Only Farloe Blitz and Fair Taxes provided any respite for punters on a night of shocks in Thursday’s first session of second round heats of the Boylesports Irish Derby over 550 yards at Shelbourne Park.
Farloe Blitz, the beaten favourite in the English Derby Final and a 1-4 chance, made all the running in heat one to come home two lengths clear of Priceless Lassie in 29.60sec.
Francie Murray’s Fair Taxes, the 6-4 favourite in heat six, led at halfway to beat Creamery Bale by three lengths in a fastest 29.50sec.
Patrick Cocoman’s Fordeflag was a 12-1 winner of the second qualifier when making all the running to beta Farloe Rumble by a length in 29.76sec.
Dark Intentions was an 8-1 trap to line winner of heat three when accounting for hot favourite Save The Don by two and a half lengths in 29.96sec.
Graham Holland’s Gaytime Hawk (3-1) gave a start and a length and a half beating to Ivy Hill Bart in heat four to record 29.70sec.
Holland’s Riverside Pat was eliminated from heat five, which went to Pat O’Brien’s Peregrine Falcon, who completed a five-timer when beating Secreto by a head in 30.23sec.
Noel Walker’s Faypoint Rush (9-2) was a trap to line winner of heat seven when accounting for Champion Stakes winner Sidarian Vega by two lengths in 29.98sec.
Oaks winner Ballydoyle Honey was all the rage at 4-6 in heat eight but was disappointing. She disputed the lead to the turn but was passed by Samiya and Rural Hawaii.
In the end she finished second but couldn’t get to Robert Gleeson‘s 33-1 winner Samiya, her litter sister, who scored by five and a half lengths in 29.51sec.
