Easter Cup market shake-up after high-profile withdrawals
Both Tyrur Quinn and Da Hatter were withdrawn due to varying reasons and their defection means that just four runners will contest the second heat on Saturday night.
Tyrur Quinn was tender on his right front leg on Sunday morning following his first round heat and an x-ray revealed what trainer Paul Hennessy described as a “minor problem. We hope it is not serious but he is too good a dog to risk, the best I have had for some time. He is being aimed at the Irish Derby”.
Da Hatter, formerly trained by Larry Dunne for Paul Ellis, is already in England and is joining Carly Philpott. Owner Ellis said: “He has been sold and is joining Carly. If the money comes through then he will change hands but if not Carly will train him for me for the English Derby”.
Thurlesbeg Joker and Faypoint Man are the two Owen McKenna runners in the stake and they clash in Heat 4. Thurlesbeg is ideally housed in six but will need to do everything right with Tyrur Giovanni, the early paced Mustang Mission and Oran Legend on his inside. Faypoint Man has yet to sparkle this season but has been motoring home in his races.
Reigning champion Droopys Noel faces a tough test against Forest Rover and Tyrur Dylan in Heat 3 while Shaneboy Lee should benefit considerably from his first outing of the season and may lead them home in the opener.
Considerable controversy surrounded the first round of the Scottish Derby at Shawfield on Tuesday when the hare broke down in the second heat and with the weather worsening the decision was made to call off the remainder of the meeting. This is very much a replica of what happened two years ago and again the opening heat featured the exit of a hotly fancied Charlie Lister runner.
Rumours were rife that the remaining Lister dogs would be withdrawn from the classic but this appears wide of the mark and they had been restored to all betting lists yesterday evening. However, a new schedule has been announced for the competition with the remaining first round heats to be run on Saturday and the second round next Tuesday. Then the semis and the final will be run on Saturdays 10th and 17th.
While on the UK scene the British are very much pushing out the boat for the Irish this year in advance of the Williamhill.com English Derby. This was probably influenced by the range of new restrictions which were introduced due to the pending Animal Welfare Act across the water.
Anyway, each Irish trained dog that contests the first round at Wimbledon will receive €150. Under the new regulations all dogs running in the UK must be microchipped and Irish dogs that contest the English Derby Trial Stakes at Shelbourne, Harold’s Cross and Curraheen Park over the next week will all be microchipped free by the track vet. In addition all international entries for the classic will be registered free with the GBGB.
The Shelbourne qualifier takes place on Saturday while the HX event has been put back to next Friday with the Curraheen qualifier the following night.
Apart from the Easter Cup the big racing event of the week is the final of the Gain Feeds Irish Cesarewitch at Mullingar on Saturday evening. The betting here suggests that this is a two-dog affair between Definate Opinion and Accordello but such assumptions are always dangerous in big finals.
The Finola Richardson owned Definate Opinion has been quite brilliant around the midlands circuit in this competition and his 33.06 semi-final run is one of the best ever around the track. But trap six is a long way out for an inside seed.
Accordello had anything but a clear run when just failing to catch Rough Robinho on Saturday and he is well capable of a bigger run this time. Trap three will be much more suitable for him and he will run a big race. Rough Robinho also comes into the race with a big say and Waterford handler Peter Cronin has both Full Of Beans and Pachacuti in the final. The line-up is completed by Brian McCann’s Ropewalk Wonder.
There will be huge interest in the happenings at Clonmel where the Red Mills Produce Stakes commences this evening with seven heats and then the remaining nine will be run on Sunday. There is a high quality entry and we can expect some brilliant performances.
There is a high class entry for the McCarthy Insurance Group Oaks which commences at Curraheen Park on Saturday with reigning champion Maireads Fantasy topping a list that also includes Tullymurry Kiara, Droopys Kina, Rossa Baby and Maries Peer. The card also includes the final of the Kieran Dineen Memorial where Eddie Fitzgerald and Pat Pyne’s Castlelyons Patk is the obvious choice.
Also on Saturday the final of the Kerry GOBA Open 550 will be run at Tralee and the prize looks at the mercy of trainer Graham Holland. He can enjoy a 1-2 with Ardera Power and Carib King. The draw is: 1 Carib King; 2 Rebel Ted; 3 Bibs Bomber; 4 Ardera Power; 5 Three One Three (m); 6 Gold Slipalong (w).
