The defeat of his 1-6f and ante post market leader did nothing to dampen the spirits of Graham Holland as the Boylesports Irish Derby first round came to a conclusion on Saturday night.
Clares Rocket went to traps with only one defeat in his previous 14 races but the alarm bells would have sounded when he made an uncharacteristic slow start from the four box. To make matters worse, Trade Freddie (T3) and kennelmate Sonic swerved into his lane as they headed to the first bend. At the turn, the Rocket took a good position on the rails on the heels of Mountaylor Queen and came out of the bend in third slot. He cleverly pursued her without breaking stride until the backstraight where he eased up her inside and into second place. At the third bend the favourite was still two and a half adrift of leader Trade Freddie but closed the gap to challenge on the run-in. He failed by half a length behind the 29.86 winner.
It was otherwise a virtually flawless first round for the Golden kennel with all 16 runners qualifying for the second round including six winners and the fastest time of the round, a supreme run from Ballydoyle Honey.
Holland said: “I was over the moon with the run. You can’t expect to go six or seven runs against top class dogs and not have some sort of set-back. I thought he brilliantly to find a space on the rail and showed he has a brain. Let’s get that one out of the way and move on.”
Equally as pleasing was the run of Ballydoyle Honey. Holland said: “She has been sensational for us in the last year. Occasionally an icon like Honey will be beaten and idiots are queuing up to write them off. I think that run shows that she is a good as ever. The important thing is, they all appear to have come off sound.”
COMPLETE FIRST ROUND
SHELBOURNE PARK
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
Heat 1 550 Yards
RURAL HAWAII 5/4 (6) 29.89
(Head Bound-Duck Fat) bk D May 13. Mrs Helen O’Dwyer
Martinstown Hawk (5) 3L
Ashbank Martin (1) 1L
Boherash Messiah (2) sh
Fizzypop Buddy (3) 0.5L
House Doctor (4) 10L
Heat 2 550 Yards
HIGHVIEW EVENT 7/4 (6) 29.68
(Iso Octane-Highview Horizon)f D Aug 13. Full-House-Syndicate
Sidarian Pearl (1) 7.5L
Boylesports Jet (5) 1.5L
Urban Gossip (2) 2L
Dingo Will (3) 1L
Kereight Niamh (4) 2.5L
Heat 3 550 Yards
ESCAPISM 6/4 (6) 29.68
(Paradise Madison-Killacolla Glory) bk D Apr 14. Mrs. Eimear Coffey
Ela Alecko (5) 6L
Grangeview Puma (4) hd
College Paradise (2) 1.5L
Lisson Legend (1) 7L
Ravenswood Tyler (3) 7L
Heat 4 550 Yards
COCONUT CORKER 5/2 (2) 30.03
(Premier Fantasy-Rossa Baby) wbk D Sep 14. Mr. Richard Newell
Confident Cato (1) 9.5L
Whatcatch (3) nk
Tyrur Blondie (6) 0.75L
Ballymac Sarahjo (5) 1L
Charity Buster (4) 4L
Heat 5 550 Yards
BALLINTEE ANNIE 10/1 (4) 30.06
(Ballymac Eske-Tyrur Izzy) bk B May 14. Master Jimmy O’Neill
Razldazl Tierna (2) 1L
Aghaburren Lola (5) 6L
Peregrine Falcon (3) 2L
Combo Sidney (6) 1L
Diegos Ruby (1) 2.5L
Heat 6 550 Yards
SOBER CALL 7/2 (5) 29.61
(Kinloch Brae-Tipp Jewels) bd D Jul 14. Mr. Alan McCormack
Holycross Leah (1) 3L
Coolykereen Jack (2) 1.5L
Vancouver Colin (4) 2L
Droopys Awesome (3) hd
Tyrur Bubba (6) 8L
Heat 7 550 Yards
BALLYMAC MATT 4/7 (3) 30.02
(Tyrur Big Mike-Ballymac Scarlet) bkw D Jul 13. Ballymac-Kelly-and-the-lads
