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2015 Con
& Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake……The Story So Far!
The success of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy
Stake since it’s inception in 2013 has seen the event grow to one of the
most influential competitions not only in Ireland but on the world stage, with
it’s lofty tag as the richest puppy stake on the planet drawing envious
attention from all corners of the greyhound globe.
Making this success possible is the generosity of Noreen
& J.P McManus through their sponsorship and innovative inclusion of the
GAA Clubs in County Limerick which has made this festival of young greyhound
talent a compelling spectacle on the track but also in the stands with
enthusiastic support for all 72 contenders, guaranteed. All patrons, owners and
trainers are encouraged to express a debt of gratitude to the McManus Family at
every turn for the chance to race for our €80,000 first prize is a rare and
precious opportunity.
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| Inaugural winner Roxholme Bully |
Unique in many ways, the relaxed age restriction on these
pups to 26 months of age means that the event receives these talented young
trackers at a further stage of development than any other puppy stakes around
the country and ready to launch themselves to the upper echelons of the sport
in what has become the birthplace of superstars. We have seen two phenomenal
greyhounds land the outright honours in our previous staging’s as Owen
McKenna’s Roxholme Bully took the inaugural event in 2013 with powerful
displays throughout, while Brendan Matthews Boylesports Hero was breath-taking
in his march to glory last year. Both these wonderful winners subsequently had
their race careers cease prematurely but such was their prowess that we now
eagerly await the first of their progeny to hit the racing scene. We have also
seen an Irish Derby winner emerge from this stake through Slippery Robert along
with finalists Vulturi and Emers Superstar and last season’s English Derby
third Crokers Champ.
Matthews
back for another tilt with opening round brace!
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| Brendan Matthews (left) bids for back to back Kirby glory! |
A fantastic night of opening round action set the scene for another
epic renewal with many outright ante-post fancies laying down markers from the
outset but just as the event ended last year, so it began in 2015 with a
Brendan Matthews winner!
He claimed the very first heat on night one when Leave
At Dawn scorched to a highly impressive victory in 28.53 and completed the
double when litter brother Boylesports Jet was the fastest winner of the night
with a brilliant display throughout heat 10, registering 28.37! Completing the
Matthews trio of entries from a litter by Foleys Folly out of Toms Delight was
Cable Bay, who although only fourth in heat 5, gamely found a qualifying run
after a slow start for an ultimately more significant result as he would
subsequently progress further than his litter comrades!
Claiming victory in that same heat 5 was Robert Gleeson’s
Droopys Braedon when leading at the first bend from trap 4 to record a one
length verdict over Beaming Bucko in a smart 28.63, keeping his unbeaten career
record intact but it was Graham Holland who led the way in the training stakes
on the opening night with three heat winners from his seven entries. He saw
Ballydoyle Honey build on her Clonmel Champion Unraced Stake victory with a
pleasing 28.58 in a seven length win before Cabra Mufasa dominated heat 4 in 28.98.
However it was Rural Hawaii who impressed most when completing the Holland
treble in heat 9, claiming a place on the outright shortlist with a brilliant
early paced display despite being led from trap 6. He cleverly switched inside
his wide running trap 5 rival on the run to the bend, gaining clear racing room
that would see him dominate throughout in a slick 28.55.
Three
remain unbeaten as Jap goes fastest!
Lighting up our second round heats was a stunning
performance by the Pat Buckley trained Coolavanny Jap with a sizzling 28.22 in
his heat 4 victory having led to the first bend from trap 3, catapulting him to
the top of the outright betting market. The night saw three runners register
back to back victories in the event and first up in heat 1 was Rural Hawaii
when again displaying impressive pace throughout after a good start from trap
6. He paced up well on the outside, crucially denying Cable Bay an early lead
in 28.48. Our next repeat winner came in the following heat where Rachel
Wheeler’s Cunning Barney warmed to his Kirby task by posting a Limerick
hat-trick. He had a favourable draw in a heat that contained some serious
outright fancies and used his rails pitch from trap 1 to good effect for a
clear run. He stretched clear for a five and a half length verdict over Baile
Mhic in 28.57 with Ballydoyle Honey in third. The big casualties here were
first round winners Leave at Dawn and Farloe Hunter when finding traffic at the
opening turns.
