SPRINTERS SHINE AT SHELBOURNE
Ian Fortune
Friday’s card at Shelbourne Park served up some fine displays. Of course, the semi-finals of the BOYLE Sports Best Odds Guaranteed SSO 350 provided three wonderful winners as Ireland’s best sprinters really turned up.
There were two finals elsewhere on the card including that of the Two Steps To Victory AO 550/575 which was won in brilliant style by Droopys Mezza.
MAGICAL MEZZA
Droopys Mezza missed the kick and found crowding in the semi-finals but a week is a long time in greyhound racing and she took her opportunity with real purpose.
Coming away racing, she soon moved through the gears to take charge into the bend.
Jacktavern Storm was her nearest rival in the early stages but Gaston ran on really well to emerge in second spot. Droopys Mezza was in a league of her own, however. Trained by Murt Leahy for Keith Turner, the daughter of Pestana and Droopys Onestop eased away to hit the line six lengths clear in a rapid 30.99.
PREFER ON TOP
The final of the Barking Buzz A4 525 went the way of one of the joint favourite’s Id Prefer Not.
A 6-4 chance, the Brendan Matthews trained son of Dorotas Wildcat and Rathdown Molly went up better than a week earlier to sit second behind Aidhm Phroinsias before moving through the gears to the third turn.
Plunket Matthews’ youngster took over at this point before easing on to score by four lengths in 29.03. Borna ted stayed on to take second.
BROWNE AND AARI GO HEAD-TO-HEAD
The opening semi-final of the sprint saw two of the best in the business go toe to toe like prize-fighters.
Stonepark Browne and The Other Aari both came away racing with the former edging into a narrow lead into the bend.
The Other Aari was always close enough to challenge and came back at the leader around the opening two bends. Turning for home, the duo had skipped clear of their pursuers and were ready to duke it out to the line.
Ultimately, with the inside line in his favour, Michael O’Dwyer’s Stonepark Browne would contain his rival. The Michael O’Donovan trained son of Malachi and Coolavanny Ella powered to the line to contain The Other Aari by three parts of a length in a rapid 18.39.
MIGHTY MIST
Vernon Mist put his best foot forward in the second semi-final, showing wonderful immediate acceleration to take control for Gerry Holian and PJ Quinn.
Drawn along the fence, he was never going to allow one of his rivals come around him.
Sogna Ancora did all he could to stay in touch only to check his stride on the bend. Meanwhile, Vernon Mist was unrelenting. The son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Sanjose ran right to the line to win by three lengths from Silverhill Bucko in 18.59.
ANOTHER DREAM LIKE DISPLAY
In what was his first outing since capturing the Irish Sprint Cup at Dundalk, the all-conquering Tiermana Dream made a successful return for Colm Fitzgerald and the Zero Zero Syndicate in the last of the three semi-finals.
Callaway Danny was fastest into stride from six although Tiermana Dream displayed his now trademark early speed into the bend to soon take command. Once turning in front, he stayed a true line to increase his advantage into the home straight.
Bomber Nina stayed on well to take second, but Tiermana Dream was never under any real pressure. The son of Ballyhimikin Jet and Tiermana Jetty went on to score by two lengths in 18.47.
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