MAGICAL HOPE CROWNED LIMERICK OAKS CHAMP

Peter Farrell

A fine card at Limerick Greyhound Stadium was spearheaded by the final of the J.P & Pauline Ryan Limerick Oaks, and the €7,500-to-the-winner decider went the way of Magical Hope, who produced a career-best performance on the night that mattered most.

Pat and Donal Guilfoyle arrived at the showpiece double-handed, with litter sisters Magical Hope and Magical Poppet carrying the hopes of the Classic-winning connections. In the betting ring, however, it was Lennies Madge who headed to traps as the 9/4 favourite, narrowly ahead of ‘Poppet’ at 5/2. Badly Behaving was next best at 7/2, while Magical Hope was available at 9/2, alongside 5/1 joint outsiders Rossa Abi and Arrow Twirl.

ABI & HOPE DISPUTE

With the break always likely to prove decisive, it was Thomas O’Donovan’s rapidly improving Rossa Abi who pinged the lids from trap four, immediately asserting on the rails and cutting across Arrow Twirl in the process. Magical Hope, displaying electric early pace from trap five, quickly joined the leader on the run to the bend and produced a superb opening corner to sweep into the lead.

ALL TO PLAY FOR

Holding a length-and-a-half advantage turning down the back, Magical Hope extended that margin to two lengths at halfway. With traffic developing in behind, the contest soon developed into a three-dog battle, Badly Behaving still within striking distance in third if good enough to capitalise.

MAGICAL WIN FOR GUILFOYLE

Approaching the crown of the penultimate bend, however, Rossa Abi emerged as the principal threat, closing to within a length of the leader. It was then that Magical Hope dug deepest on the Limerick hill, the daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Magical Poppy showing tremendous resolve to fend off her rival and cross the line with a length to spare. Rossa Abi lost nothing in defeat with a blistering effort in second, underlining her status as a major force for the future, while Badly Behaving just held off the late surge of Lennies Madge for third. The winning time of 28.33 brought the curtain down on another memorable renewal of the Limerick Oaks.