THE CAST OF 2023 HAVE NOT DISAPPOINTED!

Seventy-two aspiring champions gathered at our Dock Road venue in Limerick a month ago for the JP & Noreen McManus sponsored Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Stake and such was the impression made in their short careers before a tilt at the richest juvenile race on the planet, this tenth renewal was already being touted as the best yet, and the cast of 2023 have not disappointed!

Emphasising the competitive nature of the “Kirby” from the very opening exchanges, twelve first-round heats were shared among nine kennels but there was no doubting where the first racing headlines belonged after Juvenile Derby champ Clona Duke scorched a path through the Dock Road sands on his way to a stunning fastest of the round performance in Heat 3. Defending his rails pitch from an inside draw, the Graham Holland star eased clear of Pape Di Oro for a five and a halflength verdict in a sizzling 28.07 and the Kirby fires for 2023 were well and truly ignited!

The opening round saw just one trainer claim multiple heat wins and in search of a fourth victory in the event, the Kirby’s most successful kennel opened their 2023 campaign with a treble which was headed by a true outright contender in the form of Bens Teddy. A powerful strong runner over the trip, he tracked companion Ower Mystery to the backstraight before a stunning gallop to the line when stopping the clock at 28.35 with two and a half lengths in hand of his kennelmate.

Within a wonderful session for Team Buckley, all nine entrants advanced to the second round and completing the winning treble, Road Exile commenced the event with a trap-to-line defeat of Lotto Other News in 28.40 before leading lady Terezas Mendoza drew clear of early bumping when greatly impressing from the second bend for an eight-length defeat of Sogna In Grande in 28.64. The remaining heats of the opening round delivered an even spread of winners with the next best time on the night coming in Heat 6 as Pat Guilfoyle’s Scaglietti made a winning return in a strong running performance. Tracking Verratti to halfway, he displayed powerful strong running abilities while posting a brilliant 28.21 in a five and a half-length winning verdict.

Impressive amongst the remaining opening round winners, Michael Corr’s La Conquistador was a cosy winner of Heat 4 when drawing clear of bumping rivals at the closing bends for a six and a half-length defeat of Glengar Ace in 28.31. A previous Limerick winner, Paul Hennessy’s Boylesports Gift claimed Heat 9 when leading Hovex Tommy throughout his 28.39 verdict while Jack Kennelly’s Beepers Lariat posted the next best of 28.43 with a strong running effort to lead Storys Law to the line with seven lengths to spare.

Heat 10 of the Kirby provided the closest finish of the opening round when Robert Gleeson’s Whyaye Man prevailed in a thrilling contest. Narrowly showing in front from trap 3, he battled his way to a one length lead at the corner before joined and passed by Millridge Levi. Twice battling back from a one length deficit in a most game battling performance, Whyaye Man denied that rival by a shorthead on the line in 28.63.

Duke equals record in Round Two

Topping all betting markets for outright glory, our session of eight second round heats in the Kirby was illuminated by another sublime performance from Clona Duke as the fastest opening night winner advanced to a track record equally 27.95 for the 525-yards while dominating Heat 4 in a treble on the night for Graham Holland. Displaying slick early pace, he led Run Faster at the opening bend before streaking away from significant bumping for all rivals in behind. In a race against the clock thereafter, the Kirby favourite completed victory with twelve and a half lengths to spare over a recovering Run Faster.

Sparking the Holland exploits on the night from Heat 2, Hovex Tommy progressed from his bumpy first-round outing when breaking better this time and leading gallant kennelmate Clonbrien Treaty throughout a two and a half-length verdict, posted a smart 28.27 before Romeo Hanzo also improved from the opening round to complete the kennel treble in Heat 7. Crucially repelling Bogger Lucky and Pape Di Oro for a first bend lead, the winner shut the door on hampered rivals at the closing bends before completing with four and a half lengths to spare over Ballymac Seanie in 28.07. Also remaining unbeaten in the second-round while completing a double on the night for Pat Buckley in Heat 5 was Bens Teddy. From a tricky draw in trap 5, the strong runner left a big impression when overturning a three-length deficit while third to the backstraight and overhauling Boylesporst Gift for a two-length victory, posted a brilliant 28.10.

Igniting the second-round heats into fiery action from the very outset, Singalong Eimear sparked the Buckley double in Heat 1 as another progressing from opening round bumping to lay down a big marker on her way to the quarterfinals. Defending her rails pitch for a lead at the opening bends, she was pursued from that point by Gaytime Hugo while posting 28.08 in a three and a halflength score.