Closing the second round heats with a six timer to start his
career was Robert Gleeson’s Droopys Braedon when dominating heat 8 following a
blistering 1.19 sectional from an ideal trap 1 on his way to a six and a half
length verdict over Fastaway Jayfkay in 28.49. Other notable winners on the
night were Beaming Boost who showed pleasing progression for his Limerick debut
to repel Go Django by two lengths in heat 7, recording 28.53 while Ivy Hill
Bart gave a thoroughly professional performance in heat 6 with a smart break
and all round pace to defeat Boherna Pedro by four lengths in 28.63.
Droopy
remains unbeaten in sizzling seven
Breaking extremely fast from trap 1, Droopys Braedon
registered his seventh straight career win when dominating the second
quarter-final, again displaying brilliant early pace to record his career best
time of 28.35. Impressive when chasing him home in second place was Boylesports
Jet who made significant headway from the second turn to go down by just three
quarters of a length with Beaming Boost another half a length back in third.
This came after Pale Moon had caused an upset in the first heat of the night
when leading in the early strides from trap 2 for a first bend lead that would
see him home by a short-head in 28.71 from the fast finishing Boherna Pedro
with Cable Bay finding another game qualifying effort in third after a slow
start. This heat saw the elimination of hot favourite Coolavanny Jap when his menacing
challenge was thwarted by losing his action at the third bend.
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| Noel Hehir has reached back to back Kirby Finals! |
This was followed by a trap to line victory in heat 3 for
Fastaway Jayfkay who just lasted home by a neck from a fast finishing Country
Legend in 28.73 with Liscahane Royal in third before the big clash of two
unbeaten stake runners in our concluding heat 4. Cunning Barney & Rural
Hawaii both had suitable draws in a mouth-watering tussle and they duly
delivered the buckle of the competition with the Holland charge prevailing by
just a neck in 28.45 with Noel Hehir’s Ivy Hill Bart in third.
Rural
keeps it Country in semi-finals!
Our semi-final heats brought two supreme performances with
breathtaking winning displays and Graham Holland’s Rural Hawaii will go to
traps a warm favourite for outright glory in the final as the fastest remaining
runner having recorded a brilliant 28.22 when ending the unbeaten run of
Droopys Braedon by a convincing five lengths. He kept his own unbeaten record
in the event intact when outpacing both Ivy Hill Bart and Droopys Braedon to
the second turn despite being a half length adrift of that pair in the early
stages. He stretched readily clear on the back-straight with victory secured as
the scramble for coveted final places unfolded in his wake. Boylesports Jet was
attempting to recover from a very tardy start and appeared to have his final
place secured when passing Ivy Hill Bart to range alongside Droopys Braedon at
the third bend but was cruelly checked at this point. He lost significant
ground and the third qualifying place to Ivy Hill Bart as a consequence.
Thanks again to the Racing Post. Link : http://t.co/PTJDC285H5
The Final Draw
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1) COUNTRY LEGEND
Maurice Heffernan’s Country Legend
arrived at Limerick with a sole novice race win to his name and had just
registered his first official open race time in an A1 defeat at Shelbourne
Park. He has however developed throughout this event showing an admirable
staying quality to fill qualifying places in the early rounds. Not noted for
his prowess to the bend he found a fast break in the semi-final to lead at
the opening turn for the first time in his career and made a virtual
procession of a hot heat. Has he found the necessary improvement at just the
right time? Has the penny dropped at traps? If so, he could make a mockery of
his 5/1 quote!
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2) BEAMING BOOST
Pat Buckley’s Beaming Boost had
already made a lasting mark in all-aged open race company before arriving at
Limerick when running-up the Kingdom Derby at Tralee with brilliant clocks.
Improving for his first race at the track he registered a smart round 2 heat
win in 28.53 and showed further progression with his best clock of the event
next time. Only beaten by one and a quarter lengths to Droopys Braedon in the
quarter final, he was himself recording 28.44, from this trap. He now has
Braedon on his outside and it is conceivable that he could gain a clear run
on the rails for a possible reverse of that form if finding his best break as
his splits compare very favourably to all. He is definitely not without hope
at 6/1.
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3) DROOPYS BRAEDON
Robert Gleeson’s Droopys Braedon
gave due notice of his Kirby credentials when arriving at Limerick for an A3
stake in mid January. Recording 28.38 in the second round heats of that event
he went straight to the top of the outright betting market for the Kirby and
remained there until beaten by Rural Hawaii last week. Discounting his
chances solely on that defeat would be a mistake now for his career start of
seven straight wins still merits huge respect. He must prove that he can be
as effective from trap 3 as he has been from the red jacket but a repeat of
his sizzling early round splits may bring the decisive first bend lead that
he will need for victory. He will merit the support of his legion of admirers
at 9/4.
