Senahel World adds to McKenna haul
Already this year the Tipperary trainer has mopped up the Guinness Trophy and the Cashman Bookmakers Laurels at the venue.
He added the Beamish 575 to the list on Saturday night and, with Great Lark bolting up in the opening heat of the Irish Examiner 750, that prize is also very much in his sights.
Senahel World did the business for him in the Beamish 575.
The race was decided at the break when 5/4 favourite, Dark Prancer, was very slowly away.
This allowed Senahel World to grab the initiative early on and, having led Butterbridge Kim and Graigue Scenario into the bend, he was in control from early in the back straight, eventually coming home a length and a half clear of Butterbridge Kim in 31.29.
Top stayer Great Lark turned in a dour performance in the opening heat of the Irish Examiner 750.
Slowly away - he was only fifth at the opening bend - he accelerated smoothly between bends to take up the chase behind the pacemaking Millabbey Vera at the second corner.
He quickened past the latter at the finishing line first time around and that was that.
Great Lark (1/3) quickly went clear of Millabbey Vera who in turn was a parish ahead of the rest. The winner only had to go through the motions from a long way out and in the end had six lengths to spare over Millabbey Vera in 41.81.
But if Great Lark was impressive Guess Whos Comin, trained by McKenna's arch rival Paul Hennessy, was even more so in the second heat when setting a new track record of 41.41 for the trip.
The even money chance was also very slowly away and last at the opening bend as Sashas Fella and Welcome Beauty cut out the early pace.
Guess Whos Comin threaded her way through the field to chase the leading pair from the fourth bend.
She made relentless progress down the back straight and swept past the pacemakers at the third bend as if they were standing still. She then surged clear up the straight and at the line had put an amazing eleven and a half lengths between herself and her five rivals. Her time of 41.41 was 10 spots faster than the previous record set by Kilquane Lass at the corresponding meeting a year ago.
Hennessy completed a double when Brown Eyes Blue made all for a two length success over Back To Daisy in 41.94 in the third semi-final.
The draw for the semi-finals of the Irish Examiner 750 with Cashmans outright betting is:
: 1 Share Magic 10/1, 2 Welcome Beauty 14/1, 3 Witches Lark 33/1, 4 Brown Eyes Blue 14/1, 5 Miss Dynamite 33/1, 6 Great Lark 11/10
: 1 Guess Whos Comin 7/4, 2 Back To Daisy 50/1, 3 Day And Night 100/1 3, 4 Hellroad Prince 25/1, 5 Millabbey Vera 100/1, 6 Starlet Rose 50/1
