Bring On 2018!

Well we know at this stage what we are going to get when settling down for a month long battle between the best youngsters that greyhound racing can assemble in search of a Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake title.

The 2017 renewal has been as strong in depth as any of the previous four events and we can now look forward to the inevitable extensive exploits of this year's top performers as they carve a future for themselves amongst the all-age stars of the sport. Be assured that you saw future classic winners in this year's Kirby, just as we have in all previous renewals and you are likely to use some of the runners you saw here at stud in the future.

Buckley & Bocko! Trainer Pat Buckley with Kirby champ Bentekes Bocko

For the younger contenders, many will go on to the Produce Stakes which begins shortly at Clonmel and we are likely to see the Kirby influence throughout that classic while some will head straight to Towcester for trials ahead of the English Derby where last year's Kirby hero Droopys Roddick went so close to victory.

There have however been conflicting messages from trainer Pat Buckley as to our brilliant winner's plans following his sparkling unbeaten Kirby campaign. Bentekes Bocko should be hailed as a true young superstar after repelling Native Chimes in the final and the slick early pacer hardly saw another dog over the five weeks at Limerick. Winning a Kirby title leaves him with nothing more to prove in his career but that career could have so much more success to come for he is a rare type of runner that has exceptional pace all over the circuit.

Answering yours truly in the immediate aftermath of victory, Pat Buckley exclaimed without hesitation that the English Derby was next for Bocko. My own report for the Sporting Press read as such but in a later interview he seemed to dismiss the Towcester event as being too stiff a test of his stamina reserves at 500 metres. Now I would contest that for the reason the sectionals page was a feature of this Kirby website was to analyse where the main contenders were strong or weak.......and Bocko was weak nowhere!

Owner Beverley Lockhead

He finishes as strong as you could hope to wish for in an early pacer and his semi-final defeat of two strong runners clearly backs this up.. One length and a half a length in advance of Drive On Tipp and Coolavanny Pet at the line, he was still in front at the second finish line (575 yards)........he sticks it out!

Any competition up to 550 yards will certainly not stretch Bocko too far and he is a concrete Kirby champion. That said, the unnecessary lonnnnnnnng run to the pickup that they seem to insist on in the UK may well be a factor in the decision to run there or not and I could certainly understand that if it was the case. But be assured, if you're out there with a strong runner who you think can nail this fellow on the run home, you better have him/her close off the second bend because Bocko won't be stopping for you. He is a stunning Kirby champion.

We could almost feel sorry for Native Chimes having now finished runner-up in both of Limerick's feature events but we must too throw masses of admiring adulation at the Johnny O'Sullivan powerhouse and we will never know now but maybe he could have claimed victory if not having the door shut on him by Bocko at the third bend. Those who think he definitely would have won should review our sectional page and realise that it was not a given but that said, he ran a brilliant final when clearly trained to the minute. His will be a wonderful career to follow over the coming seasons.

This year's event was of course hugely complimented by a brilliant female contingent who added greatly in search of the €5000 bonus prize which ended up with our third place finisher, the wonderful Coolavanny Pet. She looks destined to be among the favourites for this year's Oaks and such is her strength over the 525 yards that she could too be another in a line of bitches who have impressed against the boys in classics over recent seasons.

We look forward to following the careers of all our finalists including the brilliant early pacer Rathnasnare Champ who could be a real hit on the sprinting scene if developing some consistency at traps. The youngest of our finalists Borsalino appeared to be tiring after the long campaign but he retains huge scope to improve over the coming months while Drive On Tipp showed that he fully justified the lofty reputation that he arrived with. Personally I don't think he is a true inside seed the way he runs off the bend when led. Yes he can rail but even looking back at videos from elsewhere, he almost invariably runs off the bend when led. He would be on my short-list for all upcoming classics if dropping this habit or if seeded middle for his is a true powerhouse who will relish the 550 yard demands of an Irish Derby, Leger or Towcester Derby.

This site will stay online for good and ever as a reference point for future form and it should be used because it's a certainty by now that those who ran in this event will be a big part of our form studies going forward.

Thanks to everyone who visited the site, it had way more hits than anticipated which makes all the time and effort worthwhile. Bring on 2018!!

Oh Yeah, did ye notice that the final prediction was so prophetic???

     Sorry.......had to gloat!

