Race of Champions semi-finals take place at Tralee track this Friday

IT might be costing €350 to enter, but they will be chasing a massive winner’s purse of €15,000 when the semi-finals of the Callaway Rambler At Stud Race of Champions take place over 550yds at Tralee Track this Friday.

It’s all down to the generosity of Denis Murphy, of Beaufort, who is expecting the entry to include some of the best canine stars in the country. As well he might.

Shelbourne Park might be the place where the big money is on offer most of the time, but €15,000 for just two runs at the Oakview venue is pretty awesome and it will be great to watch the flying machines that are chasing it.

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LIAM Dowling’s Ballymac Marino has shortened to 5/1 to win the English Derby at Towcester and his kennelmate, Ballyma Finn, is up there, too, at 10/1.

Lisselton’s Jack Kennelly is taking them all on in this marvellous £175,000-to-the-winner classic and it would be great to see his 20/1 shot, Beepers Lariat, qualify for the last 24 this Saturday night.

Meanwhile, the amazing Bobsleigh Dream is 11/4 favourite to win the Sporting Press Oaks (winner, €25,000) at Shelbourne Park for Willie Joe Murphy, of Gneveguilla, while the fast-starting Quivers Magic, which ran third to Bobsleigh Dream last Saturday night, is a 13/2 shot for PJ and Charles Sugrue, of Portmagee.

Bobsleigh Dream runs from trap 1 in the second semi-final this Saturday night and Quivers Magic has a trap 2 draw in the first semi-final.

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IT is not often that an A4 winner upstages everything at last Tuesday week’s SIS meeting at Tralee track, but Steeple Rd Bell did just that for Tarbert owner, Dan Wren, at last week’s meeting. Sent off the 7/4 favourite, the March ’21 daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Steeple Rd Venus produced a career best time of 28.82 in beating Satellite Black by seven lengths, bettering her two previous sub-29.00 seconds runs in 21 career starts. She now jumps three grades to A1 class.

Also inside 29.00 seconds were A6 winner, Lixnaw Sailor (28.92), A1 winner, Hawthorn Castle (28.93), and A2 winner, Denville Paudie (28.95).

A double was recorded by Millstreet owner, Donal G O’Mahony, with Millridge Leya (29.29) and Millridge Jock (29.04), while the other winners were: Seomra Cyclone, 29.30; Loher Mabey, 29.41; Wristy Hurling, 29.86; Kilmoyley Lady, 29/16.

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