Shivoo the Irish Laurels heroine, Romeo commands in Stud Book
A monthly video record of the major SIS UK and Irish races run during 2024 with accompanying reporting.
05/10 - Curraheen Park: Bar One Racing Irish Laurels - Crafty Shivoo
CRAFTY SHIVOO battled the weather conditions which had only just relented sufficiently to allow racing to go ahead and added the €30,000 Bar One Racing Irish Laurels title to her 2023 Irish Oaks victory at Curraheen Park.
Despite the weather conditions, a massive crowd turned up at Curraheen Park and saw even money favourite Crafty Shivoo battle Romeo Taylor to the turn which she drove hard to go round ahead.
Always in control from that point, the MWD Partnership-owned bitch powered away for a four and a half lengths win over a game Hazelhill Bucko who ran a big race for young trainer Lucy Roche with Romeo Taylor the same distance back in third.
05/10 - Curraheen Park: Bart Leahy Memorial - Dynamic Force
The other main feature final on the Irish Laurels card at Curraheen Park was the €10,000 Michael (Bart) Leahy Memorial A2 Stake which also went to script with 1-3 favourite Dynamic Force dominating.
Trained by Paul Hennessy for owners Brendan Cocoman and Ian Cunningham, Dynamic Force asserted in the back straight and came home eight and a half lengths clear of Crockers Sydney in 28.77sec.
13/10 - Towcester: Greyhound Stud Book Trophy - Romeo Command
ROMEO COMMAND was made to work hard by second favourite Keefill Rocky but the 1-5 market leader ultimately proved a comfortable winner of the BGBF Greyhound Stud Book Trophy over 500m at Towcester.
Trained by Patrick Janssens for Dave Firmager, 2023 Derby runner-up Romeo Command was quickly on the tail of fast-starting Keefill Rocky whose 3.99sec sectional ensured he set a strong pace.
With just a couple of lengths between them entering the back straight, it always looked a matter of when not if Romeo Command would assert but Keefill Rocky battled hard and it was only when he left a gap inside at the third bend that the odds-on favourite pounced.
Even then Keefill Rocky did not capitulate but Romeo Command powered on and claimed the £3,000 first prize by just under two lengths in 28.94sec with Trapstyle Bluey just a length or so further back in third.
25/10 - Galway: Fonez Galway Oaks - Drombeg Pearl
DROMBEG PEARL completed an unbeaten run through the event by digging deep to hold Westway Rossa to claim the €10,000 Fonez Galway Oaks final over 525 yards.
Owned and trained by Evan McAuliffe, who had immediately preceded the feature by landing the supporting Stephen Molloy Memorial final with Drombeg Apollo, Drombeg Pearl pinged out of three and, crucially, held her pitch to to turn go go round ahead of Westway Rossa in four.
It was nip-and-tuck for much of the trip with never more than about a length between the pair but Drombeg Pearl held on well to score by half a length in 28.80sec with Annie On Faya two and a half lengths back in third.
27/10 - Mullingar: Droopys Stud Fair Warrior Open 400 - Born Racer
BORN RACER completed a near perfect weekend for trainer Jennifer O'Donnell when making full use of his inside draw to land the €5,000 final of the Droopys Stud Fair Warrior Open 400 at Mullingar on Sunday.
O'Donnell had sent out heat winners in the Irish Derby second round at Shelbourne on both Friday and Saturday in the shape of Seven Beach and Scooby Pacemaker respectively and there was confidence behind Born Racer who was backed into 9-4 from 11-4 to reverse two previous defeats in the event at the hands of odds-on Road Exile.
The market leader just seemed to check slightly out of traps leaving him the task of clearing fast-starting Scarborough Fair but it was Born Racer who paced up and forced himself to the front at the opening turn.
To Road Exile's credit he battled exceptionally hard on the long 'back straight' run for home but the line came in time for the John Mitchell-owned Born Racer who prevailed by a neck in 21.74sec with Scarborough Fair a length and a half away in third.