GREYHOUND PREVIEW: It’s the end of season Winter Racing Festival at Shelbourne Park this weekend. (Friday & Saturday) where €120,000 in prizemoney is up for grabs over the two nights with the best of the action on the Saturday. The best of Friday’s action is previewed and all twelve races on Saturday are previewed.
Greyhound fans have been waiting with anticipation for the release of this years Winter Racing Festival card and once again the calibre of greyhound on show at the famous Dublin has delivered. Over €120,000 is up for grabs in prize money with the majority of that on the Saturday night. Let us look at the best of the action.
Winter Racing Festival – Friday- Shelbourne Park
While the best of the action is undoubtedly on the Saturday evening there are still some interesting runners on the Friday night of the WRF.
Mongys Wild and Pennys Cailin are the two standout performers in the novice 750. Mongys Wild made an ultra-impressive debut when scoring in style in a flying 41:16. Graham Hollands lightly raced son of Roxholme Olaf looks to have a huge future over staying trips. His main danger is certainly Pennys Cailin for Eugene Price, she was hampered in the early part of her semifinal last weekend but came through strongly in the second half of the race and is another with a bright future over long-distance trips. Slight Preference is just for Mongys Wild, but Pennys Cailin won’t be far away.
Race seven carries the tag of the “Old Stagers” 525 but do not let that fool you! Ballyhimikin Rex ran a cracker behind Swords Don last week and can go close here if holding the consistent Cheque For Sir to the opening turn. 2022 Derby Runner Up Ballymac Finn is holding his form well but needs a fast start from trap three while Dusty Prince has been running well over two bends and will be hoping to get to the front early. I was impressed by the recent run of Ballyhimikin Rex last time out and fancy him to go one better here.
Youandme Babe looks banker material in the dual distance final over 850 yards. She had no problems seeing out the 750-yard trip last week and should be hard to beat in here. Blackeyed Turbo looks the one to beat in the 600 yards final but keep an eye on Innfield Fifi at a big price in here. The youngster caught the eye in defeat and has a bright future ahead of her. Lennies Desire was impressive last weekend, and he can take race nine on the card despite a less-than-ideal draw in five.
Winter Racing Festival – Saturday – Shelbourne Park
Racing kicks off on Saturday evening at 19:40 with the Shelbourne Park Juvenile 525. Cheque For Cash ran with real credit in this years Irish Derby and despite the trap five draw Karol Ramsbottom’s charge can take advantage of this slight drop in grade. Cash has already dipped under twenty-eight seconds for this trip and if he can produce one of his flying starts, he can make all here. Crafty Alejandro was an impressive winner of the opener on derby final night and has a big chance again from red. The early yards are crucial, but I will just side with Cheque For Cash.
The sprint contest is next up on the card and this looks wide open. Second Treasure won well on Derby final night and can go close with a repeat, but I will take a chance with Elite Kursk in six. Kursk has moved well in a couple of recent trials and has a decent draw to work from. Singalong Molly will be popular in the bitches 550 but I believe the draw gives hope for fans of Grangeclare Lady. Owen Mckenna’s charge has carried little luck in recent weeks but can get back to winning ways in race three.
Race four looks to be lacking a touch of early pace and it looks a good opportunity for Kapuka Warrior to get to the front. He ran better than the bare form would suggest last time out and looks a likely leader in this. Maireads Prince can go up well on occasions and has a good draw with the pacey but frustrating Innfield Destiny likely to edge inwards on the run to the corner. Phoenix Memphis may have been a shade disappointing on Derby final night but cannot be ruled out. Miami King and Faypoint Harvey are well capable but look to be facing tricky draws. I think this may rest between Kapuka Warrior and Maireads Prince with slight preference for Maireads Prince.
The fifth race is a real cracker. Boylesports Bob ran a remarkable race in the Derby final and must be of interest if arriving here in the same form. He faces opposition of the highest quality with the likes of Untold Dollar and Da Bold Falcon in here. Singalong Dolly is well drawn in red and finished just ahead of Bob in the Derby final. Ballymac Gizmo was back to form with an impressive win last weekend and that should do his confidence the world of good. I wouldn’t ignore Ballymac Gizmo in here at a decent price, but Boylesports Bob really caught the eye in his latest race, and he just gets the nod in a red-hot contest.