The Final Line-up & Prediction

2017 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Final

	RATHNASNARE CHAMP: A hugely talented early pacer, the Francis Murray charge graduated firstly from graded 525 yard company here at Limerick before reaching Open standard over sprint distances at Dundalk and Shelbourne. Reverting back to four bends for his tilt at the Kirby, his brilliant early pace has been a real feature of this event. Having his stamina limitations exposed on the home-straight, he has however cumulatively been beaten by less than a length in his last three outings and again holds claims to lead now. His path to victory is a straightforward one; turn first and try stay there. Catch me if you can at 5/1. FEOGHANAGH CASTLEMAHON LADIES FOOTBALL
	DRIVE ON TIPP: Arriving at Limerick with a justified reputation as one of the fastest pups in training, Graham Hollands powerful tracker has truly magnificent times recorded at both Cork and Shelbourne. Opening his Kirby campaign with victory, he has been made to settle for places since but not without displaying hugely impressive pace. Staying strongly last week, he just failed to reel in Benetekes Bocko and appears to be reaching top form at just the right time. He now has realistic claims for a run behind the early leaders before delivering a big back-straight challenge while he also retains claims to lead himself if producing his best break. He is a big player! 3/1. CRECORA
	BORSALINO: One of two Liam Dowling finalists, Borsalino had only three races under his belt before scoring an opening night victory in this year’s event. An immensely strong runner at the 525 yard trip, he is the youngest runner in the final and with limited experience, has as much if not more scope for improvement than any. Staying strongly in each of his last three defeats, his chance is not a forlorn hope and should he manage to negotiate a challenging position by halfway, he is capable of a minor upset with a strong finish at 10/1. CASTLETOWN BALLYAGRAN
	BENTEKES BOCKO: Another finalist for last year’s winning trainer and Pat Buckley has realistic claims for back to back Kirby victories now. Reaching Open class in his career start here, he is now unbeaten on the circuit for when scoring with a brilliant semi-final performance he took his record to six from six at Limerick. He does not appear to be draw dependent and won his first round heat from this trap so a repeat of his brilliant early paced displays thus far will make him very difficult to reel back and it would take a clear run from one of the strong runners to even entertain that possibility. The worthy favourite at 2/1. AHANE
	NATIVE CHIMES: A powerful tracker for trainer Johnny O’Sullivan, Natives Chimes charmed all at Limerick when running-up the 2016 Irish St Leger when little more than a baby in racing terms. Marked down as a favourite for the Kirby following that brilliant performance, he has visibly improved throughout this event. He has twice reeled in Rathnasnare Champ when that rival has led and should the Trap 1 runner lead again, he is a target which is within Native’s compass range. He may also have racing room with the favourite more likely to move left than right but he will have to break smartly and stay close to that early pacer in order to deliver his challenge where it is strongest, on the back-straight. 5/1. KILEEDY
	COOLAVANNY PET: One of the most impressive bitches in training, Liam Dowling’s Coolavanny Pet has already claimed the bonus prize for the bitches in what has largely been a battling campaign to this point. Not producing good breaks, which she is capable of, she has been seen staying strongly from the second bend which has brought two heat victories. She is capable of brilliant times and you never have her beaten until you’re called the winner. However, even her exceptional talents may find this horror draw too much to overcome. She has won a heat this year in the stripes but when facing this opposition now, it is far from ideal. Victory would require an improved break where she leads Native Chimes to the bend and gets within striking distance at halfway. That said, there is little beyond this wonderful bitch’s capabilities and there is justifiable hope at 7/2. MURROE BOHER CAMOGIE

 

The Verdict: 

Incredibly difficult to adamantly predict, there are likely complications for every runner in the field where arguably all would have wished for different draws. It could get very tight on the run to the first bend with six inside seeds but we do have two confirmed early pacers who could shape the race if producing their best. A worthy favourite, Benetekes Bocko has a clear path to victory. 

If he repeats his fast break from last week he will likely turn first and the manner in which he stayed on in the semi-final suggests that he may prove too hard to reel in. His complication is fellow early pacer Rathnasnare Champ and we have seen the big local hope end the campaigns of similar types in this event, simply by being on their inside at the bend. Should he match or even lead Bocko on the run-up, the favourite will have a dog on his left at the bend for the first time in the event. Champ is very fast on the back-straight also and Bocko will need to have overtaken him before the third turn to be sure of fending off the strong finishers on the home-straight. This early battle between the pair will have huge bearing on the outcome.

Second choice in the market is Drive On Tipp and his performance last week was as good as he could possibly produce in defeat. If we could be certain that he would stick to the rail at the first bend, then he would be the choice for victory because his finishing figures last week could see him with a chance at halfway, even if four lengths down. However, in his latest two heats, the Holland runner has run markedly wide off the first bend when led. Now he can run the opening bend smoothly as he did when in front on the first night but it appears that when headed, he is not satisfied to run blind and switches outside in search of a clear view of the hare and likely to be led to the bend now, this admirably genuine trait may in fact be his downfall as it is likely to carry him into trouble.

Should that prediction come through, it would of course bring likely bumps for those on his outer at that point and the one to benefit most could well be the outsider of the field Borsalino. He will sneak a run while glued to the rail if given the opportunity and it is possible that he could get first run at the early pacers on the back-straight. However, you can’t help but feel that his trainer Liam Dowling would love to swap traps with his two runners here for if the phenomenally talented Coolavanny Pet found herself in the situation described, she would have more than hopeful claims to be our first female Kirby winner.

