Synone Starlight lands ante-post gamble in style
The Frances O’Donnell trained bitch was the subject of 5,000 in bets at 7/1 after the draw was made and she landed the punt in some style on Saturday.
A 6/1 chance on the night, she was fast up from her middle draw and led into the bend as the unbeaten in the event Droopys Ferdy failed to break as well as previously.
Three Bells Hell emerged as her only serious danger down the back and threatened to make a race of it when moving up to challenge at the last bend, where Synone Starlight ran wide.
However, no sooner had Three Bells Hell looked a distinct danger than her effort petered out and Synone Starlight surged up the straight to go clear in the last fifty yards and beat a bunching pack by five and a half lengths in 30.67, only .05 outside Nikita Billie’s national record for the distance established in the first round.
The winner is owned by Torquay solicitor Raymond Patterson, who arrived in town on the Cork-Swansea ferry having been unable to get a flight because of delays caused by the British Airways dispute.
Patterson bought the winner for 24,000 after she became the first previously unraced dog to break 29.00 at Thurles.
Nod Mac, who hadn’t run up to form in the event, rebounded nicely in the Cashman Consolation. Fast up, he led the odds on Slippery Bill into the opening bend and comfortably held that one afterwards, eventually winning by a length and a half in 30.96. He completed a double on the night for trainer Paul Hennessy whose Confident Choice turned in a lacklustre performance in the main event.
Local favourite Sinabhfuilbertie, palpably unlucky not to make the main final when hampered at the last bend in the semi-finals, made no mistake in the Cashman Plate, beating Deerfield Hill by two and a half lengths in 30.88.
The Michael Hoy trained Dunmahon Phantom hugged the rails throughout when taking the final of the Red Mills 29.20 Stake for the Ard Caislean Syndicate from Kilworth.
The winner grabbed the initiative from the pacemaking Remember Tom between the last two bends and then held on grimly as Summerhill Guide’s storming finish only failed by the minimum margin. The winning time was 29.04.
Owen McKenna, whose Droopys Ferdy could only finish fifth in the Cashman 575, enjoyed better luck at Limerick when Tina’s Girl, who he trains for Christine Doherty of Derry, set a new track record for 750 yards in the Irish Greyhound Board Stake final.
Tina’s Girl made all the running to beat Group Venture by two lengths in 41.64, clipping .12 off the old record.
Entries close at Curraheen Park today for the Klumney Sweepstake (28.80 - 500/600yds). Heats Thursday.
