Duke rivals are out of Luck in Saturday fastest at Limerick

TRAPRISE

The highlight of a busy spell for local contenders over the past week arrived on the Saturday fixture at Limerick when John Meelam’s owned and bred Lucky Duke (Grouchos Duke-Courty Girl) extended his promising career start with a fastest of the night performance to land the concluding Slan Abhaile A0 525 in impressive manner.

Commencing his career with a highly eye-catching runner-up performance in novice competition at Cork, the Dave Bourke trained October 2024 whelp built on that debut outing when returning a dominant final winner, posting a quality 28.68 for the 525-yards at the Curraheen venue.

Turning attentions to Limerick for a first appearance in Open company, the Meelam pup was undaunted by the challenge and once breaking on terms from a tricky trap four draw, displayed the best early pace while forging a tight one length lead on the run to the opening bend. Extending his advantage while turning, Lucky Duke galloped his way to a four-length lead by halfway and was never seriously threatened thereafter.Ably containing the late threat of a strong staying rival in the home stretch, the Meelam prospect registered a highly pleasing 28.59 with two lengths to spare and marks himself as a runner to follow closely for the remainder of the season with yet further progress all but assured!

Ardcroney Sons score at Limerick

That same Limerick fixture confirmed George Rowan & Eoghan Mulcahy’s Sonsofardcroney (King Sheeran-Knockmitten Bawn) as another very bright pup on the local racing scene while also scoring on his Limerick debut, landing his opening round heat of the Limerick & Clare GOBA Guys & Dolls A3 525 Yard Stake in facile manner.

Having endured a luckless outing last time following maiden A6 victory at Thurles, the John Byrne trained September 2024 whelp relished his new surroundings on the Dock Road this time, despite headed in the early exchanges from trap 4.

Little more than a length and a half adrift on the approach to the opening bend however, Sonsofardcroney showed track craft beyond his experience when switching inside packing rivals to secure a rails-run while turning, advancing to a two length second at the top of the backstraight. That deficit was quickly negated passing halfway as the Byrne winner displayed much the best pace at that point and striking the front on the inside before tackling the closing bends, he readily settled the race as a contest.

Revealing powerful staying abilities over the standard distance, Sonsofardcroney drew clear to a dismissive eight and a half length winning margin at the line in 28.78 and will be a major player in the event which reaches semi-final stage this coming Saturday.

A steady stream of local winners throughout the past week brought a welcome return to form for Eileen Kennedy’s Dixies Velvet (Ballymac Bolger-Velvet Blue) when securing his third career win in Thursday’s Upcoming Sweepstakes A5 525 at Limerick.

Last successful in the same grade, the June 2023 whelp progressed from a forward showing through bumping last time when ensuring clear passage with a better start from trap 6 this time. Immediately contesting the lead on the outside of an early paced rival, the Ballinaclough stalwart tackled the opening bends with just a half-length deficit before ranging up on the pacesetter’s outside passing halfway.

Forcefully seizing the lead when sweeping into the third turn, Dixies Velvet eased clear to the home stretch and seeing out the trip stoutly, struck the line with one and a half lengths to spare.

Posting 29.29 (+10), he now makes a return to A4 but that upgrade still leaves much leeway as a former A2 runner and a repeat victory would come as little surprise next time out!

Regularly in the winner’s enclosure on the SIS fixture at Kilkenny this season, Abigail & Tina Morrissey were at it again on Wednesday last when Home Cedrie (Ballymac Anton-Home Julie) landed fancy odds in the Boylesports A7 525, claiming his sixth career win in the process.

Following a game bumpy runner-up effort last time on the back of victory in the same grade, the August 2023 whelp nonetheless entered a suitable trap 6 with 6/1 quotes and despite headed at trap rise, comfortably led to the opening bend with the best early dash on the outside of the field. Never seriously threatened from that point, Home Cedrie ran out a cosy one and three-quarter length winner in 30.38 (-30) and avoids an upgrade next time!

By the time this week’s publication reaches the shelves, Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical James (Ballymac Cashout-Right Nicki) will have contested his final in the April Monthly Novice ON2 525 Yard Stake at Shelbourne Park on Tuesday evening, with a high degree of confidence that the exciting Moneygall pup prevailed!

In a brace of qualifying heats, the September 2024 whelp has displayed big promise and not least when claiming his semi-final through significant baulking around the opening bends before displaying powerful backstraight pace to score maiden victory in 28.81 (+20). There is major progress to come once securing his first clear passage and from trap 1 last night, he had the opportunity to ensure just that if smartly away!