Priceless Brandy (4) 3L
Alpha Carinea (1) sh
Ribbonman (5) 0.5L
Coolavanny Wendy (6) 1.5L
Offshore Bound (2) nk
Heat 8 550 Yards
DROOPYS SMASHER 4/6 (1) 29.68
(Aero Majestic-Droopys Hilda) bk B Sep 14. Mr. Mark Lowther
Skywalker Luke (2) 5.5L
Shugabear Barber (5) 3L
Slippery Snowy (6) 5L
Ballymac Darragh (3) sh
Ascot Buddy (4) 2.5L
Heat 9 550 Yards
LAUGHIL DUKE 1/3 (4) 29.96
(Premier Fantasy-Laughil Lass) bk D Nov 12. Mr. Paul Jennings
Swords Ace (3) nk
Notorious Ben (6) 0.75L
Kilara Lexy (1) 3L
Drumsna Legend (5) 0.5L
SHELBOURNE PARK
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Heat 10 550 Yards
FARLOE JOEY 4/7 (1) 29.75
(Top Honcho-Air Force Ellie) bk D Dec 13. Mr. Paul Ellis
Hovex Blaze (4) nk
Athboy Bound (6) 3L
Keplar Nine (5) 1L
Stripe Mary (2) 5.5L
Shaneboy Style (3) nk
Heat 11 550 Yards
MILLDEAN PUMA 4/5 (2) 29.69
(Milldean Panther-Session Special) be D Nov 13. Mr Adam Griffiths
Shutthe Backdoor (3) 6L
Ballymac Belle (5) 2.5L
Starbucks Star (6) 1.5L
Artistic Touch (1) 4.5L
Curious Boy (4) 1L
Heat 12 550 Yards
LENSON ROCKY 4/1 (6) 29.98
(Droopys Scolari-Momentinnewyork) bk D Jun 14. Mr. Leonard P. Ponder
Skywalker Manner (3) 0.75L
Cahir Castle (1) sh
Leave At Dawn (5) 0.5L
Must Be Jack (4) hd
Heathlawn Tiger (2) 3.5L
Heat 13 550 Yards
SKYWALKER RORY 6/4 (2) 29.65
(Skywalker Puma-Tarsna Sal) wbk D Aug 13. Mr. Ray Patterson
Jaytee Jet (6) 3.5L
Farloe Rumble (4) 4.5L
Ballyhooly Henry (1) 2.5L
Tyrur Van Gaal (3) 3L
Civility Counts (5) 2.5L
Heat 14 550 Yards
DROOPYS RODDICK 4/6 (3) 29.62
(Droopys Jet-Droopys Start) bebd D Apr 14. Mr. J. M. Proctor
Bull Marker (4) 6L
Slippery Louise (6) 2.5L
Jaytee Dutch (2) 0.5L
Crohane Ronnie (1) 1.5L
Happy Days (5) 9L
Heat 15 550 Yards
BLUE CAFU 5/1 (5) 29.94
(Crash-Shanless Carol) bk D Nov 12. Mr. Mark Lowther
Droopys Tee (6) nk
Varra Sailor (3) 4L
Droopys Ford (4) 1.5L
Droopys Nine (1) 2.5L
Slippery Hector (2) 0.75L
Heat 16 550 Yards
SHANEBOY FREDDIE 4/1 (1) 29.96
(Oaks Road-Shaneboy Sophia) bk D Jul 13. Mr. Kevin Boon
Boylesports Duke (6) 2L
Country Legend (5) 1L
Gyp Rosetti (3) 2L
Jumeirah Larry (2) 1.5L
Mynewbestfriend (4) 3.5L
Heat 17 550 Yards
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO 2/1 (5) 29.78
(Ace Hi Rumble-Ballymac Sasha) bk D Mar 14. Mrs. Margaret Barrett
Borna Sounds (1) 7.5L
Amanita Chic (4) sh
Newlawn Simon (3) nk
Alien Tears (6) 2.5L
Tungsten Shaw (2) 6L
Heat 18 550 Yards
BALLYDOYLE HONEY 1/2 (5) 29.49
(Brett Lee-Kildallon Maid) bk B Jul 13. Ms. Alison Coxon
Burgess Popeye (3) 5L
Deanridge Wazzo (2) 2.5L
Tiernans Gift (4) 1.5L
Vivaro Swift (6) 0.5L
Theres The Bell (1) 1L
Heat 19 550 Yards
MUCHO MACHO MAN 2/1 (1) 29.73
(Razldazl Jayfkay-Castlehill Alex) bd D May 13. Mr Sean Hagan
Highview Madison (6) 2.5L
Roxholme Barkley (2) 2L
Kilgraney June (5) 1.5L
Kereight Dodger (4) nk
Dromscarra Ruby (3) 2.5L
Heat 20 550 Yards
TRADE FREDDIE 10/1 (3) 29.86
(Bombastic Shiraz-Trade Annika) bk D Jan 14. Mr. John Tuohy
Clares Rocket (4) 0.5L
Sonic (2) 2L
Mountaylor Queen (1) 1L
Tyrur Gene (6) 3L
Coolavanny Pat (5) 3L
Heat 21 550 Yards
SLIPPERY THELMA 8/1 (1) 30.11
(Brett Lee-Kildallon Maid) bk B Jun 14. Mr. Larry Dunne
Kilgraney Denver (5) 3.5L
Newlawn Luke (2) nk
Jo Jo Fantasy (4) 2.5L
Tyrur Siucra (6) hd
Highview Apollo (3) 2.5L
