MIDLANDS REGION –

THOMASTOWN

THE win of the Buddy Harrison-owned/trained Last Chance Paddy in Thomastown last Sunday was one of the most popular winners seen in horse and pony racing as local rider Joe Conlon claimed the honours in the race ran in memory of his father Mick who lost his life in tragic circumstances last autumn.

Mick, who was one of the key people instrumental in getting Thomastown Races up and running again, would have been very proud of Joe who gave the winner a superb drive to get up in the shadow of the post to deny recent Lacken winner Half Price.

Mikey Sheehy also kept the local support happy with a double. He took the two-mile race for Listowel owner Batsy Maher as The Boss made most of the running to make a winning debut from Forgive And Forget who kept him company for most of the trip.

The 12-furlong race was a thrilling race as Mikey and Batsy completed their double with Who’s Your Daddy, who again made most of the running. However, the spoils were shared here as Killenaule, Co. Tipperary rider Andrew Slattery got Call The Guards up in the final strides for Monasterevin owner Teddy Worrell and with the camera unable to separate them a dead-heat was called making it a first winner in horse class for 16-year-old Andrew.

This capped a memorable week-end for the Slattery family as Andrew’s father and namesake had trained Creggs Pipes to win a Group 2 at the Curragh the previous day.

Wexford rider Conor Walsh is making giant strides and bagged a double as he teamed up with the Curly Syndicate to win both the 12.2hh and 13.2hh races. In the 12.2hh race Walsh rode Another Tiger who won from Tail To Tail, ridden by Luke Burke Ott from Meelin, Co Cork.

Burke Ott won the pony races at the recent Dromahane and Tralee point-to-points and it would be great to see more of these young riders progressing to pony racing over the summer.

Hello Star completed Conor’s brace as they came home in front with Little Maxi chasing them home.

Mikey O’Connor is another rider making a good impression this season and he also landed a double.

Last year O’Connor landed his first winner when he scored on his own He’s Our Grouse and the Cork rider repeated the feat as they drew clear up the straight to win the mile race from Shrek.

Earlier, he took the 15hh race on Farmer Boyce. At half-way he was an unlikely winner but he stayed on strongly to prevail in a photo-finish from Four Stone Of Lead and On The Edge.

The 14.2hh race saw One Of The Boys bounce back to form in the hands of 15-year-old Hollyford, Co. Tipperary rider Joey Sheridan.

Sheridan, who is gaining experience riding out in Ballydoyle, was always prominent on his way to an impressive win. Tralee rider Ross Sugrue took the maiden race for Kathy Flannery on Banned Substance, making most of the running.

RESULTS

12.2HH Race (6F): 1, Curly Syndicate’s ANOTHER TIGER (Conor Walsh); 2, Three County Syndicate’s TAIL TO TAIL (Luke Burke Ott); 3, J. Walsh’s MR T (Mikey Sheehy).

13.2HH Race (1M): 1, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Conor Walsh); 2, W. McGrath’s LITTLE MAXI (Daniel King); 3, P. Treacy’s KAHUNA (Mikey Sheehy).

14.2HH Race (10F): 1, Five County Syndicate’s ONE OF THE BOYS (Joey Sheridan); 2, P. O’Connor’s LA BELLE GROUSE (Ben Coen); 3, E. Power’s PRINCESS LIYA (Kieran Power).

15HH Race (10F): 1, Three County Syndicate’s FARMER BOYCE (Mikey O’Connor); 2, A. Browne’s FOUR STONE OF LEAD (Mikey Sheehy); 3, A. Hamilton’s ON THE EDGE (Shane Crosse).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, P. O’Connor’s THAT’S OUR GROUSE (Mikey O’Connor); 2, R. Keane’s SHREK (Ben Coen); 3, G. O’Boyle’s NEVER SAY NEVER (Mikey Sheehy).

Mick Conlon Memorial Horse Race (10F): 1, B. Harrison’s LAST CHANCE PADDY (Joe Conlon); 2, A. Melia’s HALF PRICE (Caoilin Quinn); 3, B. Maher’s MAN OF STEEL (Mikey Sheehy).

Open Horse (12F): 1, Dead-heat I. Worrell’s CALL THE GUARDS (Andrew Slattery) and B. Maher’s WHO’S YOUR DADDY (Mikey Sheehy); 3, B. Murphy’s GO GEORGIE GO (Cathal Gahan).

Thomastown Derby (2M): 1, B. Maher’s THE BOSS (Mikey Sheehy); 2, R. Sugrue’s FORGIVE AND FORGET (Ross Sugrue); 3, K. Murphy’s KILLIAN’S PRIDE (Gavin Brouder).

Maiden Horse (10F): 1, C. Flannery’s BANNED SUBSTANCE (Ross Sugrue); 2, Three County Syndicate’s THE BALLYOGAN ROAD (Mikey O’Connor); 3, B. Maher’s MAN OF ACTION (Mikey Sheehy).