TIME FOR A GOLD RUSH IN DUBLIN
Ian Fortune
A place in the final of the Tote Gold Cup is at stake at Shelbourne Park this evening with the semi-finals of the early season showpiece very much of the feature.
The remainder of the card is also packed with outstanding racing, including another comeback run for Ballymac Setanta, but the headlines will go to the Gold Cup.
SOLO CAN GET FIRST RUN ON STUD
Liam Dowling wouldn’t have been particularly pleased when he saw the draw for the opening heat with his trio of Gold Cup challengers facing each other.
Solo And Go was beaten by his kennel companion Ballymac Siun last week and the pair meet again, while another of his star names, Ballymac Stud joins them.
He could certainly get over the fact that the trio have been put in together if the actual trap draw was a bit kinder but there’s a chance they will clash in the early yards with Solo And Go set to cut inwards from four, Ballymac Siun likely to move off the rail from one, while Ballymac Stud is drawn between in the pair in three.
If there is any traffic on the inside of the track, that could potentially open up the race for Clona Comet and Lemon Hidalgo on the outside of the track but Solo And Go is selected to overcome his tricky draw.
The Kingdom Derby champion overcame a slow start from the same draw last week to finish just behind Ballymac Siun. With one of his trademark flying starts, he would almost certainly dictate the pace and is set to atone for his latest defeat.
Ballymac Siun and Clona Comet went fastest last week, posting 28.30 and 28.31, but Ballymac Stud is seen as the greatest threat. A brilliant tracker, who will appreciate a return to 550yds in the near future, he has the pace and class to push his kennel companion.
STYLE JUST GETS THE NOD
The second semi-final is also wide open.
The battle for early supremacy could see Crossfield Matt, Swords Style, Coloursaregreen, Droopys Orator and Callaway Five all racing prominently into the bend, while Zenith Gizmo will look to turn close from an ideal draw on the fence.
Realistic claims can be made for each of the six but a tentative vote goes to Swords Style, who has been in terrific form. A fast starter, he displayed fine early speed to contain some real speedsters into the bend in his latest success and is perhaps the most likely pace-setter.
Crossfield Matt was brilliant in the opening round but didn’t show the same sparkle into the bend last week. He is drawn on the right side of Swords Style in two and is clearly a huge danger but he needs to be at his sharpest in the early yards.
Coloursaregreeen has all sorts of pace but is another in need of a flying start from four. If he were to get to the front, he would be very difficult to reel in but the draw isn’t ideal. That leaves Callaway Five as the main threat to the aforementioned Swords Style and Crossfield Matt.
He moved with real purpose down the back straight to hit the front into the third turn last week and is clearly in good form. He also needs to come away racing as clearing Droopys Orator in five is no easy task.
There would be no surprise result in this contest, such is the open nature of the race, but Swords Style gets the nod to assert into the bend before seeing off Crossfield Matt and Callaway Five.
SETANTA SET TO STUN AGAIN
The remainder of the card is packed with quality racing but the undoubted star of the undercard is Ballymac Setanta.
Now disputing favouritism for both the English and Irish Derby after a stunning comeback run over two bends last weekend, he will be a red-hot favourite for the penultimate race on the card over 525yds.
He faces some talented rivals including the unbeaten Button It, Juvenile Derby champion Getup The Boy and the early paced duo of Metallic Missile and Advantage Rule but Ballymac Setanta is a truly elite performer and anything short of a comfortable success would be a surprise.
If trapping as fast as last week, he could potentially race to clear favouritism for Derby glory even at this early stage of the year.