There were some exceptional performances at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night and we have to go for a triple nomination, plus one from the Juvenile Derby on Friday. First up is the Boylesports Irish Derby winner Lenson Bocko.
Bred by Patrick Collins, Bocko is from the ‘Melodys’ prefix and originally raced as Melodys Dido. His Derby win was his 11th from just 13 races.
By the dog currently leading the UK open race charts, Droopys Jet (who had 5 winners on the Derby card), he is out of the Melodys Diamond (Royal Impact-Talita Beauty) who contested the final of an Irish Oaks, ran third in the Champion Stakes and reached an Irish Derby semi final.
The other Shelbourne Saturday nominations go to the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate winner, and fastest 550 winner on the night, Blue East and the new 750 record holder Redzer Ardfert. Ballymac Wisdom wasn’t the quickest on Friday, but given age and experience produced an exceptional 28.47 run in the juvenile event.
Elsewhere, a reduction of meetings restricted opportunities to shine, though Bombay Savana clocked the fastest 600 of the year at Enniscorthy. At Galway, one of the youngest winners of the week, Rosshill Charlie, was also the quickest over 525. There was also a FOY at Mullingar for Jimmy Blue Eyes.
| CLONMEL | 16.19 | OUR SEANIE | (Tullymurry Act-Dunkil Heros, Sep 17) |
| CURRAHEEN PARK | 17.59 | DROOPYS OOMPH | (Tullymurry Act-Droopys Zero, Nov 17) |
| DRUMBO | 29.00 | MEKA GIRL | (Droopys Cain-Take The Call, Feb 18) |
| DUNDALK PARK | 28.74 | WEE TEE | (Droopys Jet-Skywalker Pearl, Nov 17) |
| ENNISCORTHY | 33.14 | BOMBAY SAVANNA | (Droopys Scolari-Hey Delilah, Jun 17) |
| GALWAY | 28.78 | ROSSHILL CHARLIE | (Kinloch Brae-Leamaneigh Lisa, Feb 18) |
| KILKENNY | 28.78 | WINGMAN | (Scolari Me Daddy-Uptown Model, Oct 17) |
| LIMERICK | 32.65 | NINJA NAGATO | (Kinloch Brae-Borna Luck, Jun 17) |
| MULLINGAR | 21.69 | JIMMY BLUE EYES | (Tyrur Big Mike-Oisins Fantasy, Jan 16) |
| NEWBRIDGE | |||
| SHELBOURNE PARK | 29.40 | LENSON BOCKO | (Droopys Jet-Melodys Diamond, Aug 17) |
| 29.39 | BLUE EAST | (Droopys Jet-Lemon Bolt, Feb 16) | |
| 40.86 | REDZER ARDFERT | (Paradise Madison-Have You One, Jan 17) | |
| 28.47 | BALLYMAC WISDOM | (Definate Opinion-Coolavanny Angie, Apr 18) | |
| THURLES PARK | 28.80 | FAYS CARMEL | (Candlelight King-Kyes Carmel, Jul 16) |
| TRALEE | 28.39 | WEST TIP | (Razldazl Billy-Satin Diva, Mar 17) |
| WATERFORD | 28.74 | AIRMOUNT ACT | (Taylors Sky-Airmount Cher, Oct 17) |
| YOUGHAL | 29.03 | WITCHES HOUSTON | (Head Bound-Witches Belle, Jan 18) |
