Imperious Monarch marches on at Shelbourne

BOUNCING MONARCH, whose 29.10sec success in Saturday’s second batch of BoyleSports Irish Derby heats proved joint-fastest of the first round, will line up in the last of Friday’s second-round heats at Shelbourne Park.

The pride and joy of Kinsley trainer Dave Fradgley, Bouncing Monarch was once again in imperious form for Irish maestro Michael O’Donovan as he ran riot in Saturday’s first heat, making all to win by 11 and a half lengths from Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Scheff on a track rated normal.

Following his visually stunning success, the Kirby Memorial champion is now a best-priced 5-1 ante-post favourite for the €125,000-to-the-winner competition.

O’Donovan also struck later on the card when Skywalker Bruno (29.63sec) and Hackney Dancer (29.37sec) both took their chances. 

Bouncing Monarch’s flying time was later matched by an excellent run from Laurence Jones’s Sleight Of Hand, who led his heat 23 rivals courtesy of a slick exit (3.41sec split) to make all in beating Pat Guilfoyle’s Wi Can James by three and a half lengths.

There was a real shock served up in the concluding heat 24, which saw English Derby champion Lennies Eddie scrape through in fourth spot after a troubled run.

Paul Hennessy’s star was knocked sideways at the first turn and was always playing catch-up to qualify, but there was no way through for Dowling’s Ballymac Setanta (10-11F) and Graham Holland’s Faypoint Ranger, who were eliminated in the contest won by Karol Ramsbottom’s 20-1 chance Amidus Hulk (29.65sec).

Hennessy did strike twice earlier on the card courtesy of Coloursaregreen (29.39sec) and Priceless Romeo (29.49sec), while Dowling’s strong team were also among the winners as his Towcester runner-up Ballymac Deniro impressed in 29.23sec.

Holland, who also has multiple qualifiers for this week’s second-round action, sent out Shotgun Dez (29.51sec) to win his qualifier.

Others to strike on the night were Pat Buckley’s Singalong Cherry (29.37sec), Ramsbottom’s Kapuka Coley (29.35sec) and Guilfoyle’s Waitingforastar (29.53sec).

Trap Draw
Friday - Heat 1: 1 Droopys Faithful, 2 Droichead Nua, 3 Bockos Gold, 4 Berlin Trilogy, 5 Sober Barry, 6 Priceless Romeo (w).
Heat 2: 1 Jaykay Fly, 2 Roarin Ogara, 3 Unassuming, 4 Solo And Go, 5 Glengar Kane, 6 Lennies Dynamic (w).
Heat 3: 1 Low Profile, 2 Lone Calling, 3 Galloping Jack, 4 Ballymac Hitman 5 Gaytime Teco, 6 Bombay Special (w).
Heat 4: 1 Magical Jet, 2 Kevinsfort Fancy, 3 Roaming Shelby, 4 Getup The Boy, 5 Silent Noelle, 6 Ballymac Deniro (w).
Heat 5: 1 Bockos Sapphire, 2 Grouchos Frank, 3 Grouchos Chief, 4 Ballyhooly Bruno, 5 Slippery Brian (m), 6 Kapuka Coley (w).
Heat 6: 1 Hackney Plan, 2 Mona Lee Monbeg, 3 Swords Style, 4 Shotgun Dez, 5 Blastoff Heffo (m), 6 Kilcolgan Norman (w).
Heat 7: 1 Harlequin Gee Up, 2 Coolemount Fame, 3 Lennies Eddie, 4 Ballymac Scheff, 5 Ballyea Warrior (m), 6 Mydras Opinion (w).
Heat 8: 1 Ballydoyle Tina, 2 Firstpastthepost, 3 Singalong Cherry, 4 Bouncing Monarch, 5 Lennies Jamesmac (m), 6 Leamenaigh Godes (w)

Saturday - Heat 9: 1 Crossfield Matt, 2 Downtothewire, 3 Ballymac Charbel, 4 Kerlogue Jet, 5 Bockos Diamond (m), 6 Ballymac Altobel (w).
Heat 10: 1 Skywalker Bruno, 2 Miami Hans, 3 Highview Excel, 4 Gaytime Clyde, 5 Grangeview Rocco (m), 6 Uncle Keith (w).
Heat 11: 1 Ballycowen Frank, 2 Hackney Dancer, 3 Ballymac Kamala, 4 Avenue Queen, 5 Oriental King (m), 6 Ballymac Gwennie (w).
Heat 12: 1 Sleight Of Hand, 2 Carrigeen Whit, 3 Amidus Hulk, 4 In the Sunset, 5 Harvard Square (m), 6 Ballyhooly Cliff (w).
Heat 13: 1 Razldazl Thelma, 2 Coloursaregreen, 3 Ballymac Siun, 4 Sure Exile, 5 Glengar Phantom (m), 6 Im Here (w).
Heat 14: 1 Brayview Lad, 2 Droopys Monk, 3 Faypoint Harvey, 4 Waitingforastar, 5 Kilwest Major (m), 6 Paulstown Cash (w).
Heat 15: 1 Ballymac Cmax, 2 Timmys Bucks, 3 Barntick Bucko, 4 Croydon Avenger, 5 Cracking Cody (m), 6 Razldazl Loreal (m).
Heat 16: 1 The Other Eimear, 2 Wi Can James, 3 Miami Hyland, 4 Droopys Winsome, 5 Sawdust Barry (m), 6 Mill Willow (m).

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