Limerick Track is gearing up nicely for the upcoming Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at the end of March.
By Michael Maher
No fewer than five trial stakes were held at the Munster venue last Saturday night. With the sweepstake worth €80,000 to the winner, scheduled to start on Saturday, 25th March, Limerick was the first track to kick-start the Trial Stakes for the event and there were a number of sensational performances that will take some topping throughout the country over the coming weeks. Clare are sure to have a number of enteries when the draws are made over the next month.
In the concluding A4 550 contest on Saturdays nights Galway card, Banter Blitz showed pace along the rail to lead on the run towards the opening bend with Rosshll Wildcat song pace out wide as the turn loomed. Turning down the back Rosshill Wildcat switched inside the leader who ran slightly off the second bend and at halfway Rosshill Wildcat led but Banter Blitz was back on terms leaving the back as the Tony Brigdale of Ennis owned Blaze Bill began to close rapidly in third place. Off the home bend Rosshill Wildcat went a couple of lengths clear but Blaze Bill(Rising Brandy-Drahbeg Princess) few home to lead on the line and score by half a length in 30.74.
Clare natives John Collins and Albert Long were on the mark at the College Road venue on Friday night with their Brickhill Daisy owned who has been a tremendous servant to her owners. The daughter of Drooppys Sydney & Rathmeehan May took her career tally to fifteen victories as she proved a length and a half too good for Mounvoor Lad in the A4 graded eighth contest in a time of 29.28. As the traps rose Ballyhale Chloe led towards the outer but the first tow home came through along the inner rounding the opening bend. Turning to run down the back Brickhill Daisy hit the front and went a length clear and although she faced a few strong challenges she saw them all off in her usual game fashion.
Collins was in the winners enclosure after the opening contest of the night which was an A6 graded 525 yards contest where Springwell Thomo and Brickhill Jane were away smartly on either side of the track with the former holding a narrow advantage as they reached the opening bend. Turning down the back the red jacketed Brickhill Jane hit the front along the inner but as the pair approached the third bend Springwell Thomo was back in front and he led by a length off the home bend but on the run in the John Collins owned Brickhill Jane(Skywalker Logan-Couldkevinbewrong) went on again to score by a length in 29.74.
In race three, Pallasmore Bud was best away in the centre of the track for this Novice sprint contest but racing towards the opening bend Bayview Fantasy swept through along the inner to hold a fractional advantage at the turn. Approaching the home bend Bayview Fantasy held a narrow advantage over his rival boy on the run home the pair had a slight coming together and this allowed the John Quinn of Gort owned Fast Fit Pennie(Doratos Wildcat-Fast Fit Maeve) to sweep down the outside to score by three parts of a length in 19.66.
