Hennessy hits the heights again with Lennies Ash in Irish Oaks

SEVEN days after landing the English Greyhound Derby at Towcester, trainer Paul Hennessy added a fourth Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks title to his cv when Lennies Ash came out just on top in an absolute thriller over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park.

Like Towcester hero Lennies Eddie, Lennies Ash is owned by Lee Craze - in this case in partnership with Brendan Cocoman and Ian Cunningham - and she also defied market expectations having been sent off 14/1.

Ballymac Kamala (11/10F), the only finalist unbeaten in the €25,000 event, had a narrow lead over fellow fast-starter Clan Sapphire going into the first bend but did not quite clear that rival who took advantage to lead narrowly into the back straight.

It then proved a race for the ages with the duo giving their all but being tracked in behind by Lennies Ash, who was not fazed when having to check slightly at the penultimate turn.

Racing room became very tight off the last but the Hennessy bitch found a way through and her strength saw her join then pass the gallant Clan Sapphire close home for a head victory in 28.39sec with Ballymac Kamala just a half length further back.

Hennessy had previously won the Irish Oaks with April Surprise (1998), Locnamon Bridie (2013) and Jaytee Jordan (2018), while it was his second major Shelbourne victory of the campaign after Coloursaregreen, also owned by Cocoman and Cunningham, landed the Tote Gold Cup in February.

The supporting €10,000 Shelbourne Summer Cup final proved more straightforward with Newinn Spot, trained by Graham Holland for Kenny Glen, making virtually all.

In doing so, he was always holding favoured pair Shanahee Boomer and Carrick Becks, going on to score by two lengths and the same in 28.13 for th 525 yards.