Thomas The Tank motors to Derby success

Bumper crowds and excellent coursing over the three days but yet Clonmel ended in an anti climax as Thomas the Tank took the Boylesports.com Derby glory without having to raise a gallop in the final.

Owned by Waterford racing manager Kathleen Lennon and trained by her father, Denis, Thomas The Tank (Razor Ashmore-Newinn All In) was declared winner of the €35,000 purse after Longmeadow Raz was withdrawn injured.

Retired teacher Michael Field from Patrickswell was left cursing his luck in the Derby yet again. Two years ago he reached the final but Kyle Ranger ran injured leaving Central City to race unchallenged up Powerstown Park.

This time round he reached the semi-final with Kyle Leigh (Kyle James-Leigh Smokey), joint favourite for the classic after gaining a half-length win over the Brendan Matthews trained King Rooney in a thrilling buckle.
However, in his semi-final run against Longmeadow Raz, Field’s runner forged an early advantage but then went off line to scupper his chances of success.

Trainer Barney Mooney, a previous winner of the Oaks, repeated the feat with Smart Ali (Adios Alonzo-Moat Belle), owned in Rathkeale by Paul White. The June pup came from behind to defeat favourite Ardmore Charmer (Wallace Green-Harbour View) by a couple of lengths.

Brendan Hehir from Miltown Malbay bred the winner of The Grace Bruton Memorial Champion Bitch Stake from his Oaks heroine Rith Gan Gaisce.

Bossa Nova Babe, trained by Athenry handler Ger Holian, was an impressive winner of all her courses, defeating Dunsilly, owned by Victor McDonald in Antrim, by four lengths in the decider.

The Classics Club Champion Stakes was reduced to six runners on final day following the withdrawals of Latest Trick and Kyle King. The honours eventually went to Hopes and Dreams (Bexhill Eoin-Chubby’s Accord), owned by Tarbert duo Kieran Flynn and Michael Boland.

Heading to Clonmel with its poorest representation in the classics for several years, Clare’s hand was quickly whittled down and after the opening buckles in both the Oaks and Derby, just three were still standing.

Two of those runners, Bend Your Knee in The Greyhound and Pet World Oaks, part owned by Mullagh native Dr Paddy O’Kelly, and Phoenix Bruno in The Boylesports.com Derby, owned by the Garrahy brothers, Diarmaid and Eoin from Clonlara with trainer Ian Reilly from Navan, both reached the last eight.

Bend Your Knee (Adios Alonso-Intervention), trained by Timmy McAuliffe who is also joint owner, was eliminated in the quarter-final, going under by three lengths to Ardmore Chamber, the eventual runner up.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Bruno (Bexhill Eoin-Aristo Magic), bred by John Garrahy from Ruanard, Clonlara, put up three rounds before bowing out by a length to Kilkeale hero, owned by Brian Wilmott and Maurice McCarthy from Rathkeale.

First into the fray on Saturday was Kinielty Jazz (Trajectory-Scartview Laura) for Liscannor brothers, Declan and Terry McDonagh. Although slowly from slips, she fell into early arrears but as she met the rising ground she powered through to take the turn from Miss Katie by two lengths.

Both bitches had left it late to get their Clonmel tickets. Kinielty Jazz obliged at Tubbercurry while Miss Katie, owned by John Murphy of Mitchelstown and Peter Reynolds from Glanworth, came through at the final meeting for qualification in Macroom in mid-January.

Kinielty Jazz had a better clock than her second round opponent in Red Orchid (Adios Alonzo-La Torre) but that counted for nought as the Gerry Holian trained and Thurles qualifier took the opening point by one and a half lengths.

Knockbrack Lucy (Janey Mac Aroo-Glowing Times), trained by Michael Nestor in Miltown Malbay for his grandchildren Killian and Keevan Nestor, was a first round casualty but she was unfortunate in drawing one of the Oaks fancies Ardmore Charmer in the opening buckle.

Owned by Noreen Hoban from Westport, Ardmore Charmer was always in control from slips and had five lengths in hand at the turn.

Knockbrack Lucy subsequently raised a flag in the Stockproof Fencing Products Kitty Butler Stake but bowed out at the quarter-final stage to the Kerry owned Kiss and Tell (Kyle James-Shades of Oak).

Killuran trainer Donal Cooney was also out of luck with his bitch Winsome Kate (Mafi Magic-Miss Solitaire) which he owns in partnership with Rory Costelloe of Dooras, O’Callaghan’s Mills and Sean Doyle from Barefield.

The Tradaree qualifier fell in arrears early on to Minorcas Flyer (Bexhill Eoin-Buffalo Hiding), which won at Carlow, and never looked like clawing back the deficit, eventually going under by four lengths.

Punters who launched a massive gamble on the Pat Curtin trained Windfarm Hill (Adios Alonzo-Beyond Tivoli) in The Boylesports.com derby were left licking their wounds.

Backed from 25/1 to 14/1 and then into 5/1 before coursing, the coup was foiled when Windfarm Hill, owned by Michael Eustace from Ennis and Kevin Barry from Clonmel, came unstuck when foiled by 20/1 shot Droopys Beastie (Droopys Saunders-Bower Sign). The margin of defeat was two lengths.

Indeed, in the weeks leading up to Clonmel, trainer Curtin had expressed reservations as regards the well-being of Windfarm Hill, saying that the training programme had been severely curtailed because the East Donegal qualifier had a broken toe and a hock problem. It seemed as if Clonmel had come around a few weeks too soon.

There was no joy for Ennis publican John Quinn either as his Kermadec (Matt Hyland-Marwood Tyope), which he co-owns with trainer Ger Mahony from Loughrea, succumbed to the challenge of Go On Slogan by two and a half lengths.

Kermadec then took his chances in The Horse and Jockey Hotel Keen Laddie Stake and saw off Guts and Fire (Razor Ashmore-Hand Pass) by two lengths in the opening round.

Owned by Louise Meaney from Burrane, Killimer and her friend Helen Fitzgerald, Templeglantine, Guts and Fire won a reserve trial stake at South Clare but, as third reserve, failed to get a Derby call up. This buckle was one for the judge with the Nenagh trial stake winner Kermadec prevailing on a just up decision.

Unfortunately, next time to slips Kermadec came off second best in his tussle with What a Rumour (Musical Time-Eshwary Peach), owned by David and John Whelan from Lismore and a reserve trial stake winner in Cappoquin.

Colossal Impact, trained by George Gallery at his Rockmount Kennels, a reserve winner at Ennis Clarecastle, put up a round in The Horse and Jockey Hotel Keen Laddie Stake when seeking off Master Apprentice by two lengths.

Running under the banner of the Colossal Syndicate, the dog is owned by George’s sister Patricia Ryan; her daughter Leona; Leona’s boyfriend Niall Warren from Kilmaley and his father, Thomas.

However, Colossal Impact was withdrawn after that run and gave a second round bye course to Peace and Ease (Bexhill Eoin-Gallant Pride) which had eliminated the Clare dog Sharp Dancer (Razor Ashmore-Hand Pass), owned by John Meaney from Burrane and his son, Jason by three lengths. Sharp Dancer had won the reserve dog trial stake at Killimer-Kilrush.

A first round casualty in The Horse and Jockey Hotel Spirit of Mischief Stake was Gambain Lady (Bexhill Eoin-Woodpark Rebel).

Owned by Bernard Quinn of Woodpark, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Sinead Guiney of Newmarket, Cork, Gambain Lady, which won a reserved in Rathcormac, was beaten three lengths to the turn by Dynalite (March is On-Denise Does It).