Tornado sweeps to Leger semi-finals

THE Ennis-owned What a Tornado was one of the stars of the quarter-final heats of the Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium last Saturday night. He was a very exciting 29.59 winner of the final heat and joins the other Clare contender, Inislosky Magoo in the semi-finals next Saturday night.
The Pat Buckley-trained Paradise Casino (Ace Hi Rumble-Dalcash Diva) is still going strong. He registered his fifth straight win last Saturday night and in the process set a new record of 29.51, an improvement of three spots on the time set by Definate Opinion in the first round of the classic. Owned in Kildare by Tony Howard, Paradise Casino had a terrific start from trap four in the opening heat to set up an early lead. He was in front all the  way for his record win, beating Carrowkeal Rocket by three and a half lengths Two lengths further back for third spot was Shelbourne Geoff.
Drawn in trap five in the final heat, What a Tornado was the firm favourite. After missing his break, he was last to the second bend and at this stage, Allowdale Prince, in trap two, was leading the field. However, as they made their way down the back, What a Tornado, owned by Michael Hogan, Ennis, and Ennis-based Peter Mulligan, started moving up to go into second place but he still had a lot to do as he was six lengths adrift of the leader at the third bend. In a fantastic finish, however, the Paul Hennessy-trained black came caught up with and overtook the Owen McKenna-trained Allowdale Prince to win by three parts of a length. His time was 29.59. Six lengths back for third place was Inislosky Magoo owned O’Briensbridge by Mary Crotty.
The other heat winners were Big Appetite (30.11) and Judicial Academy (29.59).
Three of last Saturday night’s winners, Paradise Casino, What a Tornado and Judicial Academy, will clash in the opening semi-final heat next Saturday night.
The draw is
Heat 1: Dream Walker; 2. What Tornado; 3. Carrowkeal Rocky; 4. Judicial Academy (m); 5. Paradise Casino (m); 6. Shelbourne Geoff (w).
Heat 2: 1. Big Appetite; 2. Hey Gringo; 3. Carra Captain; 4. Inislosky Magoo; 5. Allowdale Prince (m), Killians Express (w).
Another O’Briensbridge owner, Bridget Casey, had a worthwhile trip to the Dock Road venue on Saturday night as her Shyladee Lass won the first race on the card, an A3 graded 525. Breaking fast from trap four, the daughter of College Causeway-Lass Kewell, went into an early lead and was in front all the way for her four-length win in a time of 29.02.
Ennis owner-trainer Shane Flanagan was represented by his new runner, Rockmont Hector, in an N1/N2 525-yard race. Showing good early pace from trap five, the son of Premier Fantasy-Droopy’s Foxtrot was the one they all had to catch as he showed the way for all of the trip to win his maiden race by three lengths in 29.31 from He’s Brave.
Killaloe owner, Nicola Downes, was also a winner on the night with Yeah Me in an A2 graded 575. Challenging for the lead down the back straight, the son of Yeah Man-Minnie’s Divine, took up the running at the third bend and went on for a three-length win in 31.31.
Ennistymon owner, PJ Reynolds, had Callura Twitter in trap five in the final of an A3-A4 graded 525. However, the trap-to-line winner in an impressive 28.93, was the trap-one runner, Ballygibba Ash beat Carrigmeidh Girl by two lengths. Third place was filled by Callura Twitter.
There was a Clare winner at Thursday night’s meeting in Limerick. Gortglas Suzie (Blue Savings-Zipolip), owned by Michael Kennedy with an address at Killaloe Post Office, took over at the final bend to win an A9 graded 525 by two lengths in a time of 30.22.
Placed in other races were Upland Lake (Harry Galvin, Cratloe), the Michael Downes-trained Ascot Ice and Ferndale Scolari, also trained by the Killaloe man.