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4) CABLE BAY (m)
The only one of Brendan Matthews
trio of supremely talented litter comrades not to register a heat win, Cable
Bay has plotted his path to the final like a veteran, with track craft
beyond his years. Displaying phenomenal back-straight pace, he has gamely
earned qualifying places from unpromising positions in the wake of his slow
starts. The bare face of his form would appear to offer only a place claim
now but he would benefit from any traffic among early leaders and mount a
serious challenge if close off the second bend. One other source of hope for
his supporters is his brilliant trial form at Limerick in advance of this
event. He must have been breaking smartly to record 18.70 and 18.76, if he
translated that sprint form in the first half of the final his chances would
be much more realistic than his 10/1 price.
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5) IVY HILL BART (m)
Ivy Hill Bart gives Noel Hehir his
second consecutive Kirby finalist and having entered the stake as an A1 racer
he has steadily improved throughout the event. He recorded a second round
heat victory when producing his best start for a first bend lead in 28.63 and
will need that slick exit again now for he must deny the favourite in trap 6
a second bend lead if he is to hold reasonable win claims. That will prove a
tough task but he almost managed to match him in the semi-final until
inconvenienced by Droopys Braedon on the rail when shuffled back to third. It
will take a career best but he is no forlorn hope at 12/1.
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6) RURAL HAWAII (w)
Graham Holland’s Rural Hawaii
posted some sizzling trials in advanced of his Kirby campaign and confirmed
that promise from his very first heat at Limerick when recording 28.55 and
has improved with every run since. Beating three fellow finalists along the
way he has recorded 28.48, 28.45 and thrilled patrons last weekend with his
brilliant 28.22 when ending the unbeaten career record of Droopys Braedon in
emphatic style. Not a proficient trapper just yet, he is devastating once in
full stride and is a true trap 6 tracker. He maintains a straight line to the
bend and only begins his drift inward when clear room is available. There are
very few points on the track where he gets close to the rail thus allowing
him to avoid potential bumping and the prospect of another clear run on the
outside of Ivy Hill Bart makes him a truly worthy favourite at 6/4.
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The
Verdict!
The make up of the final appears to offer highly plausible
claims for a cleanly run race with the outside trio all justifying their
seeding and expect them to keep a straight line in the early exchanges. Widest
of the inside seeds, Droopys Braedon has twice raced from middle draws at
Limerick showing no significant inclination to move dramatically inward which
all points to a clear run for all.
Should that be the case, the fastest runner and warm
favourite is justifiably Rural Hawaii. He continues to improve and his
semi-final performance, if repeated will see him home in front. Expect Ivy Hill
Bart to make a forward showing to the first bend with Rural Hawaii ranging
alongside upon turning the corner. Provided none of the inside runners run
dramatically into his path at this stage, his powerful second bend gallop can
see him take command.
The biggest threat would come from Droopys Braedon if he
found one of his flying starts but even so, he would need clear air between
himself and the selection to prevent him leading into the back-straight, for
the presence of Rural Hawaii on his outside would stifle his crucial second
bend gallop as it did in the semi-final.
Any final punt would have to take into consideration a
possible repeat of Country Legend’s semi-final win form. If he reproduces his
fast start and leads those on the inside, the strong stayer would prove
extremely difficult to repel. His rails berth offers a clear claim for a rails
run even if he does not lead on the inside and must enter trio calculations as
a runner that can do it both ways!
A career best would be needed from the remaining three
contenders if they were to cause a minor shock and the most likely to do so may
be Beaming Boost. His starting splits compare quite favourably with those
around him and there is a scenario where he could be the one to command the
rails. He would not need to improve much on his best time of 28.44 if so and
merits plenty of respect. For Cable Bay to deliver back to back Kirby wins for
Brendan Matthews he would need the early pacers to become entwined at some
point but his back-straight pace does warrant trio consideration while the
outsider of the field, Ivy Hill Bart must turn the opening bend in front which
seems a big ask but he possesses enough early pace to turn in a prominent
position for plausible place claims.
Prediction: 6-2-4
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