Absolutely Ace lives up to name at Curraheen Park
A 9-2 chance, the bitch, owned by Sean O’Halloran and Tadhg Morrissey, Cashel, broke better than she had done in the semi-finals, and turned a close second behind Coolbeggan Ace.
After switching inside the leader, she took over pacemaking duties racing to halfway, with Kingtone Joy moving to challenge shortly afterwards.
There was little to separate them down to the third turn but Absolutely Ace stayed tight to the inside while her challenger moved wide and, showing her stamina, the leader pulled three clear of her nearest rival, in 28.66.
Burley Babe was just a spot slower on the clock when leading all the way in the first semi-final of the Michael O’Leary Memorial A3 525.
From an early stage this race developed into a match between the winner and favourite Idir An Bheirt, but Burley Babe, trained by Pat Kiely for David Burke, Upton, pulled away to win by three lengths.
Murdaniel Beauty brought her tally to four wins from 11 outings when taking the second semi-final for Denis Murphy, Whitechurch.
The bitch took a flyer from traps and led until Laughil Jet took over leaving the second bend.
The latter moved a length clear to halfway but, as his run petered out, Murdaniel Beauty found extra to beat Iroko Tina by a length and a half, in 28.91.
Kiln Barney, who, last month, showed real promise in the Rising Unraced Stake at Youghal, made a winning start over 550 yards, in race 10.
Owned by Patrick Buckley, Kerry Pike, the lightly raced July ’13 whelp had the pace to take length out of the field racing to the first turn, and had quadrupled that advantage by the time he reached the third bend.
The always second Gotnewgirlfriday stayed on again, but the leader proved two and a half lengths too good, in 30.01.
The classy Madra Deas made a successful return to action in the finale, winning by a wide margin for trainer Kieran Lynch and owner Ted Murphy, Bandon.
Off since July, he showed no signs of rustiness as he drove the first bend to take over from Charlesfield Tom, and then pulled away in great style to beat Boherash Ozzie by seven lengths, in 28.44.
Posh Jessie scored at the tenth time of asking, Sean Hickey’s bitch leading at the turn and then pulling a very long way clear to take the opener in 29.61.
In race two, Cash Spice went clear early and did enough to fend off favourite Dynamo Supreme, to secure victory in 17.95, for Jason Cashman, Carrignavar.
In race three, Mort Cronin’s Faoides Ferry made it two wins from four starts when asserting late to beat Walk On Sunshine by half a length, in 29.20, while Miss Smirnoff pulled away late to record a 28.94 victory in race four, for Paul King, Clogheen.
Chris Walsh, Dunmanway, was on the mark in race five when Lahana Ally led early, and stayed on nicely to record a 13th victory in 66 outings.
Anton Chigurh, owned by Michael Spillane, Blarney, secured his third success, all from trap one, when leading from the third turn to take race six in 28.80.
