It is a shortened list this week, and while it has happened many times in the past, mainly due to frozen tracks or winter closures, Lifford and Longford will not be coming back.
They join a list of disappeared circuits that include Harolds Cross, Navan, the unique and still badly missed Dunmore, and for those of slightly older vintage, the Kerry venue of Ballybunion.
The spotlights will inevitably fall on an excellent Boylesports Irish Derby where the two nominations are ‘fastest third round winner’ Lenson Bocko, and the truly remarkable Killmacdonagh. If you are looking at winning times and ask ‘why her’, you clearly haven’t seen the race. Only just missing out was Magical Bale in what is proving a superb Derby for his (and Killmadonagh’s) sire Zero Ten.
Elsewhere, there will be a view UK owners with their eyes on Limerick and future open race stayers in the Cambridgeshire. The first round surprise was the defeat of Redzer Ardfert by Maireads Pearl. Fraser Black’s bitch might be a bit old for thoughts of export but the bitch who ran Skywalker Logan to a length in the Corn Cuchulainn Final is among Ireland’s top half dozed over 750 yards.
The similarly aged Cals Talent went quickest in the first round of the Munster Oaks at Waterford, though the nomination goes to puppy Belles Cloud who was only nine spots slower.
Working to similar theory, we are overlooking Timmys Act’s fastest run in the Texacloth Juvenile second round and giving the nod to Brinkleys Kid, who was seven spots slower but giving away five months in age.
Finally, it is good to see the veterans proving great servants for their owners. At Galway, four year old Headleys Victor clocked the week’s fastest 525 yard winning time.
May ’14 whelp Mystery Town was successful over 600 yards at Enniscorthy this week, but for the third week in a row, Unknown Vision was Ireland’s oldest winner AND Tony Hegarty’s 67 pound dark brindle was the week’s fastest winner at Youghal with a very decent 28.99 (-40) victory. Some going for a dog who qualified to race in October 2015.
| CLONMEL | 29.09 | MOVE OVER MINDY | (Ballymac Eske-Fionas Star, Apr 18) |
| CURRAHEEN PARK | 28.28 | SKYWALKER RAFA | (Laughil Blake-Coolavanny Royce, Dec 15) |
| DERRY | 27.97 | UNLIKELY SEB | (Pat C Sabbath-Unlikely Faye, Oct 17) |
| DRUMBO | 17.79 | FREEDOM CARLITO | (Freedom Trade-Freedom Sandy, Jan 18) |
| DUNDALK PARK | 18.83 | RAIN MAN | (Storm Control-Gurteen Maldini, May 17) |
| ENNISCORTHY | 19.09 | MILFORD BLAKE | (Laughil Blake-You See Bolt, Dec 17) |
| GALWAY | 28.71 | HEADLEYS VICTOR | (Superior Product-Oneco Joy, Aug 15) |
| KILKENNY | 29.45 | LADY HETTY | (Sidarian Blaze-Miss Precedent, May 17) |
| LIMERICK | 41.68 | MAIREADS PEARL | (Kinloch Brae-Maireads Shauna, Sep 16) |
| MULLINGAR | 19.33 | GENO | (Gizmo Classic-Bulmers Baby, Apr 18) |
| NEWBRIDGE | 28.53 | BRINKLEYS KID | (Droopys Roddick-Killinan Rosie, Feb 18) |
| SHELBOURNE PARK | 29.27 | LENSON BOCKO | (Droopys Jet-Melodys Diamond, Aug 17) |
| 29.61 | KILLMACDONAGH | (Zero Ten-Deercrest Lady, Apr 16) | |
| THURLES PARK | 30.35 | WILLS WARRIOR | (Skywalker Farloe-Annas Lucky Girl, Jul 17) |
| TRALEE | 28.43 | MILLRIDGE ROVER | (Droopys Roddick-Millridge Magic, Oct 17) |
| WATERFORD | 28.47 | BELLES CLOUD | (Belles Direction-Tomahurra Cloud, Feb 18) |
| YOUGHAL | 28.99 | UNKNOWN VISION | (Kinloch Brae-Paradise Delta, Apr 14) |
