TRAPRISE - Ailbhe a hopeful Tip for TIME Derby decider
A virtual classic for the mainstay graded runners of racing, the TIME Club A4 525 Yard Derby is amongst the most innovative and entertaining competitions the sport has ever enjoyed and the chase for €20,000 will conclude at Limerick this Saturday with John Kealy’s Tipsy Ailbhe (Ballymac Cashout-Shancol Storm) carrying local hopes for victory following her most game event campaign.
Hugely competitive at every turn, the competition which was conceived by sponsor William Rigney is in just its second year and eliminated runners who surpassed 28.90 for the 525-yard trip in the opening two rounds. Consequently, that restriction left all those remaining to quarterfinal stage with realistic hopes of landing a previously unprecedented prize for A4 racers.
A second-round winner, Tipsy Ailbhe was made to battle for a qualifying third place in her quarterfinal and ensuring a precious final spot on Saturday last, negotiated a passage through her semi-final despite treacherous crowding in the early exchanges from trap 6.
Breaking on terms, the September 2023 whelp found rivals to her immediate inside seeking the outside path and a stumble had the Roscrea pup plumb last on the approach to the first bend. Cannily switching to the inside of bumping rivals however, Ailbhe advanced to third position on the inside rail approaching the backstraight.
Heat winner Maid Of Iron had flown with victory secured by halfway but overturning a two-length deficit to advance from third and claim runner-up spot, Tipsy Ailbhe chased the winner home at five-length deficit in 28.96.
One of two middle seeds in the final, the Kealy pup has been drawn in trap 5 and that is a big plus for her chances! Skippy Fantasy to her outside in trap 6 will stay wide in the early stages offering a cleaner passage to the corner this week with four inside seeds to Ailbhe’s left.
Her semi-final conqueror Maid Of Iron can command matters on the inside with early pace and the path to victory for Tipsy Ailbhe is mapped. If she can break well and be next in line to the backstraight, she can certainly match that prospective leader on the clock for a realistic winning bid from halfway. Good Luck John and Ailbhe!
Luka lowers Magical record
The standout performer in the Moorstown Kennels A3 500 Yard Stake at Tralee, Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Luka (King Sheeran-Magical Mary) further extended his dominance in the event on Friday when completing a hat-trick of heat wins while lowering his own track record figures.
An October 2023 whelp, the exciting Moneygall pup is now a perfect six from six at the outset of his career following semi-final victory and he once again displayed vicious early pace while shaving a half-length off the record that he had set on the previous weekend.
Breaking on level terms from trap 3, Luka eased his way to a one length lead while reaching full gallop on the run to the opening bend and predictably reduced the semi-final to a race against the clock thereafter. Reaching his eight-length winning margin by halfway, Magical Luka posted 26.61 (+10) and for reference, the performance equates to a sub 28.00 run over the standard 525-yards.
Certain to be long odds on for this week’s final in the Kingdom, clear passage to the corner once again will see Magical Luka convert his opportunity and without tempting faith, may again treat patrons to a record-breaking display.
Major impression on debut
A first litter for the brilliant Magical Mary was always likely to harbour exciting talents and in addition to the early career exploits of Magical Luka, brother Magical Major (King Sheeran-Magical Mary) raised his paw for a share of the early career attention with a stunning debut victory in a sizzling Celtic Cooling Refrigeration & Air Conditioning ON1 525 Yard Stake at Shelbourne Park on Friday.
Just moderately to stride from trap 2, the October pup displayed the best early pace once in full stride and gamely forged a one length lead upon tackling the opening bend. Doubling his advantage to the top of the backstraight, Magical Major very much pleased the eye when stretching to his five-length winning margin by the third turn. Completing with the minimum of fuss thereafter, the Guilfoyle prospect posted a classy 28.23 which makes him a big force in the event going forward despite that time having been bested twice in the opening round.
The event clearly contains future stars of racing, one of whom claimed the following heat in 28.13. However, chasing Droopys Painting home was another from the Moneygall litter as Alice & Patrick Guilfoyle’s Coloursareblue (King Sheeran-Magical Mary) made a highly promising start to his career.
The winner produced an astoundingly fast start and having begun behind that pace, Coloursareblue found himself five lengths adrift before securing second place on the run to the corner. When considering that Droopys Painting clocked 28.13 in victory, a five-length runner-up performance represents a statement of big potential on the part of Coloursareblue!
Healy adds to sprint Legacy
Returning to Limerick, a strong local challenge in the 2025 Faypoint Sean @ Stud Treaty Cup Open 350 Yard Stake sees us with three representatives in this Saturday’s semi-finals and leading the charge once again is the Garrafrauns Syndicate’s Healy’s Legacy (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Lucia) having gone back-to-back in a slick semi winning performance.
Swift to exit trap 3 in the concluding quarterfinal, the Vincent McKenna trained August 2022 whelp quickly established a one length lead while reaching full gallop and repelling the Padraig O’Lone trained Onthe Run Ollie (Grangeview Ten-Muckinish Flyer) approaching the corner, extended readily clear while turning as the latter battled through crowding. Completing victory in professional manner, Healy’s Legacy held two and a half lengths over Road Exile at the line in a warm 18.44 (+10), with a gallant Onthe Run Ollie rallying to retain third.
Joining that duo in this week’s semi-finals will be Terence & Michael Delaney’s Feshtys Mo (Grangeview Ten-Rifles Flash) as the Toomevara stalwart remarkably claimed a qualifying runner-up position in her quarterfinal after missing her break from trap 1.
Plumb last to the opening bend, the hugely likeable April 2022 whelp sneaked past rivals on the inside rail while turning and powering along the home straight, chased winner Satin Milo to the line at a four-length deficit in 18.41.
An improved start will bring obvious claims to progress again this week where all three local challengers are capable of reaching the final. However, the standard has been set very high as the Michael O’Donovan trained Stonepark Browne smashed the 350-yard record in victory on Saturday, posting 18.12!