Bullet set to run in Laurels

WITH the Derby now history for another year, the focus down south will now swing to the Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels which will kick off at Curraheen Park on Friday night of next week.

Latest news is that the unlucky Derby favourite Rockchase Bullet will be a contender. The Ronny Wuyts trained tracker looked very unfortunate in the final last weekend and, while he would be happier over 550 yards, should be a major contender for Laurels honours. He is due to have a trial on Saturday night.

Dolores Ruth will challenge with the Micheal O Muircheartaigh owned early pacer Razldazl Rioga, a litter brother to Bugatti. He has had a couple of trials around the track and would look a real Laurels type.

News from PJ Fahy is that he will not give defending champion Tyrur Enda another trial in advance. The dog moved extremely well in last weekend’s 28.34 trial and clocked a 3.33 secs split on the way. The dog has had his injury problems and the less trials he has, the better chance he has of remaining fit through the Laurels. All in all, it is building up to a high class competition and entries will close tomorrow.

While the Derby may be over, there is still plenty of hot action on the tracks and the Bookmakers Puppy Derby at Harold’s Cross promises to be a magnificent competition. Signs are that this year’s puppy crop is superior to that of recent years and there are some fantastic prospects out there.

Milldean Panther is, of course, the top one and he is being aimed at the National Puppy Stake at Shelbourne but there are less exposed young dogs in the Puppy Derby that can also hit the headlines. Among these would have to be rated Phil Gough’s Sparta Maestro, Noreen O’Donovan’s Noirs Buachaill, Brendan O’Shea’s Crossfield Star and Graham Holland’s Cambushmore.

The big final down for decision this week is the Agri Store Fair Warrior Sprint at Mullingar on Saturday. Here the €5,000 prize could rest between the two inside runners Hoedown and Ms Deltafire. The latter previously ran up the Consolation Sprint Cup at Dundalk and has been very dominant in her Mullingar runs.

Trained by Pat Guilfoyle, Ms Deltafire can win the vital dash to the bend from Hoedown and go on to victory. It would continue what has been a great year for Guilfoyle with the Cesarewitch, the Dundalk International and a breeding success in the Sprint Cup already gained.

There will be no let-up in the tempo at Shelbourne in the aftermath of the Derby. The Open Sprint competition got underway last night and then on Saturday the first round heats of the Billy Mulvaney Memorial Open 600 will be run. There is a very interesting entry but the two Tyrur dogs, Domingo and Bobby Jo, will take the world of beating. One that could put them to the test is Robert Gleeson’s Ardkill Star which ran a big race in finishing third behind Milldean Panther last weekend.

There is a very good entry for the Droopys Stud Munster Oaks and all six first round heats will be run at Kilcohan Park on Saturday. Interesting clashes are lined up in all heats and the first looks a real corker with the likes of Gogetemclaire, Kiln Kylie and Lady Lucielle in opposition.