Honey Is As Sweet As Ever

Is there any way of stopping Ballydoyle Honey (8/13) at the moment?

She showed us on Saturday night that she is not just a one trick pony. After a rough passage on the run to the bend, if you were after getting involved at her price of 2/5 I’d say there were a few moments of worry going through your mind.

She took a nice few knocks around bends one and two but once she straightened up down the back she changed gear and made her move on the outside of the field. This lady absolutely roared into the third corner and put the race to bed; these bitches she overtook were no slouches let me tell you.

Honey galloped clear on the run to the line and had four lengths to spare over Tyrur Dicky (12/1) in second place and Rising Twirl (33/1) back in third, who both ran well in defeat. The winning time here was fastest of the night – 28.31. Lislevane Swift (20/1) has early pace in abundance and she put it to good use in her qualifier, she made the race her own on the run to the bend. From here, Swift strung the field out down the back opening up a three length lead over Springwell Watsy (16/1) as they were about to turn for home.

Watsy to her credit was eating into the lead with every stride up the home straight but just couldn’t catch the lady up front who was a length clear as they reached the judge. Hitachi Grace (66/1) was third and Jumeirah Star (66/1) also qualified back in fourth. Urban Gossip (6/1) is a force to be reckoned with in this Oaks, she made it two from two in the competition so far.

Reggie Roberts has a habit of improving his charges throughout competitions and he is bringing this lady along nicely. Urban Gossip is a litter sister of Ballydoyle Honey but they have two different styles of running. Gossip comes from well off the pace and tends to leave it late to hit the front.

She seemed to come away ok in her heat but was a bit outpaced up to the bend, but when she turned in a handy position down the back the writing was on the wall for the leaders. Gossip didn’t take up the running until the home straight but when she hit the front she galloped on very strong to the line in 28.54.

Camacca (66/1), Shady Ash (100/1) and Sausalito May (40/1) were the other qualifiers in this heat. Kingsmill Bound (25/1) took the lead off the second corner in heat four and she did extremely well to hold off the late challenge from the gallant Piercetown Lucy (33/1) in second by half a length in a time of 28.56. Slippery Hanna (16/1) and Tyrur Mairead (25/1) were the other two runners to book their place in next week’s quarter finals.

There was a huge shock in heat five when one of the leading ante post fancies Skywalker Pearl bit the dust. Honours here went to the Tony and Brian Walsh owned and trained Skymas (66/1) who recorded a super 1.90 sectional and just held on by a short head when they reached the winning post from the fast finishing Ravenswood Emily(40/1) in second with Hovex Princess(33/1) back in third. The last heat will be remembered for the wrong reasons as Cashen Maureen looked to be in control off the second bend but tragedy struck and she seemed to break down. This changed the race dramatically as Borna Helena (25/1) and Tauriel (66/1) seemed to miss the trouble and shot clear.

Borna stayed on best and was in front when they reached the judge in 28.74 with Tauriel in second and Awaywithdepixys (50/1) and She’s A Dream (16/1) filling the last two qualifying positions.

This Oaks looks to be at the mercy of Ballydoyle Honey and her litter sister Urban Gossip can give her most to think about!

Dude Continues To Amaze In Produce Stakes
We are down to the final twelve in the showpiece event in Clonmel the Produce Stakes. Amazing Dude (5/6) set the track alight for the second week in a row on Sunday night with a record equaling 28.23 run and turned his heat into a procession. He blew the lids out of it and raced clear to the corner, from the second bend the only thing people were watching was the clock!

He romped home an eight length winner from Uncle Paul (40/1) in second and Conna Harriers (33/1) back in third. There was a big local success in the second quarter final as Rural Hawaii (7/4) made it a double on the night for the Holland kennels. Hawaii seems to be improving with every run around the track and is not too far off the Dude on the clock.

He does steer a wide course throughout which can be both helpful and a hindrance. So far so good though as he remains unbeaten and clocked his fastest time to date 28.37. Skip Glory (16/1) and Justice Matters (66/1) booked their places in the draw for next week’s semi-finals here .

You had to see the third semi-final to believe what happened, the eventual winner Country Legend (7/1) seemed to stumble after leaving the boxes and was all of ten lengths behind on the run to the bend. He took off from half way down the back but still looked to be in trouble for qualifying between the last two bends. He must have found an extra leg somewhere because he flew up the home straight and won going away – he must have been eight lengths clear at the pick-up. Haughty Slippers (33/1) and Ballybough Mike (20/1) were second and third here.

Ballybough Mondo (33/1) won the last quarter final for trainer Murt Leahy who is still double-handed in the stake. Mondo recorded his fastest time to date here – 28.69 – and is very consistent out of the boxes. He rallied well up the home straight to hold off the challenge of the Frazer Black trained Kevin Patrick (25/1) and Maggies Lucy (66/1) back in third. It’s extremely hard to look past the Graham Holland trained pair here, but if Country Legend can put it altogether the skies the limit for this dog.

He has been nibbled at 100/1 for our very own BoyleSports Derby in Shelbourne Park!

Team Ireland Roar Into Action In Wimbledon
Team Ireland hit the ground running in round one of the Derby, coming out with no less than twelve heat winners over the four nights. We have three co-favourites at the top of the market at 14/1 – Droopys Nidge, Farloe Blitz and Newinn Yolo.

There were a few new stars on show in the opening round but the one to stand out most had to be the record breaker Eden The Kid (20/1). He was the first dog to break the 28.00 barrier in Wimbledon over 480 meters, recording 27.95! Round one was particularly hard because only two got through from each heat but now we are back to normal with three to qualify.

The draw for round two was made on Sunday morning and it threw up a few tasty clashes, none more so than heat 11 where three first round Irish winners clash. Quietly, Sidarian Blaze and Save The Don will be doing battle on Saturday night and what a race to the corner this will be! We have all the heats priced up online www.Boylesports.com and we are ready to do battle again in round two.

The two best backed dogs after the first round were Farloe Blitz 20/1 into 14/1 and Droopys Ward 25/1 into 16/1 – these two dogs were ultra-impressive in their respective heats. But this is only one round over, with still another five to go!

*Prices correct at time of publication.