The I.G.O.B.F. National Puppy 525 is one of the highlights on a star-studded card and all six have claims. Ballymac Eli flew from boxes last weekend when making all in 28:13. Obviously if he can reproduce a start like that, he will take all the beating but I’m unsure he can do the same from red. Untold Rufiyaa was another to impress when winning his semifinal last weekend in 28:15. The battle to the bend between the pair will be crucial. Lemon Joey finished second behind Untold Rufiyaa but cannot be rule out with the possibility of crowding on the inside. The race to the bend is key and for me it’s not a race for betting purposes.
The evergreen The Other Kobe is back at the scene of his greatest triumph. The 2023 Derby winner really impressed in a recent trial and has a perfect draw in red. He flew to the third bend in last weekend’s trial, and it was clear to the eye he tied up on the run in suggesting better is to come. He won at this meeting a couple of years ago and must be taken seriously. Derby Semi-finalist Carrick Aldo has been running with real credit in recent weeks and will be looking to make all from six. That may not be straight forward with the early paced Tarsna Maasi drawn on his inside. Maasai is in the form of his life and with Ventry Faith in four likely to move inwards he should have plenty of room to operate and is chosen to get the better of Carrick Aldo.
Derby Runner-Up Cheap Sandwiches is back after his fine run in defeat behind the wonder dog Bockos Diamond. Sambo as he is known at home does not have to face his kennel mate in this, but he does have to contend with 2024 English Derby winner De Lahdedah. De Lahdedah was back to form when coming from off the pace to win the consolation Derby a couple of weeks ago. Now drawn in his beloved red jacket he must be feared. There is a lot of early pace on the outside with Cheap Sandwiches Knockeen Dazzler and Seven Beach all drawn out wide. Superfast Gorden and Hot Wood complete the classy line up. With a level start Cheap Sandwiches will be hard to beat but with so much early pace on the outside it may just pay to side with De Lahdedah, he is eight from eleven from red and should be able to lead up the inside runners on the run to the corner.
The championship bitch race looks wide open, again the start will be crucial. Deelish Nora has the best of the draw but will need to be on her toes if she is the make full use of it Glengar Martha was impressive last time out but clearing Droopys Kamari in the early yards won’t be easy. Short Grip and Is She There both ran well in this year’s derby and cannot be discounted. Its another tricky race for punters but if Deelish Nore was available at a decent price she may be worth a small bet.
Coolavanny Otto is a classy recruit to six bends. He moved well in a recent trial over the trip and if he can find one of his better starts the short run to the bend will suit him. Jaytee Craze impressed on Derby final night over the trip and will be fancied to go in again. Hukum can flash from traps on occasions and can be a thorn in the side of Jaytee Craze and Otto on the run to the corner. Kinturk Road has always to be feared over this trip and Cresent Emily will be finishing fastest of all. The six-bend trip at Shelbourne does have a short run to the bend and I can see the inside getting tight on the run to the corner. At a massive price it may be worth having a small bet on Pennys Lynx out wide. He has very little milage on the clock over this distance and was quite unlucky in a red-hot contest on derby final night. He will need to do everything right, but he should be double figure odds and is worth a small interest if that’s the case. He stays 600 yards strongly and was runner up on his only start over the trip.
The marathon is the penultimate event on the card. Won last year by 40/1 shot Highjay Muzzy. Muzzy is back once again, and this has long been the target. She has been keeping good company over four bends of late and will have no problem with the stamina sapping trip. Ballyhooly Teejay is another who looks like this trip will suit. He ran well in this year’s Corn Cuchulainn behind the brilliant Tuono Charlie and looks the one to beat in this. Magical Sapphire looks the likely pacesetter, but I am not sure her stamina will last out. Droopys Comrade will have his supporters from a good draw on the fence. Its likely Magical Sapphire will race clear, but I think Ballyhooly Teejay can prove too strong late in the day.
Bombay Pat will be popular in the last. He ran so well in the derby. The step up in trip should hold no fears and he should relish the longer run to the corner. My idea of the winner in here is Dynamic Force. Paul Hennessys runner has good form over sprint trips and has a massive chance to lead here. If doing so he could prove hard to peg back. Ower Cracker ran well behind Da Bold Falcon last time and has a good draw on the fence. Carmac King was knocked over in the Michael Fortune Memorial Plate that was won by Elite Josh. Both are strong but may struggle to turn in a handy position. Dynamic Force is put forward to make all in the lucky last.
Good luck to all connections!
Barry.
