Gem is flawless in Friendly Fair Warrior finale

TRAPRISE

A prestigious perennial at Mullingar Greyhound Stadium, the Fair Warrior Open 400 Yard Stake has seen many of the fastest greyhounds in every generation seek victory in the coveted sprint major and joining an illustrious list of champions on Saturday was the Vincent McKenna trained Gem Friendly (Droopys Sydney-Susie Sapphire).

Returning from over four months on the sidelines, the Conor McGrath owned September 2023 whelp emphatically confirmed the promise of her stunning debut at Dundalk in the early season, dominating the sprint major with a perfect set of four heat victories.

The opening round at the midlands circuit was just a seventh career start for the Borrisokane starlet and victory proved just a stepping stone to further improvement.

Progressing to a fast 21.24 (-20) at the quarter final stage, Gem Friendly was displaying the best early pace of the event while relishing the long run to the opening bend. With the freedom to gallop independently from repeated draws in an ideal trap 6 in each round, she was again fastest of all in semi-final victory, leading Bogger Bale to the line in 21.29 (-20).

So attractively bred by the leading sire of modern times, and out of arguably the greatest bitch to ever race on this island, Gem Friendly would always draw more than her fair share of attention, but she could not have been in more assured hands for Saturday’s final showdown as she resoundingly justified favourite odds of 1/1.

The final harboured one further unbeaten runner and with Stefans Galaxy on her immediate left in trap 5, a first task for the McKenna darling was to contain that rival in the early exchanges. Quicker to stride on the outside however, Gem Friendly ensured ample room to reach full gallop and once doing so, outpaced all rivals on her inside while establishing a one and a half length lead at the corner.

Once again negotiating the tight Mullingar turns in admirably smooth style, the final was well and truly settled before even reaching the home straight as Gem Friendly eased clear of eventual runner-up Valderama. Striking the line with three and a half lengths in hand, she had produced her best performance of the event at optimum time, stopping the clock in a fastest of the competition 21.11 (-20).

Vincent McKenna confirms the featured sprint contest on the Winter Racing Festival at Shelbourne Park this weekend as next for the latest two-bend star of the sport. Beyond that, all sprint majors will clearly be on the radar for Gem Friendly in addition to a fascinating return to four bend racing in time.

Staying with the Winter Racing Festival, the Moneygall kennels of Pat Guilfoyle will be busy over Friday and Saturday at Shelbourne and earning her place in the final of the Winter Racing Festival A0 600 Yard Stake with victory at semi stage last weekend was Magical Sapphire (Grangeview Ten-Grangeview Mags).

Back over the extended trip, the June 2022 kennel stalwart made a welcome return to winning ways following her run to the Derby quarter-final at the same venue back in September.

Breaking on terms from trap 6, Sapphire displayed smart pace on the long run to the opening bend and eased her way to a one length lead approaching that turn. Completing a straightforward victory with an impressive passage across saturated Shelbourne sands thereafter, Magical Sapphire held a snug four lengths over Bartlemy Mainoo in 32.95 (-30) and fastest qualifier, she will take all the beating in this Friday’s final.

Joining her kennelmate on the Friday card in the capital is Daleroad Mya (Explosive Boy-Razldazl Mya) following a remarkable runner-up effort in her semi-final of the Winter Racing Festival A0 Bitch 525 Yard Stake. Plum last around the opening bends, she negated all bar a shorthead of her eight length arrears from that point when chasing home Drveen Lass in 28.68 and is a big player in the final if securing clear passage.

Mal makes it four at Thurles

A lively evening of racing for the Clonoulty/Rossmore GAA fundraising night at Thurles saw success for a brace of local kennels and most impressive when back to winning ways in the Simons Bar S6 330 was James Treacy’s Montore Mal (Malachi-Stuckeybawn).

Last successful when last over two-bends at Newbridge in August, the January 2023 whelp was returning to the sprint sphere following a frustrating spell at further and with a suitable draw in trap 1, relished the task.

Displaying much the best pace on the run to the opening bend, Montore Mal turned with a strong two lengths in hand and never seriously threatened from that point, struck the line in 18.07 for a three and a half-length score. Without punishment on the grading table for this fourth career victory, he will be tough to contain next time!

Commencing the Thurles fixture, young Ryan Kennedy also saw his Ballinalick Ivy (Broadstrand Bono-Ballinalick Rua) turn recent fortunes around with a fifth race win in the Cooper Fencing A6 525. Staying strongly in a messy affair, she bravely struck the front in the home straight despite charting the widest line throughout and extending to a one and a half length winning margin, posted 30.14.