Shock defeat for Makeshift

IT was a typical opening night in the 2010 Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park last night with a few major upsets and some very fast racing, writes Michael Fortune.

The major upsets were the defeats of the first two in the recent Champion Stakes, Makeshift and Tyrur Big Mike.

The first big shock came as early as Heat 2 where Makeshift led around the opening bend from Frances O’Donnell’s brilliant bitch Skywalker Queen.

The latter began to close into the third bend and wore down Makeshift in the very last stride for a short head verdict in 29.89.

Tyrur Big Mike looked safe when he headed the fast starting Kinda Ready between the opening bends but his tendency to run very wide around the bottom bends was his undoing and Ian Seymour’s 2009 English Derby winner Kinda Ready gladly grabbed the invitation to win by two lengths in 29.79 with Ballymac Mitsy just a short head third.

Another favourite to bite the dust was Barefoot Bullet in the concluding heat where he ran third all the way as his kennel companion Colorful Champ bounced back to his very best form when leading all the way for a two length victory over Ballymac Tipp in 29.77.

Seamus Graham’s Mesedo Blue made no mistake with a 29.79 run in Heat 6 where he was fast away and led by four lengths at halfway. He had almost that to spare at the line over Tyrur Brennan.

The Derby opened with Pat Gordon’s Fatboyz Tyson a very convincing winner of Heat 1 in a fastest of the night 29.71. He came away smartly and led all the way to win by six lengths from Monks Patriot.

John O’Flynn’s Foyle Storm was another to grab an all the way victory in Heat 3 as he was chased by Hipower Turbo throughout but Foyle took it by a length and a half in 29.98.

Pat Buckley opened his account when Hats My Boy was a brave winner of Heat 4.

He led up but was headed on the bend by Slippery Dave. But Hats My Boy rallied to win by a length and a half in 29.80.

Former UK racer Westmead Logan ran a big race on his Irish debut in Heat 7 where he took over on the first bend and drew away for an impressive four length margin over Whatsupjack in 29.89.