THE second day of Ballabuidhe Races saw doubles for Daniel Gilligan and Ross Sugrue while 15-year-old Listowel rider Paddy Harnett partnered his first ever winner.
It was a good weekend for the Gilligan brothers from Craughwell in Galway as Daniel rode a double to add to the winner his brother Jack rode in Ballyconneely the previous day.
The Listowel stable of Jack and Pat O’Sullivan are the dominant force in the pony classes this year and even with Hello Star rested, they still won the 13.2hh race with Hello Thunder. Daniel then completed his double in the 14.2hh race as Sandycove won from Sunday’s winner Crystal Lady.
HIGH HOPES
Ross Sugrue will head to Dingle Races with high hopes of a rewarding weekend after a double which included the weekend feature, the Ballabuidhe Derby over two miles.
Sugrue made the early running until he was headed a mile out but having given Forgive And Forget a breather, he came back to win from the Shane Crosse-ridden Onwards And Upwards.
He then won the 12-furlong race on Top Of The Hill where he sat in second place until hitting the front inside the final furlong.
Both of these winners were owned and trained by Ross’s father Ray and, to make a great day better, Ray also provided the winner of the last race, the second division of the maiden race, where The Cross Of Spancil Hill provided Abbeyfeale rider Paddy Harnett with his first winner. Harnett like Sugrue rides out for Tralee trainer Tom Cooper and he made all to win.
Without doubt the most popular winner of the day was in the first division of the maiden race where Nancy won in the hands of Joey Sheridan for owner Innishannon owner Stella McGrath.
Stella suffered very serious injuries in a point-to-point fall at Glenbane last November but her enthusiasm for racing is undiminished judging by the joy the winner gave her.
Joey Sheridan sat third early on before coming through to lead with about two furlongs left before drawing away impressively. The Tyner family train the winner for Stella.
The 10-furlong race was won by Top Of The Morning who was jumped out in front by Michael O’Connor and was never headed.
Twelve-year-old Daniel King teamed up with Dinny Hayes to land the 15hh race on Windy City. Daniel sat off the pace early as Red Handed cut out the early running before coming through to win by two lengths.
RESULTS
Monday, August 7th.
13.2 HH Race (10F): 1, P. A O’Sullivan’s HELLO THUNDER (Daniel Gilligan); 2, W. McGrath’s LITTLE MAXI (Daniel King); 3, T/A Barry’s LISTOWEL LADY (Brian Barry).
14.2 HH Race (12F): 1, Curly Syndicate’s SANDYCOVE (Daniel Gilligan); 2, Tyner Syndicate’s CRYSTAL LADY (Andrew Slattery); 3, R. King’s ROSA PARKES (Daniel King).
15 HH Race (12F): 1, El Hayes WINDY CITY (Daniel King); 2, Soft Touch Syndicate’s RED HANDED (Joey Sheridan); 3, Tyner Syndicate’s BOUNCE (Andrew Slattery).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, D. Foley’s TOP OF THE MORNING (Michael O’Connor); 2, B. Maher’s MAN OF ACTION (Ross Sugrue); 3, Tyner Syndicate’s SOMETHING I NEED (Andrew Slattery).
Ballabuidhe Derby (2M): R. Sugrue’s FORGIVE AND FORGET (Ross Sugrue); 2, B. Maher’s ONWARDS AND UPWARDS (Shane Crosse); 3, Tyner Syndicate’s THANKS A MILLION (Andrew Slattery).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, R. Sugrue’s TOP OF THE HILL (Ross Sugrue): 2, Three County Syndicate’s THE COMMENTATOR (Joey Sheridan); 3, Three County Syndicate’s LET’S GO KIDDO (Michael O’Connor).
Maiden Race (12F): Div. 1: 1,S. McGrath’s NANCY (Joey Sheridan); 2, D. Foley’s TOP NOTCH (Aaron McCoy); 3, J. Collins’s GREY RULER (Shane Crosse).
Maiden Race (12F): Div. 2: 1, R. Sugrue’s THE CROSS OF SPANCIL HILL (Paddy Hartnett); 2, Soft Touch Syndicate’s CLOSE ENCOUNTER (Joey Sheridan); 3, J. Collins THE POACHER (Shane Crosse).
Tail To Tail
still hail and hearty
THERE were only two races run on the first day of the Ballabuidhe Festival in Dunmanway last Sunday as a serious car accident in the West Cork area resulted in the medical personnel in attendance at the races having to depart and provide assistance.
The opening 12.2hh race saw the 21-year-old veteran Tail To Tail record his second win of the weekend as he followed up on his win in Ballyconneely, Co. Galway the previous day with Biscuit chasing him home yet again. Eleven-year-old Luke Burke Ott was the rider, as he was in Ballyconneely.
The other race, the 14.2hh over 12 furlongs, provided a very popular winner as Crystal Lady made all under Andrew Slattery to win for the Innishannon-based Tyner family Syndicate.
Dingle
ALL roads lead to Dingle this weekend where the second day of the famous racing festival takes place this afternoon with a 2.30pm start. Tomorrow sees the running of the famous Dingle Derby, with the first due off at 2.30pm and the feature race scheduled for 4.45pm.
Allihies
THE traditional August 15th Races in Allihies, which have been running for over 150 years, take place on the Beara Peninsula in west Cork next Tuesday.
RESULTS
Sunday August 6th
12.2 HH Race (7F): 1,Three County Syndicate’s TAIL TO TAIL (Luke Burke Ott); 2, Three County Syndicate’s BISCUIT (Andy Burke Ott); 3, P. Verling’s HERE COMES THE PAIN (Patrick Verling).
14.2 HH Race (12F): 1, Tyner Syndicate’s CRYSTAL LADY (Andrew Slattery); 2, R. King’s OOPSY DAISY (Daniel King); 3, E. Power’s PRINCESS LIYA (Kieran Power).