Next Tuesday’s Central Park SKY card offers redemption for runners in the feature races of the night, the John Smiths Grand National and Cearnsport Kent Derby.
The first semi of the National went pretty much to form – at least in context of the first three home, who were the top trio in the betting.
It went to Barry O’Sullivan’s 9-4 chance Mystical Charlie (Hades Rocket-Bluebell Fantasy, Aug 13) with a front running display from trap two. He would be followed home by Razldazl Star (T1 3-1) and Ballymac Leo (T4 11-10f). The winner’s time was 29.36 with with the distances a length and three quarters and a half.
The second semi featured the 2016 National forecast in Ballymac Manix (T4, 5-1) and Razldazl Raidio (Razldazl Rioga-Razldazl Marilyn, Apr 14) who went from six as the 2-7f. Following them home was the 100-1 outsider Julius George (T2). The winner’s time was 29.14 (-10).
Raidio, who was beaten at 2-5f in last year’s decider will almost certainly start at odds-on favourite for the second year running.
The Cearnsport Kent Derby semis – two to qualify – offered a second chance to Barricane Tiger (Razldazl Jayfkay-Dirt Bird, Dec 13) who ran third in last year’s decider.
Patrick Janssen’s brindle went to trap two as a 6-1 chance with kennelmate Bockos Alfie (T1 4-1) destined to follow him home. The time was 28.68 for the 480m and the distance, two and three quarters. Another ’16 finalist Droopys Who (T3 3-1) missed out in third with 2-1f favourite Black Zack running from trap five.
The second semi was reckoned a match between Dorotas Del Mar (T1 7-4f) and Seamus Cahill’s striped jacked 5-2 chance Silverhill Conor (Paradise Madison-Silverhill Tina, Feb 15). In a nip and tuck affair, Conor prevailed by half a length in 28.92 with Shaneboy Santana in third.
The third qualifer featured the almost flawless blue Droopys Gold (Loughteen Blanco-Droopys Force, Sep 15) with seven wins in his last eight outings. The white jacketed 4-5f became team Cahill’s second finalist this year with a 28.92, length and a half win in 28.92. Second across the line was King Kid (T5 4-1) with kennelmates of the fist two Crossfield Giles (T4 5-1) and Shaneboy Russell (T2 14-1) both missing out.
Footage courtesy of RPGTV
