Happy Moments completes remarkable double
The bitch, trained by Michael O’Donovan for Waterford owner Shay O'Connor, has now won an amazing 14 of her 17 career starts. She went through last year’s event unbeaten and repeated the feat when romping home clear of Canary Beauty in this year’s decider.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing as she was only moderately away and, with both Farran Lady and Sparta Cleo cutting in on top of her on the run up, she was forced to take a middle course.
But she somehow managed to find a gap as things tightened up among the leaders going into the bend and shot into a commanding advantage between bends. She had only Canary Beauty as a serious rival from before halfway but the latter could make no impression and Happy Moments duly went through the motions in the closing stages for a three length success in 28.31, equalling her personal best which she had set in the semi-finals.
Tyrur Jenny ran on best of the rest to take third a further length and a half back.
Witches Lark made all for a game success in the Cashmans Bookmakers 575.
The Paudie Coughlan trained dog, whose only previous win this year was over the trip here in January, was fast away from his middle draw and led Outback Duke into the bend.
The order remained the same down the back straight with Outback Duke unable to make any impression on the pacemaker and it was left to Lightning Mygsie, despite being only fifth at the third bend and running wide at the final bend, to storm home up the straight and get to within a length of the winner at the line. Witches Lark clocked a personal best for the trip of 31.31.
Kilford Kilkenny improved almost a second on his previous best when taking the second heat of the Crosshaven Sweepstake. The Paul Hennessy trained runner led out of the second bend and was in control afterwards as he beat Helenas Kewell by three and a half lengths in 28.38.
The draw for The final of the Crosshaven Sweepstake is: 1 Spruce Magic, 2 Kilford Kilkenny, 3 Commander Bond, 4 Helenas Kewell, 5 Leeview Belle, 6 Cononagh Hero.
