Exile makes every post a winning one
The final of the A3 550, worth €900 to the winner, was the most valuable race on the programme and victory went to Patient Exile, owned and trained by Andy Lynch of Cappoquin.
Having been caught late in the semi-finals, the 3-1 chance ensured there would be no repeat as he produced a strong trap-to-line performance. He led around the opening bends with his semi-final conqueror and favourite Burgess Impact in pursuit. The leader opened up a significant advantage racing down the back and though the market leader stayed on well in the closing stages, Patient Exile held out well for a length-and-a-half victory in 30.29.
Golf Walk gave Michael Moriarty, Killarney, victory in the final of the A2 525. With some trouble in the centre, Lily Brae showed fine early pace to lead around, with the eventual winner forced to check as she cut across in front of him.
However, he recovered quickly and was upsides the leader as they raced down the back. After edging ahead down around the third and fourth bends, he was all out to hold his persistent challenger by three parts of a length in 28.89. As the front two are strong stayers, Stakers Dream caught the eye running on to be just a length further back. Business Scholar was a significant absentee from this race.
Society Criss, owned by Timmy O’Shea and David Mahony of Mallow, has hit a rich vein of form and he came home clear in a very eventful first semi-final of the Kudos Supersprint.
In the firing line from the outset but racing widest of all, he swept clear as Tubs Astral was baulked and then tumbled to the ground, hampering virtually every other runner. It was a no-contest thereafter as Society Criss strode home nine lengths clear of Drumgower Major in 17.83, with Smokey Millie eight lengths further back, in third.
Burnt Twice will likely be sent off favourite for next week’s final after he produced a really smart display to take the second semi-final for Kieran Lynch for owners JP Hennessy and Ian Freyne.
Odds-on favourite Harbour Town never managed to find his stride and was in trouble at the turn, while the fast-starting Burnt Twice moved clear. Running powerfully from the front, the 3-1 chance saw off Leonies Nick with three and a half lengths to spare, while Halftime Show kept on to take the last qualifying spot.
The fastest time of the night over the standard trip came in the finale, where Bartlemy King bounced right back to his best to score for Pat Mannix and the Chester Pool Syndicate. There had been signs a performance like this was on the way, and he duly led Jaytee Wizz around the opening bends and pulled steadily clear to score by three and a half lengths in 28.40.
