Monroe Scolari wins Down Syndrome 525 A2 final
IT was quite elevating to see the crowd which a fundraiser for Down Syndrome Kerry brought to Tralee Track on Saturday night. They came from many parts of Kerry, and probably beyond, to lend their support and one can safely assume that the night was a good financial success for the organisers. Hopefully so, anyway.
The feature event on a 12-race programme was the final of an A5 525 sweepstake carrying the name of Down Syndrome Kerry and victory, as more or less expected, rested with 1/2 favourite, Monroe Scolari, owned by Patrick McMahon, of Glin.
This fellow had clocked a very impressive 28.79 at the semi-final stage and he was nicely housed in trap 1. The main opposition to him was expected to come from Rock Of Sense, which had won his semi-final in 28.95, but this fellow was in trouble soon after leaving traps and, in fact, two of the outsiders, Tims Dream and Bowline Fantasy, led the charge into the first bend.
Monroe Scolari was, however, in their slipstream straightening out on the back straight and he had the pace to be half a length in front of Tims Dream rounding the third bend before going on to beat this 10/1 shot by a length and a half in 29.09 (.10 slow), with half a length back to Dromscarra Ruby.
Rock Of Sense finished well back in fifth place.
The supporting programme was comprised almost entirely of sweepstake semi-finals and the fastest run of the night was produced in the very last race by the Listowel-owned Chilmark Chaser, which ran away with the third semi-final of an 18-greyhound A4 525 sweepstake sponsored by the Underwriting Exchange and GMHD.
Chilmark Chaser clocked 28.79 in beating 4/6 favourite, Farran Kidney, by no less than eleven and a half lengths and, quite remarkably, this fellow and the winner of the second semi-final, Sheazys Luke (29.00), had been eliminated in the first round of the GMHD classic - something that also applied to the winner of an earlier sweepstake semi-final, Knockbawn Flyer (29.43). That most certainly served to underline the fact that no slow-coaches run in the juvenile classic.
Other winners on the night were: Misty Legend, 18.32 (.05 slow); Bolus Queen, 30.06; Pass To Go, 29.38; Millabbey Milo, 29.75; Razldazl Peaches, 29.23; Shronedraugh Sky, 29.30; Boxer Tonight, 29.71; My Girl Lollypop, 28.91.
