BUCKO LANDS MAGICAL UNRACED DECIDER AT LIFFORD

Peter Farrell

The final of the €1,500-to-the-winner Magical Kennels ON2/ON3 325 served as the feature event on the card at Lifford Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night, attracting a healthy attendance as Bucko justified favouritism in the decider.

Reduced to a five-runner contest following the absence of Cash Your Chips in trap two, Bucko was always likely to prove difficult to beat, a sentiment echoed in the market as he was sent off at even money. Even so, Brian Robinson’s September pup was forced to dig deep after a sluggish start from trap four.

In contrast, the Jamie McGhee-trained pair, Gizmo Mystery and Gizmo Alpha, were quickly into stride from the outside and inside berths respectively, disputing the early lead from the book-end boxes. Once finding his rhythm, however, the powerful 84-pound Bucko began to build momentum and charged into the opening bend, surging between the littermates to lay down his challenge.

Thereafter, the son of Dromana Bucko and Ellie O recovered well from a bump, straightened up in determined fashion and powered past Gizmo Mystery in the closing yards. It was a different type of performance from the youngster, more grit than glamour, but no less impressive, as he stopped the clock in 18.10, a time that told its own story given the traffic he encountered.

ELSWHERE ON THE CARD

The curtain-raiser produced a sparkling display from Willie Mullan’s recent sales recruit, Ropewalk Black. Drawn in six, the October daughter of Droopys Flytline displayed electric early pace on the outer, sweeping around the opening bend to seize a decisive advantage. From there, she simply powered away, emerging a class apart as she crossed the line nine and a half lengths clear of Snipersstillgame in a rapid 17.69.

An equally taking performance followed in race two, where Orchid Simone struck for Fiona Devlin and Shane Brennan. A modest €500 purchase at the sales, she already looks a shrewd investment. The daughter of Doolin Duke and Cicero asserted from the outset, showing sharp early dash from trap four before stretching clear to see off Sparta Rascal by two and a half lengths in a smart 17.81.

Race four saw the opening leg of a ‘Smurfing’ double courtesy of Smurfing Legacy. Owned by Eunan McBride, the strong-running tracker was always travelling with menace as he tracked Old Hubbard into the back straight. True to style, the son of Broadstrand Bono and Murlens Madison loomed large at the three-quarter mark and asserted late on, staying on powerfully to score by two lengths in 29.41.

The double was completed in the marathon 820-yard contest as Smurfing Gamer made virtually every yard. In a distance event that drew plenty of attention, ‘Gamer’ was quickly into stride and dictated matters from the run to the opening bend. Setting a relentless gallop, she kept on strongly to hold the staying-on Text Roisin by two and three-quarter lengths, stopping the clock at 47.14.

Sniper Orla Wray returned to winning ways in the penultimate race, rediscovering something close to her best for Kevin and Keelin O’Kane. In truth, the race was settled at trap rise, as the daughter of Sniper Ria pinged from three to record a scorching 4.31 sectional. Never sighting another rival thereafter, she powered home two and a half lengths clear of Dunubius in a fast 17.70.