THE pinnacle of the Horse and Pony Racing Calendar has always been the famous Dingle Races, a meeting that saw competitors from all over Ireland and indeed a few from Wales and Scotland, converge on the Kerry venue for a weekend of top-class racing.

Unfortunately Covid put paid to Dingle for the second year but in its place a new meeting took the stage as the magnificent Moira Equestrian Centre hosted a two-day meeting in which Bailey’s Horse Feeds provided the main sponsorship.

The Co. Down venue, which is owned by the Allen family provided an excellent galloping track and contestants from all over Ireland made it a fabulously weekend for all those involved.

It was a big weekend for local rider Kian “Tubs” McNally as he featured in a BBC news item highlighting the event and he didn’t let his supporters down as he helped himself to a double on the opening Friday night card.

He opened his account in the 14hh race as Unhinged bounced back to winning ways as he spreadeagled the field with a pillar-to-post victory.

McNally followed that up by taking the feature event of the night, the 14.2hh Pony Derby, on Five Stone Of Lead but he had to work a lot harder here as he fought a ding-dong battle with the Dylan O’Connor-ridden Baby Brown up the straight before gaining the upper hand inside the final 100 yards.

Magnificent

It has been a magnificent couple of weeks for the Gilligan family of Craughwell in Galway as their father Paul landed two winners at Galway Races. Danny opened the meeting with a double of his own as he took the 12-furlong race on West Boots for Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon owner Lisa Cregg.

Danny sat in second position through the early part of the race before delivering him with a perfectly timed run to hit the front in the last 100 yards to win by a neck. The rider then followed up in the second division of the mile race on Louis Vitton for the Declan and Kyle McGuigan partnership.

Danny was prominent throughout before hitting the front two furlongs out and lasting home by a couple of lengths, with his brother Ollie taking the runner-up spot on Mrs. Mac.

Scottish raider

Scottish rider Archie Young also recorded a double on the card as he took the first divide of the Mile Race on Seven Up for his father George Young for an all-Scottish success before teaming up with Michael Flannery to take the finale with The Auld House over the St Leger 14-furlong distance.

Racing opened with a 15hh race over 10 furlongs and Jake Coen took the honours here with Ya Skitter. Jake settled Johnny Holian’s charge behind the leaders early on before delivering his challenge off the final bend and while Cali Cartel and Dylan O’Connor didn’t make things easy for them, they gained the upper hand inside the distance for a half-length victory.

Wexford rider Conor Stone-Walsh took the evening’s other contest, the 10-furlong race for Kildare handler Shane Crabbe as he brought Bipolar Blondie through with a well-timed run to lead before the furlong pole for an impressive victory.

Results

Ross Tumilty Farrier Services 15HH Race (10F): 1, J. Holian’s YA SKITTER (Jake Coen); 2, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Team Mac’s REMIX (Conor Stone-Walsh).

Moira Schooling Grounds Open Horse Race (12F): 1, L. Cregg’s WEST BOOTS (Danial Gilligan); 2, C. 0’Donnell’s THE TWO BOYS (Calum Hogan); 3, D. Gildea’s MAKE A PLAN (Jake Coen).

Paul Townend 14HH Race (1M): 1, S. Kerr’s UNHINGED (Kian McNally); 2, M. Byrne’s LITTLE MAINE (Dylan O’Connor); 3, S. Crabbe’s LITTLE CHIEF (Conor Stone-Walsh).

Maison Real Estate Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 1: 1, G. Young’s SEVEN UP (Archie Young); 2, P. J. Donnelly’s KEEPER HILL (Sean Bowen); 3, M. McGee’s FANACANTA (Sam Hamilton).

Maison Real Estate Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 2: 1, D & K Racing’s LOUIS VITTON (Daniel Gilligan); 3, Team Mac’s MRS MAC (Ollie Gilligan); 3, Castle Racing Syndicate’s ALCAPONE (Sean Bowen).

Bailey’s Horse Feeds14.2HH Pony Derby (1M): 1, S. Kerr’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, M. Ahern’s BABY BROWN (Dylan O’Connor); 3, D & K Racing’s TRAVELLING SOLDIER (Conor Stone-Walsh).

Premier Saddlery/Redline Car Sales Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, Team Mac’s KINNEGAR BOY (Daniel Gilligan); 3, G. Faulkner’s TONIC SPRINGS (Ava Sugrue).

Fleetwise Motors Open Horse Race (14F): 1, M. Flannery’s THE AULD HOUSE (Archie Young); 2, S. Lohan’s REMEMBER ME (Jake Coen); 3, B. Clinton’s BASH IT ON (Adam Clinton).