Another bloodbath for punters as shocks continue in Laurels

IT was another bloodbath for punters in the second round of the Cashmans Bookmakers Laurels at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

The first three favourites were beaten at 5/4, 5/4 and 8/11 and although two clear favourites and a joint favourite won in three of the remaining five heats, the damage had been done early.

Among the shocks on the night were the elimination of two dogs quoted at less than 10/1 after the first round - An Tochar Blue (7/1) and Allmighty Jack (8/1) in addition to Dotland Hitman (16/1). Cashmans reacted by leaving Slip The Lark as their 5/1 favourite followed by Tyrur Laurel (8/1 from 16/1) Kryptonite (9/1 from 8/1), Ballymac Tony (unchanged at 12/1) and Cabra Cool (12/1 from 25/1). They then go 14/1 Callums Lad, Cabra Boss, 16/1 Solinus, Side Bet and 20/1 bar.

Ullid Conor, an English Derby finalist in 2007, started the rot for punters by upsetting the favourite, Kryptonite, in the opening heat.

The winner had the better of the break and led the jolly into the opening bend. He skipped two lengths clear early in the back straight but Kryponmite began to eat into his lead from halfway and was virtually upsides at the third bend. However he checked when delivering his challenge between bends, allowing the Paul Hennessy trained Ullid Conor open up a decisive advantage. The favourite couldn’t get back into it and Ullid Conor ran out a four length winner in 28.25 There was a touch of deja vu about heat 2 as, for the second week in a row, the John Kiely trained Chicked Supper won a Laurels heat at Curraheen Park, having finished third in a race at Youghal the previous night.

Again there was no fluke about it as Chicked Supper took a flier to lead Allmighty Jack into the bend. Lemon Zamora emerged at the danger early in the back straight but he never really looked like reeling in the winner who had two lengths to spare in 28.49. Third place Cabra Boss ran better than his finishing place might suggest. Slowly away, he was then hampered at the bend before staying on to book his quarter final place.

Brogan Oscar and Tyrur Laurel had a good set-to in heat 3. Cluny Guy was fast up here but Brogan Oscar grabbed the initiative at the bend. Tyrur Laurel, tardy at the break, recovered and had moved into second by halfway. He joined issue with Marguerite O’Donoghue (Bandon) owned and trained Brogan Oscar before the third bend and the pair then battled it out. Brogan Oscar, however, is difficult to get by and once again he wasn’t for passing as he held off the favourite by half a length. with the strong finishing Ullid Black a neck back in third in 28.52.

Heat 4 also developed into a thriller. After a leval break Callums Lad led into the bend. Attykitt Admiral and Cashen Legend went in pursuit and the trio had a good buckle down the back with only a length separating all three at the third bend. Attykit Admiral checked between bends leaving the other two to battle in out with Callums Lad proving ultra game in the stretch drive as he completed a double for John Kiely by a neck in 28.56.

Ballymac Tony turned in another determined effort in heat 5. The winner and Nawhobberthadda had the best of the break. The Johnny O’Sullivan trained Ballymas Tony led into the bend and kicked a couple of lengths clear early in the back straight with Cashen Zig and Nawhobberthaddda in pursuit. The latter took all of the back straight to get the better of Cashen Zig but then quickly moved up menacingly on the heels of Ballymac Tony. That, however, was the limit of his progress as Ballymac Tony wasn’t stopping front and in the end the latter had half a length to spare in 28.57.

Solinus, beaten at evens in the heats a week previously, made amends when taking heat 6 in 28.52.

The favourite, Side Bet, was slowly away allowing Solinus to lead into the bend from Ciaras Castle. Side Bet made up the lost ground to move into the leader’s slipstream early in the back straight and the order remained the same to the third bend. Side Bet moved into second between the last two bends and ran on strongly once straightening up but the Mark Moloney (Glin) owned and trained Solinus was always just too strong, prervailing by a length and a half in 28.52.

Cabra Cool, impressive when disposing of his first round rivals the previous week, followed up in very nice fashion in heat 7. With the favourite, Last Bid, slowly away Cabra Cool took full advantage, bombing out of trap four and quickly establishing a decisive advantage. He had gone four clear by halfway and readily saw off Good Boy Errol. The latter, however, turned in a commendable effort. Fourth at the second bend and then forced to race three wide down the back, he made up significant ground between halfway and the last bend. However he couldn’t quite get to the Pat Buckley trained winner, who kept on strongly up the straight for a length and a half success in 28.59.

Buckley duly went on to complete a double when Derby runner-up Slip The Lark, only third in his opening round heat, turned in an improved performance to take the concluding heat.

Rocking Rolo has just about the best of the break and led into the bend. Slip The Lark broke well enough but had more ahead of him than behind passing the winning line for the first time.

However he quickened up nicely going into the turn and, despite taking the scenic route between bends, was soon tracking the pacemaker. He had joined Rocking Rolo by halfway and edged a length ahead at the third bend. He powered clear at that stage and at the line had a length and a half to spare over the running on Compass Honey, who edged out Rocking Rolo for second in 28.71.