PONY racing returned to Ballysteen in Co Limerick last Sunday on a magnificent courses provided by former trainer John Long.

When racing was last held here in 1953, the flapping meeting consisted of a mixed card of pony races, horse races and steeplechases and in a link with the past, the race-card last Sunday included a reproduction of some of the race-card from 1953.

Seventeen-year-old Navan rider Eryka Snioch will have fond memories of last Sunday for many years to come as following a number of placed efforts, she recorded her first career win in the Ladies Derby which was generously sponsored by Shark Hanlon.

Eryka, who rides out in the pre-training and point-to-point yard of Cian Hughes, took the John Joe Bailey-owned Our Souls to the front at half-way and they galloped resolutely to the line to win from the Ava Sugrue-ridden Heartbreak Hill.

Dominated

Dylan O’Connor dominated the day as he recorded a magnificent five-timer. Templehill Tamara got the ball rolling in the opening 12.2hh race as they got up home close home to deny the Adam Grant-ridden South Of The Border.

The 14hh race saw Line Dancer show the benefit of the run in Taghnon when reversing placings with Hello Star, getting home by a length for the O’Sullivan/King partnership.

Cali Cartel gave supporters a few worrying moments when blowing the start in the 15hh race but it was to prove little more than a minor inconvenience as it made it three for Dylan with the Jack de Bromhead-ridden Silent Star chasing them home.

Baby Brown has alternated between 14.2hh and open horse class this season and reverting to horse class, turned in an impressive performance to land the first divide of the 12-furlong race for Maurice Ahern.

O’Connor completed his day in the maiden race as Kobayashi returned from a lay-off to win for Castle Racing as they led from half-way to see off the challenge of the Sam Coen ridden Mayday.

Six winners

Paddy Hanlon moved onto the six-winner mark for the season as he registered a double that included victory in the feature race of the day, The White’s Bloodstock UK Derby.

The Michael Flannery-owned The Auld House was always travelling sweetly for Paddy in this two-mile contest and once sent about his business the result was never in doubt with Bipolar Blondie staying on well to take the runner-up spot under Conor Stone Walsh.

Paddy had earlier landed the 14.2hh race after making most of the running on Jim Collins’s improving pony St James.

Conor Stone-Walsh was another rider to record a double starting with the Ian Worrell-owned/trained Honest Bernie who made it three from three with a classy performance as he quickened clear inside the distance in the second divide of the mile race.

Conor completed his double as the McLaughlin family made their trip from Donegal worthwhile with a one-two in the 12-furlong second division as Kinnegar Boy made all to see off stable companion Tiger Mac.

Adam Grant and Dylan O’Connor dominated the smaller pony races as they had the one-two in all three races. Wexford-based Adam got his winner in the 13.2hh race as Sore Looser saw off Rubie Ansie. Sean Bowen brought Not Now Ned back in trip and this decision paid off as he landed the first divide of the mile race on his family owned horse.

The local pony/novice rider race went to Pat Cahill on Mr. Styles who saw off the game effort of Ayeshas Surprise under Abbey Twoomey.

Results

Sunday October 3rd

12.2hh Race (7F): 1, J.J. O’Keeffe’s TEMPLEHILL TAMARA (Dylan O’Connor); 2, P. Collins’s SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Adam Grant); 3, M. O’Sullivan’s BISCUIT (Darragh O’Sullivan).

13.2hh Race (1M): 1, J. O’Sullivan’s SORE LOOSER (Adam Grant); 2, M. O’Connor’s RUBY ANSIE (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO THUNDER (Conor Stone-Walsh).

14hh Race (1M): 1, O’Sullivan/King’s LINE DANCER (Dylan O’Connor); 2, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Adam Grant); 3, E/D Hayes EL DORADO (Darragh Hayes).

14.2hh Race (1M): 1, J. Collins’s ST. JAMES (Paddy Hanlon); 2, D/G Syndicate’s SHE’S GOT IT (Sean Bowen); 3, M. Ahern’s SINOLA CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor).

15hh Race (1M): 1, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. Collins’s SILENT STAR (Jack de Bromhead); 3, Dream Team Racing’s CHASE THE DREAM (Adam Brown Sousa).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 1: C/I Bowen’s NOT NOW NED (Sean Bowen); 2, E. Harrington’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Danny Gilligan); 3, C. O’Shea’s BONGO (Sam O’Shea).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 2: 1, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, T. MacLoughlin’s MRS MAC (Keithen Kennedy); 3, A. Gallagher’s PACK YOUR BAGS (Conor Whitley).

Shark Hanlon’s Ladies Derby (10F): 1, J.J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Eryka Snioch); 2, M. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Ava Sugrue); 3, I. Worrell’s CALL THE FBI (Christine Worrell).

Open Horse Race (12F) Div. 1: 1, M. Ahern’s BABY BROWN (Dylan O’Connor); 2, Castle Racing’s ALCAPONE (Sean Bowen); 3, Castle Racing’s BONNIE PARKER (Danny Gilligan).

Open Horse Race (12F) Div. 2: 1, T. MacLoughlin’s KINNEGAR BOY (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, T. MacLoughlin’s TIGER MAC (Adam Grant); 3, I. Worrell’s BRANDY AND GINGER ALE (Josh Halford).

White’s Bloodstock UK Derby (2M): 1, M. Flannery’s THE AULD HOUSE (Paddy Hanlon); 2, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Conor Stone-Walsh); 3, M. O’Connor’s IDA’S DREAM (Dylan O’Connor).

Maiden Horse Race (1M): 1, Castle Racing’s KOBAYASHI (Dylan O’Connor); 2, Soft Touch Syndicate’s MAYDAY (Sam Coen); 3, C. McSweeney’s DAN’S YOUR MAN (Conor Stone-Walsh).

Local Pony Race: 1, P. Cahill’s MR STYLES (Pat Cahill); 2, A. Twomey’s AHESHAS SURPRISE (Abbey Twomey); 3, T. O’Connor’s BILLY (Tara O’Connor).

Ballybunion fixture

THE final meeting of the 2021 season is the rescheduled Ballybunion Strand Meeting which takes place today, Saturday with the first due off at 12.30pm.

Curragh date

PONY Racing returns to the Curragh Racecourse tomorrow, Sunday with a combined 12.2/13.2hh race over five furlongs (1,000m). This will be the last race on the card.