Greyhounds: Crafty Shivoo Wins the Irish Oaks – Back-to-Back Wins for Galway

For the second year running, the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks trophy is heading west of the Shannon after a sensational display from the hugely exciting, ever progressive Crafty Shivoo.

She took home the €25,000 winner’s prize for Claregalway’s Peter and Brian Divilly and family.

After five weeks of intense action through the bitch classic, Saturday’s final (17th June) at Shelbourne Park served as a real coronation for the Divilly’s star.

Sent to traps the 3-1 second choice behind the hot favourite Bobsleigh Dream, those that took the odds about Crafty Shivoo were always happy. Both Glengar Martha and Scooby Duchess came away racing on the outside of the track but neither could contain Crafty Shivoo.

Shooting up the fence, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Sanjose quickly took charge at the head of affairs. With Bobsleigh Dream left standing in boxes and sitting last into the turn, it was her kennelmate Glengar Mattha that emerged as the biggest threat to Crafty Shivoo.       

But this was little more than a procession. Once taking over, Crafty Shivoo was always moving with a real sense of purpose. Entering the back straight with just under two lengths in hand, she increased her advantage to two and a half lengths by halfway and three lengths to the third turn.

Glengar Martha did all she could to close but it was futile. Crafty Shivoo remained clear and was showing no signs of taking her foot off the pedal. Scooby Duchess closed on Glengar Martha and moved through to take second for the second year running but this was Crafty Shivoo’s night.

The brilliant young bitch, who won’t be two until October, stayed on strongly to increase her lead in the final fifty yards. At the line, she had three and a half lengths to spare over Scooby Duchess in a stunning 28.14. Glengar Martha was just a half length further back in third with Bobsleigh Dream coming from out of the clouds to finish just another length adrift in fourth. Sadly, Quivers Magic and Droopys Timing had no luck in running and were beaten a long way.

In victory, she posted the joint fastest time ever recorded in an Oaks decider, matching the clock of Raha Mofo twelve months ago. For the Divilly family, it has been an incredible twelve months. Crafty Kokoro handed them classic glory last summer, running out a wonderful winner of the Corn Cuchulainn before going on to finish third in the Derby. She was also named Stayer of the Year and for Crafty Shivoo to hand them Oaks success just weeks after the retirement of Kokoro must seem surreal.