DROOPYS MONK CAN MAINTAIN UNBEATEN RECORD IN DENIS LINEHAN UNRACED FINAL
Barry Drake
The €10,000 to the winner Denis Linehan Solicitors Open Unraced Stake final is the feature race at Curraheen Park tonight, and it promises to be a terrific spectacle.
It's full of top-class prospects, and it will take some winning; however, Droopys Monk gets a narrow vote in the decider. It's a big night for trainer Barry Clancy as he's double represented in the feature final.
Owned by Graham Ashe and Tommy Kelly, Droopys Monk is unbeaten in both rounds, with the November puppy winning in 28.42 and 28.56. The son of Signet Ace is yet to produce an explosive start, and the November puppy looks capable of one. In doing so, he would take a big run to deny him. In a very open contest, he just about gets the nod. Another positive is that he's drawn well in two.
Croydon Web, trained by Patrick Barrett for Michael Clark, set the standard last week, winning in 28.35, and the September daughter of Sober Glory should go very well from the rails pitch. That was a much better performance last week, displaying plenty of speed to land the spoils. A quick start will be needed, but she's a huge player in this.
Of the others, Fahrenheit Ace, trained by Graham Holland for Lorraine O'Sullivan and Tony O'Connor, showed bundles of early pace when winning in 28.45 last week. He's a serious prospect going forward, but he looks up against it from a tough draw out wide. Callaway Ryder, trained by Graham Holland for owners the Field Sports Syndicate, rates a serious player. He ran run well without winning in recent runs, and if producing a quick start from the middle, which looks likely, then he will make them all go. The Barry Clancy-trained Droopys Porter and Darragh Dwan's Thurlesbeg Duke make up the sextet.
The Pat O'Keeffe A3/A4 final is another open event. Knockalough, trained by Kieran Lynch for owners the Seasiders Syndicate, impressed last time when winning in 28.63. She will need to repeat that 3.39 sectional if she's to follow up, but there's no doubt she has massive claims of doing so. The James Kelleher-trained Southwind Storm comes here in great form, winning his last two, in 28.70 and 28.84. Daving Manning's runner is capable of making another bold bid. Clonavanny Blue, trained by Tony Winters for owner Simon Buckley, should also be in the mix.
Trained by Johnny Linehan for owners Barry and Martin O'Reilly, Montana Secret can make the most of the rails pitch in the second semi-final of the David Fitzgibbon Memorial Open 525.
The selection is yet to score in seven previous outings, but he has run well in top company. Ideally placed next to the rails, the big early pacer is selected to bounce out in front and make every yard of the running. That was a fine performance in defeat last time out, and he should improve plenty for the run.
Bockos Gold, trained by Graham Holland for owners the Jolly Good Syndicate, is next best. A recent finalist in the Kirby, he finished just in front of the selection last week and is another that should improve for the run; however, he will need to do everything right from trap four in this.
In the opening heat, Droopys Croia is another that can make the most of the rails pitch for trainer Johnny Linehan and owner Sean Dunphy. A 28.28 winner in the opening round of the Oaks, she was out of luck next time, but she can bounce back in third.