Cabra poised to become new Queen of the Track

It’s one of the most coveted prizes in greyhound sport and a new Queen of the Track will be crowned on Saturday when the Sporting Press Irish Oaks is run at Shelbourne Park.

There is a terrific line-up but the deserving favourite to land the €25,000 prize is Cabra Millie which is trained in Golden by Graham Holland for Thurles based Louise Scally.

Cabra Millie has a great strike rate and has won three of her four qualifying races in the classic. But her draw here makes it absolutely imperative that Cabra gets away very smartly and clears the inside runners Milldean Tally and Tantallons Kay to the bend.

Milldean Tally came into the Oaks as a potential staying star but has reached the final undefeated and now has her young trainer John O’Flynn Jnr on the brink of becoming a classic winning handler. She has the draw to run a huge race as has the Dom Rennicks owned and trained Tantallons Kay in two. Kay has early pace and stamina and is far from being a no-hoper.

Graham Holland has a second finalist in Rockburst Delta and with her early pace she cannot be left out of calculations while John McGee’s Solo Star, though possessing fine early, is very difficult to fancy. But the youngest finalist, Padraig Hickey’s Millbank Lola is a live hope with her excellent early pace, though a trap five draw is no help.

It promises to be a terrific contest but the vote has to go to Cabra Millie to lead home Milldean Tally and Millbank Lola.

The biggest prize on offer this week is actually the Bettor.com Northern Irish Derby at Drumbo Park with a winner’s cheque of Stg£25,000. Ronnie Craven’s Lolos Joe is the new favourite to win this prize and a trap three draw looks absolutely ideal.

Lolos Joe is going up consistently fast and is drawn inside the other early pacers in the line-up, Devilacare, Captain Scolari and Royal Patrol. The big finishers are in one and two, Star Head and Ruthless Man but if Lolos Joe takes the bend then he will give former Roscommon footballer Craven a major greyhound success.

Six weeks to go and the countdown to the 2012 Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby starts here! The final trials for all the classic aspirants are ready to kick off with the Betdaq Race of Champions commencing tomorrow at Tralee followed in a few weeks by the Boylesports International and then it will be right into the Champion Stakes and the Derby.

We can expect most, if not all, twelve the Race of Champions contenders to be in the Derby field and they can establish their claims in this valuable two-run event. The presence of Paul Young’s Bubbly Phoenix and Young Sid lends a real international flavour to the stake and both are among the top trackers across the water.

However these are two very competitive contests and I would give the nomination tomorrow to Razldazl Rioga and Droopys Jet. It is another high class programme at the Kingdom Stadium and the Gain Champion Bitch and Red Mills 500 semis will also produce fireworks.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the layers price the final of the Supporters’ Club Munster Derby at Clonmel on Sunday. It looks a really open contest and any one of the six could land the €5,600 prize. If Bling Bling Buzz produced his very best he would be too good but it is far from guaranteed, especially from a trap five draw. The early pace of Shaneboy Spencer makes him a threat to all while Glenanore and The Other Peach look sure to figure.

Tomorrow’s meeting at Youghal will be a benefit in aid of Cloyne GAA Club and on Friday next it will be the turn of Russell Rovers GAA Club.

The draw for the Gain Corn Cuchulainn at Harold’s Cross is:

Heat 1: 1 Navarone; 2 Rathmoyle Ali; 3 St Mullins Pride; 4 Melodys Lucky; 5 Black Bolero; 6 Come On Trigger (w).

Heat 2: 1 Petite Suzy; 2 Shaneboy Dream; 3 Dogwithacollar; 4 Kilmacar Nick (m); 5 Another Project (w); 6 Shine and Hope (w).

Heat 3: 1 Ringtown Ben; 2 Woe Girl; 3 Hee Haws Montana; 4 Portavoe Girl; 5 Dream Winner; 6 Cherrygrove Cool (m).

Heat 4: 1 Storm Pockets; 2 Olympic Stunner; 3 Leap of Faith; 4 Michaels Gift; 5 Skywalker Cindy; 6 Lisnakill Jack (m).

Heat 5: 1 Ballyhill Bust; 2 Razldazl Dmagio; 3 Mountaylor Ace; 4 Airforce Harlem; 5 Lets Do This; 6 Spot The Hawk.

Heat 6: 1 Night Time Hawk; 2 Incitatus; 3 Stallone Bart; 4 Delightful Flyer; 5 Crackoftheash (m); 6 Future Boy (w).

Heat 7: 1 Hypnotic Music; 2 Varra Swallow; 3 Ranchers Star; 4 Smart Fantasy; 5 Golden Graze; 6 Ushers Jim (w).