Better Call Caul: Students light up Shelbourne Park
Shelbourne Park hosted its first Student Race Night on Tuesday evening of this week and it's safe to say the event was a roaring success. Over four thousand local students packed the iconic Dublin venue and the feedback from all in attendance was hugely positive.
A special six-race program was assigned to the usually vacant Tuesday night slot and racegoers arrived from 6pm with the first race due off at 19:30. There were live DJs on the first and second floors as well as a live band after racing. Pop-up bars and numerous food outlets also filled the ground floor and all in all it was a great night had by the local students.
It's well worth checking out the Shelbourne Park Twitter page to get a sense of the electric atmosphere from the night. Hopefully it can become a regular fixture for the foreseeable future.
St Leger at Limerick
The last classic of the year in Ireland got underway at Limerick on Saturday night. The entry looked incredibly strong and, as predicted, we saw some big performances.
Fastest run of the night came in the opening heat when Bobsleigh Dream was five lengths too good for Storys Cashout in 29:48. Recent Curraheen Park track record breaker and a bitch in real form Illnotbeback took the second heat in 29:60; we lost the favorite here, Tullig Raven finishing back in sixth place.
Heat three was a messy affair with Killahan Sydney taking it in 30:21. Mustang Jet, who was fancied by many to go well in this year's Irish Derby, returned to the top of his game when winning heat four in 29:67.
A big clash was up next between Bockos Budsit and Magical Mary. The pair dominated the betting and the finish when Budsit ran out a game winner over Magical Mary by a length in 29:89.
Recent Puppy Oaks winner Ballymac Run was pitched in against her kennelmate Ballymac Whispa in the next heat, but it was the youngster Ballymac Run who emerged on top when stopping the clock in 29:51. Ballymac Whispa finished back in third with Annagh Bailey splitting the pair. Ballymac Run is a bitch with a bright future and could go a long way in this event.
Bockos Crystal took heat seven in 29:48 — she continues in red-hot form for trainer Graham Holland. We lost Hoodoo Brown in this heat. Droopys Edison, a finalist in the Laurels, was back to winning ways in heat eight when he caught long-time leader Trinity Junior on the run in, stopping the clock in 29:66.
Irish Derby runner-up Ballymac Finn was the big name in a red-hot heat nine, but he could never recover from a slow start and made an early exit from the competition as Vincenzo scored for Patrick Guilfoyle in 29:65.
The heat of the night for many was the clash of Ballinabola Ed and English Derby champ Romeo Magico in heat 10. Ed took a flier from box five, and try as Romeo Magico did, he could not reel back the classy front-runner, who had two and a half lengths to spare at the line in 29:65.
Patrick Guilfoyle was responsible for the winner of the last heat when his Wi Can Dream beat Ballymore Border by two and a half lengths in 29:86 in a four-dog race.
The eight second round heats are to be run this Saturday night, and we will preview the event in depth from next week onwards.
Grand National and Gold Collar at Crayford
Crayford has something for everyone on Saturday morning when they feature the semifinals of the Ladbrokes Grand National and the Ladbrokes Gold Collar over the sharp 540m six bends.
Two semifinals of the Grand National, where three will qualify from each into next weekend's final, are first up. In the first of the semis, outright favorite Lenson Doolin will be a warm order to score. A smart sort on the flat as well as over hurdles, with a fast start he is expected to come through and score with Magical Oscar expected to follow him home in second.
In the second semifinal Native Style, Borna Rhythm and Brodies Sydney meet for the second week running and should dominate this once again. Only a half-length separated them last week, but Borna Rhythm was undoubtedly the unlucky runner. He found all sorts of traffic and performed minor miracles to almost come and snatch the prize. With a bit of luck Borna Rhythm can take the second semi, Bang On Sonia is very capable on her day and can't be ruled out from a good draw in box two.
Next up on the Crayford card is the Gold Collar semifinals. Run over a sharp six bends two will qualify from each of the three semifinals.
In the first semi a case can genuinely be made for all six runners. Bombardier is classy on his day, but much depends on his trapping. The early pace looks likely to come from the outside boxes with Peejays Forever in five running as well as ever at the moment; she has the sectionals to lead early and having won over further would be tough to peg back.
In the second semi we see the evergreen Warzone Tom line up in another big race semifinal. He ran a cracker to win last week when coming from off the pace, but he can come away smartly on occasions and if he were to lead, he simply would not be caught. Savana Ruinart caught the eye in a recent trial over this trip and is another who would be a real handful if able to dictate. She has won over a variety of trips and is one to keep onside.
The last of the three heats can go the way of the ex-Irish trained runner Iso Fantastic. He mixed it with the best around Shelbourne Park on many an occasion and has taken to Crayford extremely well having won his three-dog trial and only race around the venue thus far. He is ideally drawn out wide in six and looks sure to go well.
Weekend's best bets
Crayford, Saturday (11:09 GMT)
Greyhound
Lenson Doonan
Bet Type
Win
Stake
2 units
*Odds correct at time of publication