CRIPSY STARS IN MERRIMAN MEMORIAL

Ian Fortune

There was terrific racing at Shelbourne Park on Friday night with the second round of the Paddy Merriman Memorial the undoubted feature. Each of the four quarter finals were won in superb style but none could match Droopys Crispy on the clock.

CRISPY PACKS A PUNCH

For all that Droopys Crispy was mighty impressive in the opening round, she bettered that effort in the second round, overcoming a tricky draw with minimum fuss. The daughter of Droopys Addition and Droopys Alyssa was drawn in four but she made light work of her task.

Electric at traps, she had the room to move inwards and dictate from the outset. Hollyhill Stacey also went up fast to challenge early but Droopys Crispy was in a league of her own, asserting on the turn before building a decisive lead.

There was a late battle for second with Turnon The Turbo finishing well to grab second from Hollyhill Stacey but neither could get near the leader. The Barry Clancy trained Droopys Crispy emerged a facile seven and a half length scorer in a rapid 28.05.

COOL IMPRESSES

Jacktavern Cool may have missed the start in Heat 2 but he ran a brilliant opening two bends to put himself in a challenging position behind the fast-starting Old Texas off the second turn.

The son of Jacktavern Gem and Beaming Smasher made full use of his momentum to power his way to the front into the third turn.

Once doing so, he eased on to eventually emerge a comfortable winner. Trained by Michael Corr for the A few Chancers Syndicate, Jacktavern Cool ran through the line to see off the running on Ballymac Whistle by four lengths in 28.42.

JO JUMPS IN LATTER STAGES

After the success of Droopys Crispy in the opening heat, Not Just Jo completed a wonderful double for Barry Clancy in Heat 3 as she lew home to pick up long-time pace-setter Hackney Dino. The latter was really sharp in the early yards and quickly built a clear advantage but Not Just Jo is very strong and had room to race in second spot.

Entering the back straight five lengths back, Not Just Jo quickly set about closing the gap. Owned by the Just Not Necessary Syndicate, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Oi Oi Upenalty began to bridge the gap into the third turn before quickly moving onto the heels of the leader before the final turn.

Maintaining her forward momentum, Not Just Jo struck the front early in the home straight before going on to beat the staying on Portumna Levi by two lengths in 28.39. Hackney Dino was a half length further back in third.

SUPER SASSY GIVES RIVALS THE SLIP

The Jennifer O’Donnell trained Born Sassy continued her unbeaten march through the competition also, showing her rivals a clean pair of heels from the outset in Heat 3.

John Mitchell’s daughter of Tommy Shelby and Whitings Gift is a real professional and she again flashed from traps to dominate.

Headwire Trout found bad traffic on the turn but recovered wonderfully well to take up the chase in the latter stages but Born Sassy stayed on to secure a length victory in 28.47.

JAMESMAC IS GOING FORWARD

Elsewhere on the card, Lennies Jamesmac followed up a superb run in defeat on Derby final night with a fine success in the seventh race on the card.

The Paul Hennessy trained son of Ballymac Best and Crafty Kokoro really seems to be finding his feet and despite being forced to go around Grangeview Rocko on the opening and second turns, he displayed his class to halfway to assert.

Owned by the Lee Ash & James Mc Syndicate, he edged on before containing the renewed challenge of Grangeview Rocko by a length in 28.21.