Ballymac Eske easily the fastest in Olympic heats
Ballymac Eske: simply stunning as he romped home at Hove
PICTURE: STEVE NASH
BALLYMAC ESKE (1-8F) romped to a 29.39sec. victory at Hove on Thursday night in the final heat in the Coral Greyhound Olympic over 515 metres.
Crowded at the traps as Barrie Draper's star moved middle early from trap one, Ballymac Eske then raced right away from the field for a near eight lengths stunning win, with Droopys Xavier in second and Go Go Sonic third.
Sawpit Sensation put up a typical powerhouse performance to take the opening heat. Dave Hunt's star, who won a supporting open on Irish Derby final night at Shelbourne on Saturday, proved he takes the travelling in his stride despite trapping slowly.
Barnish Booth had led up, but Sawpit Sensation, who went wide at the bend, was always travelling smoothly, and although he cut in and was crowded at the third, then drew away from the fourth turn for a convincing victory by nearly four lengths from the running on Holycross Prince in a second fastest 29.67sec
Bridge Honcho was soon clear for Mark Wallis in heat two, with Hugo You Go turning second but never getting closer. Kilmore Say Go put up a storming late run to qualify in third. Bridge Honcho won by just under two lengths in 29.82sec
Derek Knight's Tullna Hawk proved a determined winner of heat three, tucking in behind early leader Longrange Ivor, then pouncing off the fourth bend for a near two lengths win in 30.07sec. Mutual Consent ran on for second.
Favourite Sakara Star was clobbered at the bend.
Airlie Impact put up an eye-catching return to the track when taking heat four. It was his first race since disappointing at odds-on in the Sussex Cup final, after which it was discovered he had a sore back.
Starting slowly, he went up fast, and keeping wide, was handed a considerable advantage as the remainder of the field bunched, and he made no mistake, scoring by nearly three lengths in 29.73sec - he should strip all the fitter for that.
Westmead Maldini, caught up in the trouble, battled on for second, with Ceroc Shaneboy taking third.
Lenson Bob showed good early and was soon well clear in taking heat five, scoring by three lengths from Millwards Alpha in 29.71sec, with Monlena Rumble third.
Thursday's semis:
Race 4 20.18 515m Flat (OR)
CORAL GREYHOUND OLYMPIC - 1st Semi-Final
1st £200, 2nd £75, Others £40 Total £435
1 WESTMEAD MALDINI Nick Savva (Hnlow)
2 HOLYCROSS PRINCE John Mullins (Yrmth)
3 BRIDGE HONCHO (M) Mark Wallis (Yrmth)
4 HUGO YOU GO (M) Philip Simmonds (Harlw)
5 GO GO SONIC (W) Paul Sallis (Monm)
6 MONLENA RUMBLE (W) Gemma Coney (Unatt)
Race 5 20.34 515m Flat (OR)
CORAL GREYHOUND OLYMPIC - 2nd Semi-Final
1st £200, 2nd £75, Others £40 Total £435
1 MUTUAL CONSENT Ernest Gaskin (Rom)
2 BALLYMAC ESKE Barrie Draper (Sheff)
3 CEROC SHANEBOY (M) John Mullins (Yrmth)
4 BARNISH BOOTH (M) Kevin Hutton (Swndn)
5 LONGRANGE IVOR (M) John Mullins (Yrmth)
6 KILMORE SAY GO (W) Matthew Dartnall (Swndn)
Race 6 20.50 515m Flat (OR)
CORAL GREYHOUND OLYMPIC - 3rd Semi-Final
1st £150, Others £25 Total £275
1 DROOPYS XAVIER Claude Gardiner
2 TULLNA HAWK Derek Knight
3 LENSON BOB (M) Anthony Collett (Sitt)
4 SAWPIT SENSATION (M) David Hunt (PBarr)
5 AIRLIE IMPACT (W) Paul Young (Rom)
6 MILLWARDS ALPHA (W) Paul Young (Rom)
The first two from each semi go forward to the £5,000 final on Thurday September 27
**Alien Planet (4-6F) won the BVOF Northern Flat Championship final at Belle Vue. He made all for Stuart Mason, scoring by nearly five lenghts in 27.50sec. Ballymac Denis was always second.
**Bush Bandit took off at Henlow in a trial stakes for the Primus Telecom Derby. Kelly Findlay's new star flew out and made all in 29.30sec, winning by six lengths.
