Katie establishes herself as Oaks contender with 28.59 effort

ONLY twenty four greyhounds remain in the Sporting Press Irish Oaks, but the competition remains wide open following an intriguing second round on Saturday.

As expected many of the leading fancies flexed their muscles, but there were one or two performances of note from some of the lesser fancied runners.

Perhaps most impressive of these was Mohane Katie as she established herself as a real contender with a superb front running effort in Heat 6, posting a fastest of the night 28.59 in the process.

Other less fancied runners to impress included Mossend Folly and Tyrgal Lola, although top billing certainly went to Mohane Katie. Padraig Davern’s bitch was foot perfect, making every inch after a fast start to lead home the persistent Casual Steps by a length and a half.

Next fastest on the clock was Tooquicktoocatch as she justified her position as ante-post favourite in Heat 3. In what was the race of the night the Owen McKenna trained Tooquicktoocatch lived up to her name, but only just with defending champion Skywalker Queen producing a brilliant effort to force a photo finish.

Tooquicktoocatch shot from trap three to quickly go clear, but Skywalker Queen displayed huge pace to close on the leader all the way to the line. In a desperate finish the favourite held on by the minimum margin in 28.72.

James Magee’s Tyrgal Lola also posted a quick time in Heat 7 where she made all after a fast start to beat Fridays Aries by a length and a half in 28.73.

Dalcash Dvinsky again gave an indication that she could go close to winning the competition in Heat 5, which had been billed as the most competitive of the round. Leading early the Olympic Bee Puppy Oaks winner always had the measure of her rivals as she saw off Triangle Beyonce by two and a half lengths in 28.82. Freedom Seacrest, a litter sister to the winner, ran on strongly from the back to be just a neck adrift in third.

The aforementioned Mossend Folly was a shock winner of the opening heat as she made all to see off Blackabbey Rose in 28.82. Frazer Black’s Droopys Kina produced a potent finishing kick to win Heat 2. Leading late she saw off Shelbourne dawn by a length and a half in 28.92.

Clearview Kelly followed up an impressive opening round effort when turning in another very solid performance in Heat 4. Always well positioned, Clearview hit the front around the bottom bends to secure a length and a half success over Valais Mover in 28.92. The Dolores Ruth trained Cartiers Dazzle took the concluding heat when leading for much of the way to score in 29.02.

Sporting Press Irish Oaks quarter-final draw

Heat 1: 1 Fridays Aries; 2 Freedom Seacrest; 3 Casual Steps; 4 Tyrgal Lola (m); 5 Valais Mover (m); 6 Rossa Baby (w).

Heat 2: 1 Mossend Folly; 2 Kilbannon Tess; 3 Tracys Wildberry; 4 Droopys Kina; 5 Razldazl Liza (m); 6 Skyalker Kim (w).

Heat 3: 1 Mystique Rosa; 2 Mohane Katie; 3 Shelbourne Dawn; 4 Tooquicktoocatch; 5 Dalcash Dvinsky; 6 Skywalker Queen (w).

Heat 4: 1 Clearview Kelly; 2 Cartiers Dazzle; 3 Mays Castle; 4 Triangle Beyonce; 5 Piercetown Pet (m); 6 Blackabbey Rose (w).