Ready To Rock Again On Super Sunday

Although it was a major disappointment to postpone the final day, i feel officials made the right call in calling off the coursing on Monday morning.

Safety of the main attractions at the meeting, the hares and the dogs is always the first priority. Underneath the covers was course-able but go a couple of feet either side of the run up and you are in trouble. There was huge deliberation between all officials on the morning but eventually the tough decision was made.

So far in the BoyleSports Derby all the talk is about one dog, Timber House (Evs). This dog by 2013 derby winner, Thomas The Tank has been foot perfect so far and has taken to the hill like a duck to water.

Showing terrific early pace and middle speed he is pulling well clear of his rivals so far for trainer Michael O’Donovan . But his Sunday morning clash with Defacto (12/1) certianly won’t be a walk in the park for Timber House, Defacto has been one of the surprise packages so far in this derby for trainer Gerry Holian.

He is holding his clock in his three courses so far and could give the favorite something to think about. Gerry Holian also has Blades Of Hope(5/1) running for him at the top of the draw, he is doing absolutely noting wrong after taking a few tumbles in the 2nd round. When he came out in his third course he showed they took noting out of the son of Kyle James, he takes on the Dan Brassil trained, Game Mikey (12/1) in the first quarter final, this Edenderry trial stake winner has showed a liking for the hill so far and really impressed in round two.

The second quarter final in the Derby is the one I’m most looking forward to seeing, Portane All In (4/1) has had two byes in his last two courses but i cannot get over his composure in slips on each occasion, he stays sill and focused and does not move a muscle, that one attribute i really like to see in a greyhound especially in Clonmel. Kyle Bruce (5/1) is his opponent and is the dog who i think will benefit most from the few days off, he got a fair few unwanted turns in the opening round and in my opinion represents maybe the best value of the dogs left in the Derby.

The third quarter final is the clash of Feel My Pulse (10/1) the second representative from the in form kennels of Dan Brassil who knocked out the ante post favorite in the opening round and Carrokeal Gavin (10/1) trained by Kathleen Murphy who is really enjoying the extra few yards in Powerstown Park. Overall its hard not to fancy the favorite Timber House on his running so far and if he can continue his early dominance of his rivals he will prove very hard to beat!

The Greyhound And Pet Word Oaks is after being thrown wide with a few upsets in the third round, your heart would have to go out to the connections of Breska Lantern who had been so impressive and looked to be going well clear in the third round when disaster struck and she was carted off the field. They are betting 3/1 the field making it one of the most open Oaks in years.

Most of the major fancies are after falling by the wayside. Sequin (6/1) is a bitch who is doing things very well without doing fancy clocks and could yet be a very big player in this Oaks. Leigh Snowie (4/1) daughter of Musical Time is showing lightening early pace so far and if she can keep up this up she can go along way. My idea of the Oaks winner on her running so far is the Pat Curtain trained Windfarm Ivy (3/1), its hard to imagine but this stretch in Powerstown isn’t long enough for her! She would stay running all day for you and the further the hare goes up the field the better.

Her biggest rival in the second half of the draw is the Michael O’Dovovan trained Manntan Maple (3/1), on the betting before the oaks, she wasn’t the stables number one hope but i’m sure if you asked connections they would have had something else to say! She has serious early toe and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if MJOD could bring off a big double!

The Kevin Smith Champion Stakes line up took a major blow after both of the leading fancies Needham Danger and Needham Work were taken out. It still looks to be a fantastic stake after some of the first round performances we witnessed on Sunday. The dogs who stood out to me were Blueview Charlie (4/1), Vale View Flyer (3/1), Fingal Master (2/1) and Skellig Sunlight (4/1).

If Vale View Flyer happens to win this Champion Stakes the stand will absolutely erupt, the “If-the-truth-be-told-syndicate” lifted the roof off the stand on Sunday afternoon! Flyer took it up from where he left off last year in Clonmel, so fingers crossed he stays sound and if he does i think he can go all the way.