O’Donnell can work final magic with Skywalker Queen
It is a feat that has only been accomplished on two occasions. Peaceful Lady, trained by the legendary Tom Lynch, was the first to do it in 1952 and ’53 and Seamus Graham’s Marinas Tina repeated the feat in 2000 and 2001. Matt and Frances O’Donnell conjured a career best performance from the Queen in last year’s final when she covered the 525 yards in 28.24, the then best time ever clocked by a bitch around Shelbourne.
She will wear the striped jacket again on Saturday but has yet to win a race this year. However she has been performing to a near peak level and ran very well when second behind Shelbourne Dawn in last week’s semi after making a real mess of the start. She can go up much faster but, given how wide she runs off the final bend, she will need to do so.
It is an intriguing final. Fr Jack Meade’s Dalcash Dvinsky has been the star to date and the Puppy Oaks winner and youngest finalist has reached the final unbeaten. She is doing everything right but has a tough test with fast starting Cartiers Dazzle and Shelbourne Dawn on her inside. However, she is the bitch to beat.
Brian King trained Shelbourne Dawn is very much drawn in Oaks winning tradition as her grandmother Cool Survivor and “aunt” Borna Survivor have both won this classic. Dawn flew to the bend last week and a repeat would make her very difficult to beat.
Mick Frayne’s Clearview Kelly would be one of the favourites if drawn on the inside but a five draw is a real burden – unless this excellent bitch can take a screamer from boxes. Cartiers Dazzle has the ideal draw in two and has massive pace all the way. If she can clear the bend then she could well add to Dolores Ruth’s great classic record.
What a story it would be if Casual Steps were to win it from the inside box. She is owned and trained by Reggie Roberts who previously won it with Old Spinster but this bitch has yet to win a race. She is a strong runner but understandably the outsider of the party.
Dalcash Dvinsky looks the logical selection but I have this nagging feeling that Matt’s magic can do the trick again and Skywalker can join a very elite club for owner Ray Patterson.
Details of the Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup have just been announced and the 72 dog event will commence at Thurles on Saturday week, July 3. This event will have a winner’s prize of €11,500 and will again be run over 525 yards.
It is quite a busy time at the Tipperary venue with the final of the valuable Irish Examiner A3 Stake on Saturday, supported by the finals of the JJ McGrath Memorial Open 525 and the onlygreyhounds.com Novice 750.
Fastest in the Irish Examiner final are Liam McCormack’s Clondoty Max and Johnny Cashin’s Brave Fisherman and they look like being very much involved in this contest. While cases can be made for all six, the superior early pace of Brave Fisherman could enable him to take the bend from Triangle Lucca and Clondoty and go on to victory.
Over at Clonmel on Sunday evening the Supporters Club Munster Derby will reach the semi-final stage and the draw has again been playing tricks with all four quarter final winners lumped together in the second heat. What’s worse, the other two runners are the highly talented Kick For Touch and Fatboyz Crackers. Best advice would be to watch this contest but to risk a few euros on Paul Hennessy’s Priceless Chef in the first heat.
The draw was made yesterday for the Gain Feeds Corn Cuchulainn which starts at Harold’s Cross tomorrow. The entry is full of quality with every leading stayer in the land in the line-up. Stand by for some exceptional racing and plenty of shocks over the coming weeks!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of a guided tour of the new Limerick stadium, courtesy of IGB’s Orla Strumble and Site Manager Danny Leen. I was most impressed with what I saw and the finished product should be a real world leader.
There is plenty to be done yet but most of the work is really of the “finishing” nature at this stage. While largely based on the traditional Irish greyhound stadium design, there are a number of new concepts involved here and they should lend that additional “zip” to the place.
The track itself won’t really take shape until the filling is put in, followed by the sand which is being taken from the old Markets Field track after it shuts shop on July 17. But viewing the outline of the track from the very top floor the circuit did look something like the Shelbourne one. There are long straights and the bends looked gentle enough but it is only when you see the finished product that you can really judge these things.
However, the greyhound folk in the south west have a real treat in store for them with a state of the art stadium about to be opened in their midst.
