Stayers take centre stage
There is a prize of €30,000 on offer and Sean Mulcahy’s Corporate Attack is a likely favourite, though there will be strong support also for Hello Hippy and Rathanny Billy. Corporate Attack is unbeaten over six bends and is very well housed in six.
Hello Hippy faces quite a weekend as she will be on the boat on Saturday morning on her way to Sunderland for the first round of the William Hill Grand Prix which will be run that night. He trainer Paul Hennessy is bringing over five runners for that meeting.
The Harold’s Cross card also includes the final of the Star A1 Grand Prix was well as a number of other finals and open contests over varying distances. The meeting is being promoted as a Family Fun Day and it will be a mighty occasion for all.
Another major meeting tomorrow is the annual Kerry Hospital Gala at Tralee where the card comprises all finals. The main race will be the Kerry Group Hospital Stake and here the draw may just give the advantage to Noreen O’Connor and Lorraine Keane’s Rafa Baby.
As ever with the Hospital night there will be all sorts of side events, ranging from terrier racing to face painting and Irish step dancing. So, the advice would be to bring the dancing shoes!
The planning for Sunday week’s Boylesports International at Dundalk is moving nicely and the field will be decided following a trial session on Monday evening which will feature Ballymac Ruso, Shelbourne Aston and Skywalker Queen. Add in Kinda Ready, Accordello and College Causeway and you have the possible line-up. Cash Dream is another entry but, whatever, it promises to be quite a contest.
Meanwhile two of our top bitches have been retired to the breeding paddocks. The Mick O’Donovan trained Another Issue damaged a metatarsal in the Oaks final last weekend and has run her last race while the brilliant Shingaun Stan went out on a winning note last Saturday and will be bred to Head Bound when she comes in season.
The first of the Cashmans Bookmakers sponsored Monday Free Admission meetings at Youghal will be on Monday night next and will continue for the three further Mondays in July.
The 2009 Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup kicks off at Thurles on Saturday while the Munster Inter County Challenge will be staged on Saturday week. The Challenge is confined to dogs representing the six Munster counties and will feature four races, worth €1,000 to the winner. These will be opens over 525, 600 and 840 while there will also be an A1 570. There will also be Sales on the same day, July 11th, while entries are currently being accepted for the Sales on Saturday, August 1st.
The semi-finals of the Paddypower.com Derby Trial Stake will be run at Clonmel on Sunday evening when card will also include the heats of the Buddy Flannery Memorial A3 will be run.
There has been a change of date for the first round of the Molloy Butchers A4 550 at Waterford with the first round heats now due to be run on Friday next instead of the following night.
