Derby set to hit entry target of 144
Conor Fahy, Paul Hennessy, Pat Buckley and Owen McKenna have still to confirm their final numbers but they should have up to 50 runners between them. This all guarantees that there will be three nights of first round action next week, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The draw will be made on Monday morning at Shelbourne.
Among yesterday’s entries were Dolores Ruth’s team of seven which includes the Razldazls Jayfkay, George, Barack and Bugatti as well as Makeshift, Kingo and Fleeting Image. By the way a number of Derby entries will be in action at Shelbourne tonight in an Open 550.
Seamus Cahill has confirmed that he will be bringing Droopys Oscar over for a trial at Shelbourne today but the dog will be contesting the Select Stakes at Nottingham next Tuesday and will only run at Shelbourne if he is drawn in the Saturday heats.
Nicky Savva’s Droopys Greg was confirmed a certain starter in the Derby by connections after his impressive victory at Hove on Tuesday and Westmead Maldini is likely to come with him.
Meanwhile the big race of the week is the final of the Thurles Fresh Milk Tipperary Cup at Thurles which is being run on Sunday evening is the highlight of a top class card. Due to the Sunday fixture there will be no racing tomorrow.
Peter Cronin’s Glideaway Ace is the likely favourite and winner of the €8,200 prize. This son of Ace Hi Rumble is owned by Jimmy Ferncombe and Clive Taylor and he has been unbeaten in the competition. He had earlier impressed with his strong running when running up the Lee Strand 550 at Tralee and he has progressed nicely.
On the subject of Tralee, Mossie O’Connor’s record breaking exploits at the track continued on Tuesday when Hernandez broke the 500 yard mark, clocking 27.07, which was an improvement of a length on the record previously jointly held by another O’Connor star Scarty Lad and Mossend Ronnie.
This was Mossie’s third track record at the Kingdom Stadium since June 17th. He claimed the first of his rapid treble of records when Deerfield Music won the Paddy O’Sullivan Race of Champions on June 17th in a brilliant 29.52 for the 550 yards. Since then on July 1st Deerfield Sings clocked 28.11 when beating the record which had been previously held by Deerfield Mover at 28.14.
Tonight will be a special occasion at Galway with the final of the €4,500 O’Flaherty Markets Corrib Plate and also the very popular annual Donkey Derby which will feature leading jockeys Nina and Paul Carberry, Davy Russell, Davy Condon, Alain Cawley and the legendary amateur Derek O’Connor.
There were a few fine performances in the Premier Fantasy/Supporters Club Southern Oaks on Monday and the semis will be run next Monday. Star of the first round was Liam Dowling’s near veteran bitch Ballymac Mitsy and she will take all the beating.
