Ace is Epic with Magical Derby start
TRAPRISE
The 2025 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby dominated racing attentions last weekend with a brace of first round sessions at Shelbourne Par.
The local challenge got off to a stunning start on Friday when the Pat Guilfoyle trained Epic Ace (Signet Ace-Free From Desire) lowered the colours of defending champion Bockos Diamond within a brilliant return to 550-yard racing.
Following a luckless outing in the Irish Sprint Cup Final last time out, the John Kennedy owned star was better housed in trap 2 this time and breaking adeptly, tracked the champion while within half a length on the approach to the corner. That same margin adrift to the top of the backstraight, the Moneygall charge showed all of his precocious raw speed when outpacing Bockos Diamond on the run to the closing bends.
A length to the good while turning, Epic Ace saw out the trip ably well and continuing to repel the champion’s threat, posted a classy 29.38 in a one length verdict.
Sapphire heads Saturday forecast
The bulk of Pat Guilfoyle’s Derby challengers competed on the second session of Saturday heats, and the highlight came in Heat 20 with a wonderful forecast as Pat’s own Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags) led home bright young prospect Magical Keith (Ballymac Cashout-Burgess Sarah).
Back to winning ways on the previous weekend in the capital, Magical Sapphire began sharply from trap 6 and pacing up well, had only Magical Keith in front when tackling the opening bends while one length adrift. That margin would more than double to the backstraight but always strong at the trip, Sapphire proved strongest from halfway, reducing her arrears before striking the front on the run to the line for a one and a half length defeat of Magical Keith in 29.58.
The kennels lost Dalreroad Duke from the heat when badly baulked from traps but for good measure, bred, reared and sold the third home Coloursaregreen!
Our local Derby challenge had already enjoyed a forecast in the Derby heats on Saturday as promising youngster Magical On Fire (Ballymac Cashout-Burgess Sarah) claimed Heat 17 in just her seventh career outing.
Well drawn in trap 1 on the immediate inside of Christopher Delaney’s Cagey Billy (Pestana-Lilly Lula), the September 2023 winner began on terms and defending the rails at the corner versus heat favourite Rural Pest, reached the backstraight within a half length of that rival. In behind, Cagey Billy was recovering from his poor start and raced in a three and a half-length fourth to halfway. Out front, Magical On Fire reversed the placings when stronger than Rural Pest to the closing bends and leading into the home stretch, her biggest threat would come from the strong finishing Cagey Billy. The latter drew ever closer on the run to the line but retaining just enough resolve for a head winning verdict, Magical On Fire posted 29.67.
A further Guilfoyle qualifier arrived in Heat 23 when Magical Mag (Ballymac Cashout-Mystical Luna) came through crowding to fill third behind Ballmac Axel in 29.61 and will be joined by Geoff Parnaby’s Tarsna Maasai (Droopys Sydney-Tarsna Rose) following his photo-finish defeat to Headlys Trump in 29.82 after Birdhill’s Clement Ryan saw his Coosane Pickles (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Pickles) return to action with a third placing behind De Lahdedah on Friday, only going down by two lengths in 29.53.
Daleroad is top of the Pops in Cambridgeshire
A busy Saturday for the Guilfoyle team saw them utterly dominate the semi-finals of the 2025 Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire Open 750 Yard Stake at Limerick when claiming both heats, with a forecast to boot, and trainer Pat Gulfoyle will be responsible for half of the final line-up this coming weekend.
Firstly, Thomas & John O’Keefe’s Daleroad Poppy (Good News-Good Poppy) turned the tables on Newport Pier when leading from the third bend in the opener and improving from her first-round defeat to that rival, was fastest on the night while staying the trip well in 41.77 (+20).
The second semi-final was dominated throughout by kennelmates as Magical Poppet (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy) got the better of Fashion Model (Good News-Coolavanny Chick) in a thrilling contest.
The Moneygall duo swapped the lead on more than one occasion having displayed the best early dash and always occupying the forecast places, Magical Poppet overhauled her companion on the run to the line for a head winning verdict in 41.79 (+20). Never a foregone conclusion, should the Guilfoyle finalists prevent Newport Pier from leading, the final prize should follow with Daleroad Poppy the selection for victory.
Thurles
There was host of smart performances from local challengers over the weekend but most fruitful was Saturday’s Thurles fixture with a brace of maiden winners making a first appearance in the winner’s circle.
Firstly, enjoying her fourth career outing in the St Bridget’s Camogie Club A5 525 was Maura Molloy’s Puckane Treasure (Ballymac Cashout-Aayamza Royale) when leaving a brace of bumpy experiences behind while revealing strong running abilities.
An unpromising six-length third at the top of the backstraight following crowding around the opening bends, the August 2023 youngster left a very pleasing impression when rapidly reducing arrears beyond halfway. Securing a passage on the rails off the final turn, Puckane Treasure powered her way to an ultimately comfortable four length score. Posting 29.45, she will take just a one step rise to A4 next time.
Staying at Thurles, the Seamus & Robert McGrath Agri Services A4 525 saw Jack Duff’s Corporate Storm (Magical Bale-Greenisle Athena) shed his maiden at the fifth time of asking, in a thriller!
Breaking well from trap 4, the very lightly raced March 2022 whelp forged a tight one length lead at the opening bend and although stretching to two lengths at halfway, could never snap the elastic to his closest pursuer. His lead reduced to the final bend, Corporate Storm nonetheless displayed ample resolve for a head winning verdict in 29.38 and could well build on this first win if granted an extended run of racing over coming months.