Good News Magnificent Display In BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby

Every vantage point was taken as an incredible crowd of over 5000 filled the famed Ringsend venue at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night. The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Final was the crescendo of a magnificent three day festival of racing. Thursday night saw the ladies take centre stage with a number of exceptional performances  as the Sporting Press Irish Oaks kicked off proceedings in style  followed by the opening round heats of the Dublin Coach Juvenile Derby on Friday where the young guns certainly showed some fancy footwork and whetted the appetite for the weeks to come at Shelbourne Park writes Patrick Flynn Sales, Operations and Commercial Manager Shelbourne Park. 

The BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Final feature in the theatre of dreams Shelbourne Park was a show of complete support for Greyhound racing in Ireland. From all corners of the globe the eclectic crowd gathered in good spirits and anticipation filling every spot in the renowned Shelbourne Park with  over 5000 in attendance. The management and staff worked hard to promote and organize alongside the Marketing Team at the Irish Greyhound Board and huge thanks have to be given to all the above for what has to be seen as a huge triumph with a marked year on year increase in all key performance indicators . BoyleSports have entered their fourth year of a very generous sponsorship and the event is going from strength to strength as was witnessed on RTE 2 programme on Saturday night, The atmosphere was electric, the cheers of the crowd seen every heart pulsate and every muscle tense in sheer adrenaline as we witnessed the unveiling of the new BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Champ Good News providing Great News for the Greyhound Industry in Ireland and the action will continue at the Dublin 4 venue where racing will take place. every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.   www.shelbourneparkgreyhoundstadium.ie  Restaurant bookings Tel 1890269969

Michael Fortunes View - GOOD NEWS IS MAJESTIC

If ever a dog was well named it was Good News and he lived up to his title in truly majestic style as he captured the 2017 BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night.

This was a special performance on a very special night with Good News proving to be one of the greatest winners of our premier classic and it was secured virtually at traprise.

The Pat Guilfoyle trained son of Definate Opinion and Pippy absolutely flew from trap two while, crucially for him, the inside runner Hey Bound was slowly into stride. It meant that Good News had a solo run to the bend and he was pursued up by Black Farren with Buckos Dream, Jaytee Jet and Sonic disputing third.

Jaytee Jet was crowded entering the b end and he lost his position. Sonic was then forced wide on the bend but Good News raced into the back with a lead of two lengths over Black Farren and Sonic was soon back in third – but already facing a mountain to climb.

Black Farren, to his credit, ran an absolute stormer for his syndicate owners and challenged all the way to the line.

That mountain proved to be too much of a climb for Sonic on the night and Good News ran on to take the prize for owners Sandra Guilfoyle and Mary Kennedy by 2 lengths from Black Farren in 29.37 and it was another two lengths to Sonic in third.

Jaytee Jet came home four lengths fourth, followed in by Buckos Dream and Hey Bound.

As we said earlier this was a really special performance and proving it was the fact that this was the fastest Derby final winning time since the Derby moved to 550 yards back in 1986.

DERBY PLATE A REAL THRILLER

Yes, a truly special night for greyhound racing after what has been anything but a good year for the sport.

There was a massive crowd present and the atmosphere was quite electric. It remained so until the early hours of the morning as everybody seemed to want to celebrate an occasion that will live long in the memory.

In the race before the Derby final there had been an almighty battle for the BoyleSports Derby Plate and it ended up with as tight a photo-finish as you could imagine. After close study the judge decided in favour of the Peter Cronin trained Cometwopass as he edged out Ballymac Galway by a short head with Fast Fit Alex half a length back in third.

The pattern of the race went very much as anticipated with the Stephen Carroll owned Cometwopass (Ballymac Eske/ Zero Two) displaying his customary early zip and he was almost two lengths in front of Ballymac Galway at the bend with Fast Fit Alex in behind. But there was carnage in behind as Jaytee Dutch ran wide and got entangled with Elusive Heights and Dream Mover.

It was now effectively a three-dog race but Cometwopass maintained a two lengths lead down the far side from Ballymac Galway with Fast Fit Alex getting marginally closer in third. But as Cometwopass turned for home you could sense that his stamina was running out and the pursuers were closing. They raced wide apart to the line and a lengthy photo-finish deliberation resulted in the judge pronouncing that Cometwopass had held on by a short head from Ballymac Galway in 29.97. Fast Fit Alex was just half a length third.

A BRILLIANT TREBLE FOR CRONIN

It was the third leg of a smashing Derby night treble for trainer Peter Cronin who kicked off with Ela Ela Genie as he followed up last week’s brilliant victory with another professional display as he turned the sole sprint into a procession.

Trained by Cronin for John Scofield and Alex Antoniou, the son of Brett Lee and Ballymac Eugenie flew from trap four to dictate in the early yards. Once clearing Compliance to the corner he was always in charge. Aulton Jet took up the chase into the straight, but Ela Ela Genie emerged a comfortable two length winner in 18.58. Lughill Robbie was a further three and a half lengths back.

