Drumcrow Kaiser the chief in three-way photo

The first round of the Comerford Cakes Open 525 (formerly National Puppy Stake) got underway on Saturday night at Shelbourne Park, and it was unsurprising that the fastest time of the round came in the second heat.

However, the winner, Drumcrow Kaiser, caught many by surprise as Roy Ruddy’s November ’13 whelp returned odds of 8-1 when coming out on top in a three-way photo finish with Creamery Bale and Jaytee Dutch.

Creamery Bale put his nose in front before halfway but the winner followed him around, with favourite Jaytee Dutch making rapid inroads in behind. There was little to separate them thereafter and Drumcrow Kaiser did just enough to prevail, by a short head in 28.33, from Creamery Bale, with Jaytee Dutch just a neck further back.

Scary Days made all the running to take the opening heat, for Thomas Farrell. The March pup possesses tremendous early dash and, after moving almost four clear to halfway, held Imperial Express by a couple of lengths, in 28.49. There was a minor upset in the third heat as John Fox’s Philiblue came from behind to beat Juvenile Derby winner Anopheles and Lauren Champ by half a length and a short head in 28.79.

Milldean Puma, trained by Peter Cronin, got up late to take the fourth heat. Some four lengths off the pace turning for home, he flew up the straight to pass Airport Turbo in the very last stride, to record a short-head victory in 28.72.

The Graham Holland-trained Jo Jo Fantasy also came from off the pace when taking heat five. Well away but a little short of room early, he made up more than five lengths from the third turn, to beat Borna Sounds by three parts of a length, in 28.37.

Some clever tracking helped Richard Brown’s Global Chief take heat six. Last of five early, he switched around the field as the leaders bumped at the first bend. Narrowly in front early in the back-straight, he held the fast finishes of Scooby The Phant and Mynewbestfriend by a neck and a short head, in 28.84.

Dolores Ruth’s Razldazl Rince made all the running to take the seventh heat in clear-cut fashion. The wide seed had too much early dash for his rivals, and stayed on strongly to beat Motorbar Welcome by four and a half lengths, in 28.46.

Gelong wrapped up the opening-round action with a trap-to-line victory for trainer Gerard Morris. Completing a personal hat-trick, the December pup beat Farloe Joey by a length and a half, in 28.65, with leading fancy Droopys Latina exiting the competition after finding plenty of trouble.