting 28.40 and she will now join the top tier of racing for her next start on the back of this career best effort.
Friendly rivalry in Galway Unraced
Returning to the Thursday action, semi-finals of the October Unraced ON2 350 Yard Stake took an unforeseen turn for our local challenge in the event following a successful opening night. Eliminated a week earlier, the A Charda Gael Syndicate’s A Charda (Orchestrate-Highview Moment) took full advantage of a reprieve as a reserve runner and is now fastest ahead of this week’s final!
The April 2024 whelp was a second runner in the semi-final for trainer Vincent McKenna as he joined the Borrisokane kennel’s first-round winner Carrickhill Ten, and John Kelly’s fellow opening round scorer Now Molly (Ballymac Cashout-Patterdale Lena).
It was the latter who put the pace to the race from trap 1 when readily overturning initial one-length arrears while displaying the best dash approaching the corner. A length to the good while turning, the Kelly pup would have A Charda on her tail as the McKenna charge advanced to second with a brave run between rivals around the bend. Swinging wide into the home stretch, A Charda very much impressed on the run to the line, denying Now Molly by a length in 19.23.
The pair will meet again in this Friday’s final where Robert Moloney’s Small Few Quid (Callaway Pro Am-New Normal) ensures a trio of local contenders after the Roscrea pup produced back-to-back early paced runner-up efforts to reach the final.
The Moloney charge has drawn trap 1 for the final with Now Molly on his outside. However, the latter is fancied to lead, and she will not want A Charda next in line off the final bend this time but in truth, all three hold viable claims for victory.
Some familiar column stalwarts extended their presence in major competition over the weekend with Clement Ryan’s Coosane Pickles a thrilling winner of her semi-final in the Yvonne Barry Track Bookmaker Open 600 at Shelbourne Park. At Cork, Pat Guilfoyle extended his bid for a second Irish Laurels title with Prince Naseem an impressive heat winner after Magical On Fire safely advanced within a classy runner-up performance, we will pick up on their respective exploits next week.