Hope can have a Pop at Limerick Oaks

TRAPRISE

Semi-finals of the 2026 J.P & Pauline Ryan Memorial A1 525 Yard Limerick Oaks presented a tricky assignment for Donal & Pat Guilfoyle on Saturday as both of their event survivors were drawn in the same heat at the Dock Road venue.

However, within a most pleasing outcome for the Moneygall kennels, both advanced to contest this weekend’s decider with Magical Poppet (Dorotas Wildcat-Magical Poppy) registering her second victory of the Oaks, while her litter sister Magical Hope chased her to the line in third position.

Drawn in trap 3 for the second semi-final, Magical Poppet began on level terms before edging to the lead while reaching full gallop. A half-length down upon exiting trap 5, Magical Hope was the one to threaten that lead on the run to the corner and with the best pace, showed narrowly in front on her sisters outside shoulder before turning.

The pair exchanged some minor, but gratefully not very damaging, bumps before while negotiating their passage to the backstraight and once straightening on the run for halfway, Poppy held just a neck advantage.

The family duel out front threatened to dominate the heat but with an impressive Rossa Abi little more than a length adrift of the lead at that point, the latter ranged up to dispute a very tight three-way tussle entering the third turn.

Indeed, with benefit of the inside line while tackling those closing bends, Rossa Abi forged a half-length lead to the home stretch before a rallying Magical Poppy produced a thrilling late effort. Regaining the lead close home, the Guilfoyle winner gamely prevailed with a half-length to spare in 28.59.

Magical Hope had suffered most within that third bend crowding on the outside of the leading duo but hers was an equally gutsy effort while just a further one and a half lengths adrift in third.

The opposing semi-final produced a one length winner in the shape of Arrow Twirl who posted 28.47 so clearly, this week’s final will be a closely contested affair. She will be a major final threat with the plum draw on the rails, immediately inside Magical Poppet. It’s a tight draw for Poppet with a sharp Badly Behaving on her right shoulder and she will again need to begin smartly.

Magical Hope still retains big claims in the decider also, despite Saturday’s concession to her comrade and from trap 5, she does look well positioned to head the early charge on the outer. Poppet will need to do her bit on the inside and if she can secure the rails, she would likely not be contained.

However, that inside tussle could prove bumpy and this commentator’s shilling will be on Magical Hope with fingers crossed for a litter forecast!

Star was worth Waiting For

It was a busy Saturday for the Magical kennels of Moneygall with a full van also making the trip to Tralee for the opening round of sweepstake action where Sandra Guilfoyle’s Waitingforastar (Droopys Jet-Magical Poppy) stole the show within a Pat Guilfoyle trained double on the night!

With a brace of sprint outings to commence his career in novice company at Galway, the June 2024 whelp remained thoroughly unexposed after those bumpy outings, and he relished the step up in trip for the opening round of the Steve Kennedy Memorial A5 525 Yard Stake when shedding his maiden in facile manner.

Initially, it appeared as though Waitingforastar may be set for another bumpy outing as he was very slow to stride from trap 3 and was two and a half lengths adrift of an early leader before reaching full gallop.

However, he subsequently displayed much the best pace on the run to the bend and overhauling rivals, took command of the rails with a lead while turning. From that point, the Guilfoyle pup revealed the raw latent abilities of a future star when extending clear throughout a rampant thirteen and a half-length victory in 28.28 (+10).

Much the fastest of the event, Waitingforastar has a future far beyond this level with imminent improvement to come once sharpening his breaking.

Sparking the kennel brace in the Kingdom, Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Peach (Ballymac Cashout-Magical Mary) made a highly pleasing debut with victory in the opening round of the RCETS Traceability App ON2 525 Yard Stake.

Moderately to stride from trap 1, the September 2024 whelp is a first runner from her classic winning dam’s second litter and showed many of the attributes expected from those breeding lines once in full stride on the run to the corner.

Displaying the best pace for a narrow lead on the inside entering the turns, Magical Peach eased clear thereafter.

Dominating with an attractive gallop on the bunny, she led throughout a four-length victory while posting 28.63 (+10) and Peach will be a major player as the event reaches semi-final stage this weekend.

Joining her in the semi-final line-up will be Magical Jet (Droopys Jet-Magical Poppy) and although settling for runner-up spot in his qualifier, he too impressed within a bumpy passage.

Hampered at the opening bends and again with signs of greenness at the third turn, he showed smart pace when free to gallop in his a five-length second behind a 29.06 (+10) winner. Expect marked progress for Jet when next securing clear passage!

Marble City Success

Friday’s action at Kilkenny proved most fruitful of the remaining action over the past week when firstly, Paul & Olivia Hogan’s Five Alley Chief (King Sheeran-Hopalong Sal) claimed his first race win at the second time of asking.

Progressing for debut experience, the April 2024 pup began sharply from trap 3 this time in the BOYLE Sports Bookmakers A5 525 and narrowly in front to the opening bend, he gamely defended his leading position with rivals on his tail throughout.

Striking the line with a half-length to spare, Five Alley Chief posted 29.87 (-40) and will take just a one grade hike for his next outing with progress imminent!

Later on that same card, the KGOBA A3 525 saw Abigail Morrissey’s Abigails Duke (Great Blue Shark-Abigails Sky) resume his winning ways, taking his tally to an even twenty within a wonderfully competitive racing campaign.

Back in an ideal trap 1, the June 2022 kennel stalwart cannily used his rails position to strike the front around the opening bends and containing all threats, thereafter, saw out the trip stoutly for a three and a half-length verdict in 29.69 (-40), as young Abigail got one over her granddad Tommy whose Comer Shark was made to settle for second!