Recap: Forthcoming Events Maiden Hurdle Semi-Finals
Harold’s Cross hosted the Forthcoming Events Maiden Hurdle Semi-Finals over 525 yards Monday night. The top two finishers from three semi-finals earned spots in the final.
Semi-final one
Butterbridge Tag looked good in the first semi-final, winning the race by 8½ lengths over Unique Katie with a time of 29.92 seconds. Tag took advantage of a great start, taking the lead early and stretching
it throughout the race.
Other than a brief tie up in the middle of the pack early on, Katie ran a good race, finishing with a time of 30.60. On Line Joe took third place, four lengths behind Katie, and looked good considering
he came into the race as a 10-1 longshot.
In fourth was the 5-4 race favourite, Shabuggy, who had ample opportunity to move up, but just couldn’t match the speed of the top three. Taking fifth was Kill Brae, and in last place was Pancho Black,
both Brae and Black had very slow starts.
Semi-final two
The second semi-final had two 6-4 joint favourites, but only one of them qualified for the final, and neither of them won the race. Instead it was Billis Renegade in first by 2½ lengths over joint favourite,
Clonkeen Theo, with a time of 30.16. Theo would end up being the only favourite to earn a spot in the final.
Giddy Half Hour, an 8-1 longshot, led after a quick start, but on the third bend Billis and Theo passed him with ease. Then it was Catunda Gillian, who had a slow start, pushing Half Hour even further
back as she finished well, taking third place. Half Hour ended up in fourth place.
The other joint favourite, Kilmalady Hondo, fell after hitting the third hurdle, but still managed to finish the race in fifth as Becky Automatic took last place.
Semi-final three
The last semi-final saw Alright Flash take an early lead, and finish the race with the fastest time of the semi-finals, a mark of 29.52. Flash finished 5 lengths ahead of Kilaharry Pat, who had to fend
off a surging Bridies Queen in the final stretch.
Queen had a slow start, but she was able to finish with a time of 29.96, one of only four hounds to finish with a time under 30 seconds.
The 8-11 race favourite, Daring Light, finished two lengths behind Queen in fourth place, and in fifth was Catunda Ramos, 8½ lengths behind Light.
In sixth place was Swift Christy, who was replacing Feetonfire in the fifth trap.
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