4 days ago
Southwind takes ‘Wild' finish to Irish Sprint Cup Final at Dundalk Stadium
Trained in Co Limerick by Pat Buckley for England-based owner Bill Wood, the trap five runner started outsider of the field at 10/1 and in an exciting finish edged out Droopys Patriot by a short-head with defending champion Broadstrand Syd in third spot.
Southwind Wild was the second 10/1 winner on a twelve-race programme. The first 10 favourites were beaten.
The big race market was headed by Broadstrand Syd, 5/4 from evens to go through the competition unbeaten.
Best backed was the other contender with a perfect record Droopys Patriot. He was supported into 2/1 from 3/1.
Southpark Browne was a drifter at 4/1, while both Epic Ace and Ballymac Brandan were unchanged at 5/1 and 8/1 respectively.
Southwind Wild was just about first to emerge at trap rise from Broadstrand Syd and Droopys Patriot.
The latter soon went second and was laying down a stern challenge to the leader when the Buckley runner made a race-winning move.
He drove hard into the bend, sweeping around Droopys Patriot and Broadstrand as the other trio struggled to find gaps a little further back.
This manoeuvre tightened up his pursuers, and suddenly Southwind Wild was more than a couple of lengths clear.
Droopys Patriot quickly recovered to give chase in the straight as did the favourite as he bravely battled to hold onto his crown.
Southwind Wild was all out to hold Droopys Patriot by a rapidly diminishing short head with just another three-quarters of a length to Broadstrand Syd. The principals were followed home by Ballymac Brandan, Epic Ace and Stonepark Browne.
The winning time was 21.08, off a 7.07 sectional, as Southwind Wild, who began his career in Dundalk for different connections, earned a first prize of €20,000.
The traditional August 15 fixture produced one Co. Louth winner. It came in the Avenue Inn Open 575.
Exclusion Order, trained in Clogherhead by Graham Kelly and jointly owned by Graham and Tommy McKevitt, Dromiskin, was a Sprint Cup semi-finalist.
He handled a step up in distance to prevail by a half-length from favourite Toolmaker Josepe in 31.21 and was returned at 2/1.
Laurence Jones from Corduff in Co Monaghan landed the Bar One Racing S2 400 Final with Lockstep.
Duleek enthusiast Megan De Souza recorded a double as did Belfast's Stephen Townsley and Rathkenny, Co Meath handler Martin Lanney.