In all, four runners went back-to-back in the opening rounds and Whyaye Man enjoyed a wider margin of victory than in his thrilling score a week earlier. Displaying all of his slick early dash from trap 5 in Heat 6, he left bumping rivals behind at the opening bends before registering a five and a half-length verdict over a battling runner-up effort from Terezas Mendoza, with Blastoff Salah producing a similarly laudable recovery run from halfway to fill third in 28.18.

Leading from the opening bend with the benefit of a rails draw in Heat 3, Beepers Lariat also remained unbeaten to quarterfinal stage when skipping clear of bumping before repelling fellow strong runner Scaglietti by a length and a half in 28.53. The second-round session concluded with another bumpy affair where the rails was again an aid to Burgess Bolger when skipping clear around the opening bends for a four-length defeat of the strong staying Mr Incredible and Ryhope Beach who both battled well following early traffic.

Beach bounces back with tremendous Terezas in quarters

Further emphasising the competitive nature of the 2023 renewal, no runner would emerge from our quarterfinals with an unbeaten Kirby record intact and within an enthralling session, the fastest winner was claiming his first victory at Limerick as Michael O’Donovan’s Ryhope Beach laid down his marker in the concluding heat. Unfortunately reduced to a four-runner contest, he broke on level terms from trap 6, and would tackle the opening bends with just a length to recover on Singalong Eimear. Readily overhauling that rival when swinging off the second bend however, Ryhope Beach eased clear to a commanding four-length verdict over the strong running Gaytime Hugo as Singalong Eimear repelled Blastoff Mac for third in a sizzling 28.05!

Ideally housed in trap 1 for the opening heat, Terezas Mendoza returned to winning ways while advancing to a brilliant new career best and swift to stride, ably defended her rails pitch before easing to a two-length lead around the bends. A stunning victory concluded in a brilliant 28.07 but the qualifiers behind the Buckley winner impressed as Scaglietti filled second at a two-length deficit ahead of a rallying Bens Teddy after both had suffered crowding.

Another claiming a first victory in Heat 2, Clonbrien Treaty strengthened the Kirby hand of Graham Holland when gamely shedding his maiden tag in a sixth career outing. Breaking on level terms from trap 4, he gradually edged his way to a tight one length lead nearing the first bend and led kennel companion Romeo Hanzo to the backstraight when stretching clear of bumping rivals. In behind, Whyaye Man and Blastoff Salah impressed from halfway, and that pair would fill the places behind the dominant winner. Striking the line with six lengths to spare, Clonbrien Treaty posted 28.31.

The third quarterfinal also delivered a first Kirby heat win and Liam Peacock’s Bogger Lucky displayed admirable resolve having shown all of his impressive early pace to lead throughout. Quickest to reach full stride from trap 6, he held a narrow lead over Hovex Tommy while tackling the turns and little changed thereafter as the pair served up a brilliant buckle. Not reaching a full one length lead until sweeping the third turn, Bogger Lucky was made to work for his victory all the way to the line by a most gallant Hovex Tommy who kept the winning margin to a length and a half at the line in 28.45, as Ballymac Seanie ran down hot favourite Clona Duke in the home straight for third, two and a half lengths further back.

Hugo is a Holland Treat in semis

Entering the opening heat without a previous victory at Limerick, Gaytime Hugo found smart progress to rectify that statistic in a dominant performance which would spark a timely Kirby heat double for trainer Graham Holland.

Immediately in command from trap 4, he comfortably led to the opening bend when in advance of Ryhope Beach while the rails seeking Scaglietti bumped with the significantly baulked Blastoff Salah, as both he and Bens Teddy saw their semi hopes dashed upon turning. With clear passage on the outside, Ryhope Beach chased the leader to halfway at a five-length deficit as recovering duo Scaglietti and Terezas Mendoza vied for third. Out front, Gaytime Hugo continued to dominate and repelled a gallant Ryhope Beach by two and a half lengths in 28.09. In behind, the third qualifying place was claimed by Scaglietti when a further five lengths adrift while three lengths in advance of Terezas Mendoza.

Trainer Graham Holland took three runners to the semifinals and not only completed a winning double but crowned the perfect night with a forecast in the second qualifier when Hovex Tommy chased home the dominant Clonbrien Treaty. Very swift to stride from trap 1, the latter ensured full command of the race when drifting towards the outside while clear of all rivals throughout the early exchanges. A length to the good over Bogger Lucky approaching the first bend, that lead doubled to the backstraight with Hovex Tommy three lengths further adrift approaching halfway. Never for catching, Clonbrien Treaty completed with four and a half lengths to spare over running-on kennel companion Hovex Tommy in 28.15 with just a head back to Bogger Lucky….and our final six were known!