Swithins Brae returned to his brilliant best to win the fifth race in a wonderful 29.47, in turn completing Cronin’s superb treble. The son of Kinloch Brae and Full Of Beans broke better than in recent outings and once doing so he made the most of an inside draw to lead the field into the corner. From here the result was never in doubt. Maintaining a strong gallop throughout, the Swithins Syndicate owned powerhouse went on to take the verdict by seven lengths from Milldean Skip in a lightning 29.47. Droopys Cabaye finished well to take third, a half a length further back.

DOUBLES ALL ROUND

A marvellous night in the career of Pat Guilfoyle commenced with a thrilling contest as the Michael Ryan owned Tullovin Madison put the open 525 to bed at the third turn after an eventful opening half.

Tucker Foley, Iceroad Convoy and Tullovin Madison all challenged in the early yards with Iceroad Convoy setting the pace into the back straight. Tullovin Madison was too close, however.

Challenging at halfway, the Guilfoyle trained son of Paradise Madison and Tullovin Fire shot to the front on the third turn and went on to claim a two length success over Iceroad Convoy in 28.67. Floury Spuds was another three parts of a length adrift in third.

Joining Guilfoyle with two winners on the night was Murt Leahy and the Kilkennyman struck first with Ballybough Dad in an open 550. Pat Carroll’s Ballybough Dad (Ballymac Vic/ High St Miley) was at his very best as he asserted into the corner to go clear. Droopys Awesome gave chase and flew home to close on the leader, but the Leahy trained Ballybough Dad gets every yard of the 550yd trip and he held on to score by a length and a half in 29.70. There was a six length gap to Concrete Jungle in third.

The Leahy double was completed by the Pat Comerford owned Its Rockin Jim (Ballymac Vic/Kilara Cher) in the open 600 which was the eleventh race on the card. This was a strange race in which Its Rockin Jim did everything right. He got away fast and led early from Vaguely Noble and Hovex Mick. The second favourite Calico Ranger absolutely walked out and had no chance of recovery.

Vaguely Noble challenged into the first but the door was closed in Its Rockin Jim and Vaguely checked wide. Now Hovex Mick went second and his supporters were cheering loudly but he suddenly appeared to ease and lose his stride. Vaguely Noble challenged again at the third bend but she could not produce much more and Its Rockin Jim ran out a three length winner from Vaguely Noble in 32.79. Hovex Mick got going again to be another two lengths back in third.

CHIMES IN TUNE

The Johnny O’Sullivan trained Native Chimes (Premier Fantasy/ Native Gypsy) had been the fancy of many to win the Derby before the semi-final where he made his exit.

But the Derby final crowd reserved one of their biggest receptions for Native Chimes as he came home in front in the open 575.

Whoops Jack set a scorching gallop, but the writing was on the wall when Native Chimes turned a close second into the back. The John Kelleher and Pat Norton owned Native Chimes powered into the third turn to challenge and he took over before the home turn. Once doing so he put the race to bed. Cahir Castle finished fast for second, but Native Chimes was too good as he emerged a two and a half length winner in a rapid 31.12. Whoops Jack was a neck third.

The locals had reason to smile in the fourth race, an open 750, as did the bookmakers. Sean O’Neill’s Jackeen Flyer pulled off a shock success with a thoroughly professional display of front running over the extended 750yd trip.

An 8-1 chance in the ring, the versatile daughter of Tullymurry Act and Little Michelle flew from the inside box to make every inch. Lisacaha Brett chased her hard throughout and Jaytee Patriot finished fast for third, but the Alan Quinn trained Jackeen Flyer ran right to the line to score by three lengths and two lengths in a very quick 41.57. 

MAIREADS‘ GREAT RECOVERY

One of the great runs of the night was served up by the Joe Horan owned, Fraser Black trained Maireads Spring (Hondo Black/ Winning Impact) as he rode a hefty bump on the second bend to win an open 525 in 28.66.

Falcon Bay, which has been sold, was an absentee from the inside trap and it was very close to the bend as a blanket would almost have covered the five runners.

Riverside Chip edged ahead around the bend and led into the back from Coolavanny Mason with the favourite Maireads Spring shipping a heavy bump on the outside which appeared to scupper his chances. But as Riverside Chip and Coolavanny Mason diced for the lead down the back, Maireads Spring began to rally and closed the gap. The front two were almost locked together around the bottom bends but Maireads Spring raced around them and scampered clear up the straight for a three and a half length verdict in 28.66. Coolavanny Mason took second, three parts of a length in front of Crohane Ronnie.

Paul Hennessy hadn’t enjoyed any luck in the two big finals with his great Jaytee veterans but he had better luck when an emerging talent, Priceless Rum (Tullymurry Act/ Badminton Girl) struck for owners Bryan and Kathleen Murphy in an open 550. Cayan Tower led up but was passed on the bend by Droopys King which continued to lead until the home straight. At this stage Priceless Rum arrived with a big effort and he raced past the leader for a length and a half verdict in 30.15. It was a similar distance to Caddy Shack in third.