Carnage in ring as all four Irish Examiner 750 favourites bite the dust
The carnage for punters started in the opening heat when Glencole (1/2), having been baulked at the third bend, could only finish fourth to the Liam O'Callaghan trained all the way winner Rushmoor Honcho in 42.19.
Worse was to follow when the Paul Hennessy trained Heart Rumble (2/5), despite having every chance, folded in the closing stages and could only finish third to the Ann Wade trained Cherokee Lady in 42.55.
The ambulances started to arrive to take some of the bigger punters away after Nobodywantsme (evens) came out second best in a thrilling three-way photo to heat three.
Victory here went to Crackator Boy, who swept down the outside in the straight to snatch a short head success in 42.78.
Anybody chasing their losses suffered a spectacular KO when Haliska Blueboy (1/3), three lengths clear down the back straight, was in the end comprehensively beaten by the Sean Hartigan trained Purpose Built who, having hit top gear before the fifth bend, swept to a three and a half length success in 42.69.
The final of the Beamish 575 Stakes fell to Eager Dreams.
The Graham Holland trained dog, owned in England by Robert Colbourne, made just about all the running.
Local hope Panther Patrol got to within a length of him at the third bend but could make no further inroads and eventually went down by a length and a half in 31.70.
There was, however, a local success in the night's other sweepstake final when the Nora Shinnick (Ballyhooly) owned and trained Clear As Magic came from last to first for a two and a half length success over Galdare Yank in 29.22.
The trap draw for the semi-finals of the Irish Examiner 750 next Saturday is:
First semi-final: 1 Creamery Cert, 2 Purpose Built, 3 Heart Rumble, 4 Honcho Come Home, 5 Lyons Joy, 6 Rushmoor Honcho (w)
Second semi-final: 1 Lorraines Black, 2 Haliska Blueboy, 3 Cherokee Lady, 4 Nobodywantsme, 5 Lyons Rumble (w), 6 Crackator Boy (w)
