FLYERS MINNIE trained by Kilrush’s Colm Fitzgerald claimed the €9000 prize in the Kilcolgan Castle Derby.
By Michael Maher
Saturday night’s Galway card was stacked full of quality with the highlight being the €9000 to the winner final of The Kilcolgan Castle Connacht Derby In the consolation final, Flyers Minnie produced a trap-to-line success for Colm Fitzgerald of Kilrush and the Zero-Zero Syndicate.
No stranger to competing in major competitions, Flyers Minnie had battled well in the main event before bowing out at the semi-final stage. Installed as the 4/6 favourite for the consolation decider, she made no mistake, producing a dominant display to score with three lengths to spare. Despite only a moderate break, the daughter of Ballyhimikin Jet and Liosgrabh Lila quickly asserted in the early strides and rounded the opening bend with daylight between herself and her rivals, opening up a five-length advantage over the chasing pack. With the result never in doubt, Flyers Minnie maintained her strong gallop throughout to cross the line three lengths clear of the staying-on Coolavanny Shona in second.
The winning time was 30.24.10.
In the Final of the derby, the Murt Leahy trained Droopys Map pinged the lids for the first time in the competition and as the passed the judge the writing was already on the wall for his rivals headed by Hollywell Merlin on the wide outside with Grouchos Gregor tracking the pair into the opening bend. Turning down the back straight Droopys Max led Hollywell Merlin by over a length with Grouchos Gregor three lengths adrift heading towards halfway.
Passing the halfway point the Martin Costigan owned Droopys Max (Droopys Sydney & Droopys Dancer) began to turn the screw on his rivals as he edged into a three length lead and was how in control. Tracking superbly out of the back straight he was home and hosed entering the straight for a convincing three and a half lengths success over Hollywell Merlin in 30.03.
The opening contest of the night was an A4 graded affair in which the white jackted Bayview Wild trap best in the centre of the track and racing towards the opening bend the Stephen Murray of Sixmilebridge trained runner led from Cloondarone Fury with Five Alley Mike in third place along the rails taking the opening bend . Racing down the back though the Eoin Clancy owned son of Ballymac Wild and Bayview Pearl quickly set sail for home as his rival sorted themselves out behind and extending his advantage to over four lengths at the third bend he tracked superbly around the home turn as he defeated Slipalong Dew by five lengths in 29.38.
At the Limerick track on Thursday last, Petes Noah and Candys Widget did the double for Donie Duggan of Tulla, Petes Noah is owned by Shannon’s Peter Russell and he recorded career win number 13 in 29.48, he is a son Burgess Bucks and Notimetotalk, Candys widget, a son of Skywalker Canny and Miss Dior, owned by the Any chance of a kuga syndicate, notched his seventh career success in 28.91.
Snuggie Carson made it two wins in a week for Myles Cummins and Breda Casey from Newmarket-on-Fergus , with 29.05 victory, he is a son of Grangeview Ten and Crottys Act.
The opening contest was won by Fast Fit Jewel for Gort’s Joihn Quinn in a time of 30.00, this was career win number one for this homebred daughter by Fast Fit Paddy and Fast Fit Maeve.
