IRISH PERFORMANCES OF THE WEEK

Once again the main action was centred around Shelbourne Park and with few other performances of note, the two nominations go to the fastest winners in the Derby third round, Clares Rocket and Tyrur Harold

Elsewhere, Bangor Lily won the Northern Irish Oaks final at Drumbo Park. Man Twenty One impressed in the Texacloth Juvenile at Newbridge with the fastest 525 of the year and Dutch Dream produced a fine run in the heats of the Kilkenny Derby.

There was a fastest 575 of the year at Enniscorthy for Dalcash Mojo and a FOY over Limerick’s 750 yards for Oakfront Oreo.

The most novel meeting of the week – not for the first time – was at Longford last Monday which was a ‘girls only’ card with nine races restricted to bitches. Although not quite the quickest, March pup Old Fort Comet gets the nod with a very decent 28.89 run. Younger still was Fahy Mai at Mullingar. The 16 month old’s 29.80 run for the 525yds, her second win in three races, was just 29 spots off the fastest time of the week. Move Over Evie was the youngest and fastest at Waterford in the heats of an unraced stake. Killmacdonagh did something similar at Youghal.

Finally, and in a similar vein, it wouldn’t be often that a FOY performance wouldn’t get the nomination. So Millridge Bruce must be considered unlucky when clocking 17.45 for the Tralee sprint. However, the 17.55 for 18 month old Daragh Jet, just trumps it.