TWELVE-year-old Cork rider Dylan O’Connor took the riding honours at the second Midlands Region Meeting in Dartfield Horse Park, Loughrea, Co. Galway as he registered a magnificent four-timer. Temple Hill Tamara got O’Connor off to a great start by following up their opening meeting win in taking the 12.2hh race for Mallow Co. Cork-based J.J. O’Keeffe.

Little Maine was another to repeat the win of the opening meeting as she quickly doubled Dylan’s tally in the 13.2hh race, making all to win impressively for Monasterevin, Co. Kildare owner Megan Byrne, granddaughter of winning trainer Buddy Harrison.

Dylan had to settle for the runner-up spot in the 14hh race before winner number three was delivered in the 14.2hh race as Baby Brown galloped clear for Mallow owner/trainer Maurice Ahern. While Dylan had to wait until the finale to complete his four-timer, it was worth the wait as he took the two-mile race on Ida’s Dream for his mother Mags.

It was also a memorable day for Cleariestown, Co. Wexford rider Conor Stone-Walsh who recorded a treble. Fifteen-year-old Conor who is spending his summer riding-out for Joseph O’Brien, rode his first winner of the day when he partnered Shane Crabbe’s Little Chief to victory in the 14hh race.

In style

Stone-Walsh took over with less than three furlongs to run to win in style in a race that saw Unhinged lose his unbeaten status. This winner was owned and trained by Monasterevin-based Shane Crabbe who also provided Conor’s third winner of the day in the first division of the 12-furlong race where Conor settled Bipolar Blondie behind the leaders until about three furlongs out where upon they quickly put the result beyond doubt as they sauntered clear of the toiling opposition.

Sandwiched between these two winners, Conor also took the 10-furlong race for Kildangan-based Ian “Teddy” Worrell where the complexion of the race changed with the Dylan O’Connor-ridden Peaches And Cream coming down when in a challenging position inside the final furlong leaving Call The FBI to win readily.

The two divides of the mile race went to the Donnelly bothers. P.J. and Des. P.J took the first division where Keeper Hill provided 15-year-old Tipperary rider Sean Bowen with his second winner. Sean is a nephew of the well-known point-to-point handler John Nallen of Minella fame.

The second division went to Des’s charge Shotgun on whom Ollie Gilligan led from half-way.

It was the start of a great week for the Gilligan family as Ollie went on to lead up Shanwalla who won over hurdles in Galway on Wednesday, ridden by his brother Jack, trained by his father Paul and part-owned by his mother Natalie.

Calum Hogan kept up his momentum as he partnered his third winner of the season when taking the first divide of the 12-furlong race for Tipperary owner/trainer Conor O’Donnell.

Calum led from flag-fall and judged the pace to perfection as they ran out 15-length winners.

The 15hh race saw Jake Coen sit behind the leader through the early part of the race but once Jake asked the Johnny Holian charge to go about his business they quickly imposed their authority to win from Tell The Dream.

Results

Sunday July 25th

12.2HH Race: 1, JJ O’Keeffe’s TEMPLE HILL TAMARA (Dylan O’Connor); 2, T. Beegan’s LITTLE MICKEY (Shantelle Holohan); 3, S. Kerr’s WHERE IT BEGAN (Kian McNally).

13.2HH Race: 1, M. Byrne’s LITTLE MAINE (Dylan O’Connor); 2, P. O’Sullivan’s DANCE ALONE (Adam Grant); 3, S. Carey’s DIAMOND HILL (Alex O’Keeffe).

14HH Race: 1, S. Crabbe’s LITTLE CHIEF (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, Finnerty Family’s AN CAPAILL BEAG (Dylan O’Connor); 3, S. Kerr’s UNHINGED (Kian McNally).

14.2HH Race: 1, M. Ahern’s BABY BROWN (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. Lynch’s HARPER’S PET (L. Walsh); 3, J. Collins’s SAINT JAMES (Paddy Hanlon).

15HH Race: 1, J. Holian’s YA WEE SKITTER (Jake Coen); 2, Dreamtime Racing’s TELL THE DREAM (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Team Mac’s REMIX (Daniel Gilligan).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div 1: 1, P. J. Donnelly’s KEEPER HILL (Sean Bowen); 2, J.J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Keithen Kennedy); 3, Team Mac’s MR MAC (Daniel Gilligan).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div 2: 1, D. Donnelly’s SHOTGUN (Ollie Gilligan); 2, A. Gallagher’s (Jake Coen); 3, Finnerty Family’s OMEGA (Paul Kavanagh).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, I. Worrell’s CALL THE FBI (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, C. Bowen’s NOT NOW NED (Sean Bowen); 3, Castle Racing Syndicate’s BONNIE PARKER (Dylan O’Connor).

Open Horse Race (12F) Div 1: 1, C. O’Donnell’s THE TWO BOYS (Calum Hogan); 2, Castle Racing Syndicate’s TIGER FORCE (Dylan O’Connor); 3, P. Smith’s TUCS (Eryka Snioch).

Open Horse Race (12F) Div 2: 1, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, J. Holian’s FERRYMAN (Ollie Gilligan); 3, Finnerty Family’s MR. JAMES (Dylan O’Connor).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, M. O’Connor’s IDA’S DREAM (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. Holian’s TELL YA NOTHING (Conor Stone-Walsh); 3, S. Gildea’s MAKE A PLAN (Jake Coen).

Seasonal dates

THE North-West Region will race next in Moira, Co. Down on Friday August 6th and Saturday, August 7th.

The Southern season will get underway on Sunday, August 22nd.