Beach and King Shelbourne stars before Fratton barks loudest
A monthly video record of the major SIS UK and Irish races run during 2024 with accompanying reporting.
04/05 - Shelbourne Park: Open 600 - Ryhope Beach
RYHOPE BEACH, trained by Michael O'Donovan for Alison Bandurak, saw off gallant outsider Kyanite Kate to land the €15,000 Shelbourne Open 600.
The eventual winner was only fifth at the opening turn as Kyanite Kate set a furious pace but used the famed Shelbourne back straight to move in to second albeit some six lengths off the pace.
He made giant strides from the third bend and, hard as Kyanite Kate battled, Ryhope Beach was able to get there when it mattered, scoring by half a length in 32.23sec with Ballymac Gizmo six lengths back in third.
18/05 - Shelbourne Park: Champion 550 - Carmac King
CARMAC KING was utterly dominant as he completed a six-timer in landing the €7,500 final of the Shelbourne Champion 550, a competition restricted to 2022 whelps.
Trained by Owen McKenna for Timmy Carmody, he barely saw another rival during the event and justified evens favouritism in the final with another tremendous all-round display.
Quickly in front, he never gave his rivals a look-in as he powered to a three lengths win over Maireads Prince in clocking a best-of-year 29.34sec.
24/05 - Harlow: JenningsBet Trophy - Fratton Bark
FRATTON BARK registered victories five and six in an unbeaten start to his British career when landing heat and final of the £2,500 JenningsBet Trophy over 415m at Harlow.
Trained by Gemma Evans for the Pompey Ventures syndicate, he quickly progressed from a Romford A4 debut success to land an A2 then heat and final of a minor event at home base.
Switched to Harlow for this Category Two competition, he made light work of his heat rivals but having again taken early control in the decider had to dig in deep before repelling local Essjay John by a head in 26.63sec (-10).
26/05 - Kilkenny: Champion Open Unraced - Moanteen Wildcat
MOANTEEN WILDCAT, who would become Bockos Diamond immediately afterwards following a change of ownership, starred in what was a high-class Champion Unraced over 525 yards at Kilkenny.
Purchased by the Remember Them Syndicate after beating what proved to be his chief competition rival Broadstrand Syd in the opening round, the then Rachel Wheeler-trained youngster saw the form reversed in round two but rode a bump to win his semi.
It was Broadstrand Syd, though, who was sent off favourite for the €15,000 decider and the subsequent Irish Sprint Cup winner led the charge initially but Moanteen Wildcat stayed within striking distance.
The pair had a slight coming together approaching the third turn where Moanteen Wildcat asserted, going on to beat Broadstrand Syd by three lengths in 28.85sec after which he joined Graham Holland.