TALKING dogs and horses
SHELBOURNE PARK is asking a lot of racegoers with a €25 general admission to next Saturday night's final of the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby. It's a high price to pay, albeit for the biggest race of the year in the greyhound calendar. There appears to have been no consideration of the current economic climate and the swingeing cuts across the board when the tariff was set.
Many of those in attendance will be greyhound owners who have had to contend with a reduction in prizemoney for graded races which was announced last month.
Furthermore, when College Causeway raced to glory in last year's final sponsored by paddypower.com he earned connections a first prize of €175,000. The winner on Saturday night will pick up €120,000.
Favourite to do that is Tyrur Big Mike who produced an astounding performance in the first of last weekend's semi-finals.
He broke smartly from traps and that was that. Steering a middle course throughout he ran clear of a top-class field to stop the clock in a brilliant 29.28.
It got better for the owner/trainer partnership of PJ Fahy and his son Conor when Big Mike's litter brother Tyrur McGuigan made it a double in the second qualifier as he saw off Barefoot Bullet in 29.63, showing great determination when the latter looked sure to prevail.
The pair have been drawn sideto-side in the final with Ladbrokes' initial show putting Tyrur Big Mike at slight odds-on.
The sponsors bet, in trap order: 1. Tullymurry Act 3/1, 2. Krug Ninety Five 14/1, 3. Tyrur McGuigan 7/1, 4. Tyrur Big Mike 4/5, 5. Thurlesbeg Joker 8/1, 6. Barefoot Bullet 6/1.
The favourite might have most to fear from Tyrur McGuigan in the early stages as he too is blessed with a sharp turn of foot at trap rise.
That said, in a clean race, Big Mike will have too much speed for the rest. Those hoping for a surprise may look to sole inside seed Tullymurry Act and the only 'wide' boy Barefoot Bullet.
Ladbrokes are taking no chances with the red jacket at 3/1. He can be punted elsewhere at 9/2. AIDAN O'BRIEN holds a number of entries in the Ladbrokes St Leger, but after last Saturday's Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes, punters will have to tread carefully if keen to support a Ballydoyle runner.
Midas Touch and Joshua Tree appear his main contenders for the Doncaster Classic.
Johnny Murtagh has still to select his mount, yet that won't make the puzzle any easier to solve.
Nonetheless, on form it seems all challengers have it to do to beat favourite Rewilding.
His owners Godolphin have a good record in this contest, their blue colours carried to victory by Classic Cliché, Nedawi, Mutafaweq, Rule Of Law and Mastery; while Sheikh Mohammed, the Godolphin supremo, has enjoyed success in his own silks with Oh So Sharp, Moonax and Shantou.
Rewilding was an easy winner at York when he had the aforementioned O'Brien pair behind.
- Francis CARROLL
