TRAPRISE - Jack is home for all Money at Thurles
The past week was another which harboured a plethora of smart performances across many venues for local challengers but amongst the most impressive of all was that of Eddie Ryan’s Moneygall Jack (Droopys Sydney-Bull Run Beam) at Thurles on Saturday when finding smart improvement to shed his maiden tag in emphatic fashion with a fastest of the night performance in the Premier.
Lightly raced as a March 2021 whelp, the Ryan youngster had repeatedly caught the eye in defeat of late, especially with strong running performances in his recent 570-yard competition campaign while unluckily denied clear racing room at final stage a week earlier.
Reverting to 525-yards on Saturday however, he found an improved start from trap 2 when much closer to the pace in the early stages and tackled the opening bends in a threatening second position. Two lengths adrift of his rivalling pacesetter at the top of the backstraight, Moneygall Jack powered his way beyond that leader at halfway and readily settling the race as a contest while predictably staying the standard trip very strongly, drew clear to a facile fourteen length winning margin in an impressive 29.07 (-20).
That winning time will see Moneygall Jack take a significant rise to A1 for his next outing, but such was the manner of victory that he can be expected to cope with the upgrade, especially as he looks certain to find yet further progress over extended distances, making him a very exciting prospect to follow for the season ahead.
SCAGLIETTI SECURES SAFE PATH TO KIRBY SEMI-FINALS
The bulk of racing attentions over last weekend were reserved for the quarter finals in the 2023 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick and passing another big test from a treacherous Saturday assignment, Cheryl Sutcliffe’s Scaglietti (Magical Bale-Outdoor Roller) ensured that aspirations for a first victory in the event remain firmly on track for trainer Pat Guilfoyle.
Brilliant with 28.21 for the 525-yards in opening round victory, the Moneygall star battled bravely for a qualifying second position a week earlier and he would settle for that same place in Saturday’s opening heat but again, there was huge merit in his game passage behind blistering winner Terezas Mendoza in 28.07.
Slowly to stride from his tricky draw in trap 4, Scaglietti trailed by a length throughout the initial exchanges but although crowded at the opening bend, his developing track-craft saw the February 2021 whelp secure passage on the rails in fourth while turning. Gaining ground on those immediately ahead, the Guilfoyle charge negotiated his way to second when overhauling Run Faster on the approach to halfway before setting sights on the Pat Buckley trained pacesetter Terezas Mendoza. A strong four lengths adrift at that point, Scaglietti will have pleased all connections when reducing the winning margin to just two lengths at the line which was laudable in the extreme given the brilliant winning time.
The remaining heats in the Kirby quarter finals were claimed by the highly touted Ryhope Beach who claimed his first Limerick victory in a four-runner contest while fastest in 28.05, after victories for Clonbrien Treaty in 28.31 and Bogger Lucky in 28.45.
With no soft draw at the semi-final stage, Scaglietti will face another daunting task in a sizzling opening semi-final this Saturday as he is again wider than optimum in trap 5 for a race which includes the perfectly housed Terezas Mendoza on the fence, Ryhope Beach, and fellow strong runner Bens Teddy. There is no disputing that the draw is far from ideal and Scaglietti simply must break better than he did last week. However, and as unpredictable as it appears, precious clear passage would afford his stunning raw abilities the chance to negotiate a path for qualification.
Staying at Limerick, the undercard to the main event on Saturday saw a number of local challengers advance to the next round of competition and Kirby Final night on the Dock Road will hopefully see sweepstake final contention for many but it was Terence Delaney’s Chapelstreetlady (Grangeview Ten-Ballybrack Lexi) who led the charge this week when claiming her quarter final in the Limerick & Clare GOBA A3 525 Stake.
Held in her return from a layoff last time, the John Byrne trained August 2021 whelp progressed from that comeback when back to her best breaking form from trap 1 and displaying smart early pace, led throughout a game third career win.
A length to the good at the opening bend, she was closely pursued at all stages but displaying ample resolve for a half-length wining verdict, improved to a new career best of 28.96 and a repeat of her smart start can see her advance from this week’s semi-final.
Joining her in those semi-finals on Saturday will be Patrick Conway’s Curraghmorestar (Droopys Jet-Fire Back) as the Ballina charge advanced from the concluding heat when a three and a half length third in her 29.02 event and it would come as little surprise if the former A2 winner was to improve on that performance this week.
Always a hot event in conjunction with the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial, the 2023 Sean O’Connor Cup A1 525 also commenced on Saturday and ahead of this week’s semi-finals, hopes will be high for a final appearance in the prestigious event for Bernie Hogan’s Old Bill (Droopys Sydney-Starry Display) following his hugely eye-catching third in the fastest quarterfinal.
Facing a very tricky draw while widest of the inside seeded runners in trap 5, he began slowly and trailed all rivals on the run to the bend but remaining within six lengths to the top of the backstraight, cut through the field on the run to the final bend. Drawing ever closer to the leaders as a very strong runner over the standard distance, Old Bill left a pleasing impression when going down by two and a half lengths to As I Say in 28.43 and will hold every chance to advance from this week’s semi-finals.