Trainer Graham Holland has previously won an Irish Derby (with Rural Hawaii), he has had as many as seven winners on a Shelbourne card, but even by those standards, Saturday night was an exceptional meeting for the Dorset refugee now based at Golden in Tipperary.
Lenson Bocko’s victory in the feature event was the second in a five race winning sequence for the kennel which kicked off with Blue East’s win in the night’s second biggest feature, the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate.
His winning time was faster than both the Derby final and consolation with kennelmate Clonbrien Prince in second place.
Holland had the favourite in the night’s top 550 event in Wolfe but reckoned kennelmate Ballyhimikin Jet would be as good as any with a clear run. So it proved.
It was then left to litter brothers Slippy Cian and Lenson Blinder to complete legs four and five in the last two races on the card.
Those who followed Holland’s tips on this site earlier in the week would also have enjoyed a lucrtive evening.
His winning tips were: Ballyanne Sim (4-7), Blue East (4-6), Lenson Blinder (1-2 NAP), Slippy Cian (evens), Lenson Bocko (4-5), Granview West (5-2) and Elite Black (4-1).
Racing manager Derek Frehill, was let down by his big priced ‘glory punts’ – the closest he came was with 9-1 Derby runner-up Boylesports King – but was was successful with the more conservative selections of Boylesports Xtra (6-4), Ballyanne Sim (4-7) and Blue East (4-6).
If both parties are amenable, we will resume the tipping contest for the Night of Stars meeting later in the year.
There was contrasting luck for the UK runners on the night. Julie Bateson was forced to turn back after her ferry to Ireland was delayed.
But for Nottingham’s Peter Harnden and assistant trainer Mark Pierrepont, the night was a huge success following the victory of Salacres Punch in the night’s sprint open.
The litter brother to Grangeview West was the night’s biggest priced winner at 12-1 but the price might give a misleading view of the quality of the run.
The orange jacketed runner was disputing third place when forced to check at the first bend and seemed destined to finish down the field. Be he rallied strongly off the last bend and went past odds on favourite Blame The Game in the final stride.
It was a good night for the Brits with Kent owner Albert Putnam winning the Derby consolation with Sophies Man.
There would be a different type of consolation for Derby sponsor John Boyle whose Boylesports Xtra clocked the night’s fastest 525.
The same ‘c’ word might just have applied to Pat Guilfoyle. The popular trainer and breeder had experienced a few lows with the elimination of Music Toour Ears and Magicla Bale in the semi finals, and the defeat of Skywalker Logan in the 750 but had a consolation winner in Grangeview West.
2018 Derby champion Ballyanne Sim reminded Dublin racegoers of his class by taking the fifth race for Eamonn Cleary.
The event described by racing manager Derek Frehill as ‘the best race of the night’ was rewarded with a run of suitable calibre with Redzer Ardfert taking 25 spots off the previous 750 yard track record.
Sirley Kilmartin presents the trophy to Chloe and Roisin O Sullivan after Sophies Man won the 2019 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby Consolation. Also included are Peter Cronin (Trainer) Michael Cronin (handler) David McGrath (breeder) Brenda Powderley, Paul Smith, and Barry O Sullivan pic Imelda Grauer