She does of course still have a chance but it will be a stalking mission from behind if she can’t find an improved break on the outside of a very strong galloping Irish St Leger runner-up. Native Chimes is certainly approaching his best, more and more so with every outing and there is the possibility that he can receive the perfect tow into the race from Bentekes Bocko. The favourite is much more likely to move left than right and if Chimes can slipstream to the back-straight without interference, he possesses the middle pace to seriously threaten the lead before the closing bends which would bring winning claims.

So taking a wild swing at describing the race before it happens; Champ and Bocko fight out the early exchanges with Bocko leading to the bend having broke faster. Native Chimes heads the chasing pack while keeping a middle line to enter the second bend just ahead of Drive On Tipp who moves off the rail and finds both Borsalino and Coolavanny Pet diving up his inside. Up front, Bocko takes charge beyond halfway with Chimes bearing down on Champ for second position. Bocko maintains a powerful gallop up front and never allows Chimes to draw close enough for a telling challenge while Coolavanny Pet emerges from off the pace to deny Rathnasnare Champ for third. One possible scenario among so many in an open final. 4-5-6

Survival the key in semis

Amidst all the excitement of another wonderful night of 2017 Con & Annie Kirby action, it's almost sad to think that we have only one night left to go but what a night that is going to be with a fascinating line-up of six superbly talented youngsters who survived the brutal Kirby axe in Saturday's semi-final showdowns.

It was a night for shocks, not with our semi-final winners but throughout the night our tipping service which had been so fruitful up to this point was made to look like the housewife's Grand National selection at the pointy end of a pin in the paper but what's a few euros down the drain compared to those who had their Kirby final dream shattered at the last hurdle?!

BENTEKES BOCKO

Of course the biggest shock of the night was the elimination of outright favourite Vancouver Shea when failing to show the early pace that had secured safe passage in previous heats and his faith was sealed when his attempt to round runners on the outside at the bend was blocked by Drive On Tipp who had switched outside for a clear look at the hare having been led by the night's star performer as Bentekes Bocko returned a sizzling early paced display in the fastest time of the night.

The Pat Buckley speedster took a flyer from Trap 2 and would dominate the early exchanges as he had done in all three previous heats. A line of four runners were tightly packed in behind and bumping was inevitable as they prepared to turn but not the first time in this event, Drive On Tipp moved off the rail when led and this would shape the race thereafter.

Bocko was away and Drive On Tipp had now essentially sorted the trio places for as he gathered himself to maintain his second place position, Coolavanny Pet who had been last to the bend, rushed up on his inner and claimed a precious clear run to the back-straight. For those occupying the last three places at this stage, any attempt to deny this pair a place in the final was almost certain to fall short, and so it proved.

Bocko however was enjoying a solo up front and again improving his finishing split, held off the late challenge of Drive On Tipp by a half a length at the line in a brilliant 28.37. The efforts of the runner-up to be so close in this time suggests that Graham Holland has timed this campaign to a tee with the ante-post joint favourite and he is now firmly back in the Kirby picture as a serious final threat.

His tussle on the back-straight with Coolavanny Pet was a hugely entertaining race within a race when reducing their once five length deficit behind the leader and Pet, although ceding second place, was the biggest winner on the night as she secured the €5000 prize for the last bitch standing to compliment her final berth but note her lady rivals last night when studying form for the rest of the season for both Shewhodareswins and Higher Level exit the Kirby as two immensely talented and strong running bitches who are certain to figure at the business end of upcoming major events.

The first semi-final too had it's incidents and hard luck stories but a predictable feature of the race was the early paced prowess of Rathnasnare Champ and the Francis Murray charge again secured qualification when turning in front. However, he was hard pressed on the run to the bend by Cometwopass and the race could have been very different had the pair not brushed together upon turning. Charting a middle course and steering a yard or so clear of the running rail upon turning, Champ occupied the ground that Cometwopass was seeking and although theirs was only a minor coming together, it was enough to slow their momentum and meant that Jaytee Barracuda had nowhere to go when swinging in from his wide draw only into the backside of Cometwopass which severely hampered both and effectively ended their Kirby aspirations.

NATIVE CHIMES

At his point, Ivy Hill Blitz had somehow managed to avoid the aforementioned duo but when finding both Borsalino and Native Chimes in his eye-line, a move up the order would be beyond hopeful for even this talented youngster. The race had now taken shape and it was a case of catch me if you can as Champ powered to the third bend. Four lengths back was Borsalino who would soon come under pressure from Native Chimes who turned into the back-straight a length further adrift but gifted at this point on a track, he quickly began to reduce the leader's advantage when overtaking the Dowling runner to go in pursuit of Champ while shutting the door on Borsalino at the third turn.

Then, just as he had in Round Two, Native Chimes wore down Champ on the run to the line for a half length verdict in 28.76 with Borsalino again staying strongly when only a half length further back in third. Qualification was all the mattered last night and connections will rightly tell you that they don't need to break the clock in the semi-final but 0.39sec behind the opposing semi must be a little concerning here and leaves much to ponder ahead of the final for this was a St Leger runner-up winning and in reality, can the three qualifiers from the other heat really be that much faster?.....fascinating!

Bring on the Final!

The Semi-Finals Video