Proper Heiress makes it two from two, but Bombay Pat goes fastest in BoyleSports Irish Derby second round

Proper Heiress makes it two from two, but Bombay Pat goes fastest in BoyleSports Irish Derby second round

Proper Heiress kept the British flag flying in the second round of the BoyleSports Irish Derby, but Graham Holland’s Bombay Pat goes fastest 

Graham Holland’s Bockos Diamond produced the fastest time of the second round heats of the BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park on Friday night when stopping the clock in 29.40, but his Bombay Pat produced a stunning performance to better that run in the first of the Saturday night heats, heat nine overall, stopping the clock in 29.17

Despite not producing one of his better breaks, Bombay Pat showed good pace into the opening turn to hit the front and the 1/5F was able to build up a winning lead. Prince Naseem stayed on well in the later stages to reduce the margin down to two lengths with Ballymac Tibet securing the other qualifying spot. That was his third win in a row over course and distance and looks set to go deep in another Derby here having made the final of the StarSports Derby at Towcester in June

The well fancied Pat Buckley runner, Hackney Corner was a surprise casualty from heat ten. The 2/5F didn’t get the clearest of runs rounding the opening bends, and was unable to make up the lost ground, finishing down the field in fifth. Paul Hennessy’s Priceless Romeo caused a major shock when hitting the front in the later stages when scoring at 22/1, ahead of Buckley’s Blastoff Heffo, with The Other Wild qualifying back in third

Buckley fared better in heat eleven as his November 23 youngster Glengar Silent ran out an impressive six length winner from Hennessy’s Lennies Madge, drawing clear of the field from halfway to stop the clock in 29.48 at odds of 2/1. Phoenix Memphis secured the remaining qualifying position for Ian Reilly. 

There are times in Greyhound Racing where you have to wonder whether the gods are shining down on you, and there is every chance that Mark Wallis will be thinking that follow the success of Proper Heiress.

Everyone in the UK is used to the electric early pace produced by the multiple Category One winner, as he showed when making all the running in the first round last week, but this week, he showed his versatility and took advantage of some good fortune to run out a length and a half winner from Lemon Joey, with Ballymac Stud finishing back in third.

When the traps opened, Proper Heiress produced a dreadful start, and heading into the first bend, he looked to have an uphill task to even qualify for the next round, let alone win heat twelve. However, with Magical On Fire moving off round the opening bend, causing trouble on her outside, Proper Heiress was able to slip round on the inside to hit the front off the second bend, with the 8/11F ending up scoring by a length and a half.

He certainly can’t afford to trap like that again in the third round, but hopefully, he has got the bad start out of his system and it’s business as usual in that third round contest.

Heat thirteen certainly wasn’t an unlucky one for Paul Hennessy as his Barefoot On Song broke well and made all the running, with the 5/1 shot defeating the 4/9F Ballinabola Joe by a length and a half in a time of 29.90. Maireads Diamond took the remaining qualifying position having found trouble rounding the opening bends

Robert Gleeson’s Toolmaker King was an impressive winner of heat fourteen. Having turned the opening bends in a handy position, the October 23 youngster hit the front from Graham Holland’s Rural Pest, with the 5/2 shot finishing two and a half lengths ahead clear of that rival in a time of 29.43, with Alva Mist getting the better of a photo with De Bono Lad to fill the remaining qualifying position. 

Damian Maginn was the winner of heat fifteen as his Westway Rossa (15/8) got the better of Pat Guilfoyle’s Magical Sapphire by two and a half lengths in 29.61 with Highview Plan finishing back in third. Pat Buckley’s Hopes Teddy exited the competition when finishing fourth having found trouble in running rounding the third bend

Guilfoyle enjoyed better fortunes in the final heat of the second round, when his Magical Keith led round the opening bends to hold off the late challenge of Robert Gleeson’s Droopys Deploy by a length, with the 15/8 shot stopping the clock in 29.69, with the 6/4F No More Fiftys finishing back in third having endured trouble in running in the early stages