JINGO SETS THE STANDARD IN NORTHWEST GREYHOUND SUPPLIES ACTION

Peter Farrell

The second round heats of the €4,000-to-the-winner Northwest Greyhound Supplies 525 featured at Lifford on Saturday night, with the standard set by Old Fort Jingo as she shed her maiden tag in good style.

Owned by Tony Teague, Old Fort Jingo endured an impressive qualifying campaign and, while she came into this competition with just three starts under her belt, she had hinted at better to come when finishing third last time out. That promise came to fruition in the opening second round heat as she proved a class above her rivals to emerge a 2/1 winner.

Drawn well in trap one, ‘Jingo’ meant business from the outset, breaking sharply to take full control on the run-up. Leading from Sniperboulavogue down the back, the daughter of Ballyhimikin Jet - Benzema was never under serious pressure as she turned the screw late on, staying on strongly to win by two and a half lengths. The time was 29.06, the fastest of the four heats.

CHARLI MAKES ALL

Next best on the clock was the Dessie Kerrigan-trained Kilara Charli, as he made it back-to-back wins in the stake.

A convincing winner of his opening round assignment, Kilara Charli was installed as the 4/5 favourite and showed superior early pace to race past both Smurfing Deele and Brysons Flyer on the run-up. Holding his inside line well, the April-born son of Dromana Bucko opened a three-length lead passing the sprint boxes, with Tetra Eco improving into second to give chase. Despite the latter eating into the advantage in the closing stages, it proved a case of too little, too late, as Kilara Charli held on gamely to score by a length and a half. The time was 29.07.

BACK-TO-BACK FOR DONNACHA

Heat three was billed as the standout contest but proved more straightforward than expected, as Lemon Donnacha once again showed his liking for the demanding Lifford circuit.

Trained by Declan Crossan for Georgina Gibbons, Lemon Donnacha was impressive in round one but was sent off the 7/4 second favourite here behind Hillslot Salah (1/1). Quickly into stride from trap five, ‘Donnacha’ was forced to settle for second at the opening bend as the pacey Letter Magic drove up the inside to lead. It remained nip and tuck down the back, but at the three-quarter mark Crossan’s charge began to assert. Wearing down the leader, the son of Signet Ace - Foyle Lucy took a wide route off the final bend but finished strongly to secure a three-length victory. The time was 29.30.

RUMOUR RALLIES LATE

The concluding heat saw False Rumour bounce back to winning ways for John McQuillan and Anthony Dean.

Sent off at 4/1, False Rumour avoided early traffic from trap five to track Glavin Thief into the back straight. There was a sense of inevitability from this point, given the stamina limitations of the leader, and False Rumour duly took over at the three-quarter mark. Drawing clear thereafter, the son of Ballyhimikin Jet - Kishlawn Shakira crossed the line with five lengths to spare over Meenagh Manila in second. The time was 29.30.

The somewhat lop-sided semi-final draw was made shortly after it will see many of the outright fancies lock horns. The full draw can be viewedHERE.