TRAPRISE - Sapphire sizzles in 550 semi-finals at Shelbourne
Never a surprise when the Guilfoyle kennels of Moneygall guide a young prospect to the Open ranks of racing, the victory of Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags) nonetheless caught the eye at Shelbourne Park on Thursday when confirming her promising career start with a resounding victory in the semi-finals of the Talking Dogs A2 550.
Having commenced her racing campaign with sprint victory at Galway in February, the June 2022 whelp returned from a layoff for a strong running A2 525 victory a fortnight ago but having looked certain to relish her step up in trip when back in the capital on Friday, Magical Sapphire found significant improvement while completing a hat-trick in dominant fashion.
With a middle seed applied, the Guilfoyle pup justified that move when charting a true line throughout the early exchanges having begun on level terms. Easing her way to a one-length lead before sweeping the opening bend at pace, she quickly extended to a three-length advantage at the top of the backstraight and maintaining a powerful gallop throughout, had six lengths in hand at the line when stopping the clock in classy 29.76.
Much the fastest of the semi-finals, Magical Sapphire will be a warm order for final victory this weekend and will be tough to contain before joining the top Open ranks upon completion of the event.
Billy goes back-to-back
A hot runner on the local seen of late, Christopher Delaney’s Cagey Billy (Pestana-Lilly Lula) scored for the third time in his latest four outings when a most game winner of the Distance Racing At Shelbourne Park D3 750 on Friday.
Gaining a first win of the season when debuting over the six-bend distance in the capital at the beginning of March, the April 2022 whelp added 570-yard victory at Thurles earlier this month when rising to his early career high of A2 over that trip and he would match that performance when back up in yardage this time.
Breaking sharply from his suitable trap 6 berth, the Roscrea youngster displayed the best early dash when immediately taking command of the race on the short run to the corner and put all rivals to the sword when five lengths to the good along the home straight for the first time. A strong staying rival would subsequently close to the tail of the Delaney winner at the final bend but refusing to be denied, Cagey Bily responded in the home stretch for a one and a half-length verdict in 42.43. That time will bring a rise to D2 next time but exiting his puppy campaign in sparkling form, he can be expected to handle the rise with aplomb.
Shannon on time for Abigail
Commencing the winning action last weekend when again successful on the Thursday SIS fixture was young owner Abigail Morrissey as her kennel stalwart Toolate Shannon (Toolatetosell-Security) bounced back to winning ways in the Roma Casino Limerick A3 525, sparking a weekend double at the Dock Road venue.
On the approach to her fifth birthday, the July 2019 whelp was last successful at A4 level in February but was inching back to form over recent weeks while only narrowly denied in A5 grade last time. Taking her win tally to thirteen on Thursday, the strong staying veteran produced a hugely admirable winning performance when considered that she was competing above her current grading, and against younger rivals!
Always strong at the standard distance, the Morrissey veteran was predictably headed in the early stages from trap 3 but stalking the leaders in fourth position, remained within three lengths on the run to halfway. Switching to the outside when tackling the closing bends, Toolate Shannon joined a three-way tussle for the lead in the home straight and strongest on the run to the line, battled her way to a three-quarter length victory in 29.55. That time means she will avoid an upgrade and can hold obvious claims next time, especially if contesting in her current grade of A4!
At the opposite end of his career, the opening Welcome To Limerick ON3 525 on Friday’s fixture delivered the second leg of the Morrissey double when Abigails Batman (Great Blue Shark-Errill Cindy) made a highly pleasing debut.
An August 2022 pup, he began on level terms from trap 5 but with persistent bumping while negotiating the opening bends between runners, Batman found himself shuffled back to third position at the top of the backstraight with a length and a half to recover. Switching to the inside approaching halfway, superior pace on the approach to the third bend saw the Morrissey winner hit the front while turning and seeing out the trip stoutly once securing clear sight of the bunny, Abigails Batman extended readily clear to the line.
Completing victory with five lengths to spare in a bump affected 30.05, he leaves big scope for imminent progression, especially when considered that he showed plenty of greenness when amidst runners and will prove tough to contain with an opportunity in A8 grade next time.
Cruising to Chubby double
A successful weekend for local challengers across the country proved most fruitful at Thurles where, following a three-month layoff ahead of Saturday’s Talking Dogs A3 525, Laura O’Meara’s Chubbys Cruise (Ballymac Bolger-Chubbys Rolex) presented in sparkling form with a highly impressive winning performance while completing a double for connections on the night.
A previous winner in the grade, she was taking her smart record to three wins in a sixth race start for the June 2022 whelp as a trap 4 draw saw the Dolla pup break on terms before displaying the best early pace for a tight one length lead at the opening bend. Extending while turning, Chubbys Cruise maintained a strong gallop throughout a three-length victory in a new personal best of 29.19 (-20). That winning time will bring a rise to A2 in search of hattrick next time, but it would come as little surprise should she build on this admirable comeback performance.
Earlier on that same fixture, the Betting On The Tote ON2 525 saw Chubbys Jack (Ballymac Bolger-String Of Pearls) spark the kennel brace in a most pleasing debut winning performance.
Breaking on terms from trap 5, first bend bumping would see the May 2022 whelp shuffled back to a six-length third off the second bend but highly impressive from that point, Chubbys Jack stealthily chased down the leaders before striking the front off the final bend. Bounding clear to an eye-catching six-length victory in strong running fashion, the O’Meara pup posted 29.58 (-20) while announcing himself as a bright prospect to follow closely for the remainder of the season.