THE Midlands Region meeting in Ballinagare Co. Roscommon held a marathon 13 races but only three different jockeys made it to the winners’ enclosure as Craughwell, Co. Galway rider Daniel Gilligan rode a fabulous seven-timer, while Dylan Browne-McMonagle and Sam Ewing evenly shared the other six races on the card.
Twelve-year-old Danny rode six winners on the beach in Lacken Strand last month and he surpassed that last Sunday. Peaky Blinders kicked off his winning streak as he took the 15hh race for the Finnerty family having led from three furlongs out, and Daniel teamed up with the Finnertys again later on the card to land the 12-furlong race with the impressive Mr. James.
For many years Peter Finnerty was one of the great forces in horse and pony racing and since his sad passing his family have kept the name to the forefront and are the driving force behind this, their local meeting.
Gilligan also teamed up with Samuel Laird to take the second split of the mile race with Thunder Struck who made most of the running, while Mr Mac took the second divide of the 12-furlong race for Donegal owner Noel McLaughlin. Danny had a family triumph in the 14hh race where Bubbalicious took the honours for his mother Natalie.
Kilbarron Co. Tipperary owner Seamus Quinn has added former Dingle Derby winner Mr. Bowen to his team and Daniel steered him to a half-length victory in the two-mile race, a race rich in quality with last year’s Dingle Derby winner Ida’s Dream taking second ahead of former Glenbeigh Invitational winner Let Him Go. Gilligan completed a day he will always remember by taking the finale, the 10 furlong race for Tom Fennelly with a pillar-to-post win on Storm Force.
The Finnerty family gave their local supporters plenty of cheer and as well as the two winners ridden by Daniel they also teamed up with Sam Ewing who took the first divide of the mile race with a customary bold front-running display. Sam added another two winners as Little Manie took the 13.2hh race for Monasterevin owner Ian Kelly and Last Chance Paddy made the majority of the running for another Monasterevin owner Buddy Harrison to land the mile and three-quarter non-winners race.
Dylan Browne-McMonagle went home happy after he also landed a treble. His first two winners were for the Browne Family Syndicate with Five Stone Of Lead leading from three furlongs out to take the 14.2hh race and Four Stone Of Lead making all to take the 15hh race. It was another Monasterevin win that completed Dylan’s treble as Aidan Melia’s Half Price kept up his rich vein of form as he stretched right away form his rivals to land the first divide of the 10 furlong race.
SUNDAY JUNE 24TH
13.2 Race (1M): 1, I. Kelly’s LITTLE MANIE (Sam Ewing); 2, S. Bergin’s MICKEY FINN (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3,T. Beegan’s JUST FOR JAMES (K. Brophy).
14.2 Race (10F):1, Browne Syndicate’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 2, S Bergin’s WARATAH (Sam Ewing); 3, P McDonald’s ITS FATHER TED (J. McDonald).
15HH Race Div. 1 (1M);1,Finnerty Bros PEAKY BLINDERS (Daniel Gilligan);2,S. Laird’s WATCH THIS SPACE (Ben Mulligan); 3,K. Browne-McGuigan’ s MR. BALBOA (Sam Ewing)
15HH Race Div. 2 (1M); 1,Browne Syndicate’s FOUR STONE OF LEAD (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 2,L. Baird’s ANGEL EYES (Ben Mulligan); 3,B. Harrison’s MR. BUD (Sam Ewing).
Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 1; 1, Finnerty Family’s OMEGA (Sam Ewing); 2, D. McNamara’s UPSALLA (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3, PG Syndicate’s GRASSMEN (Daniel Gilligan).
Open Horse Race (1M) Div. 2: 1, S. Laird’s THUNDER STRUCK (Daniel Gilligan); 2, Holian Syndicate’s AIDEENS DREAM (Sam Ewing); 3, Browne Syndicate’s DERRYS PRIDE (Dylan Browne-McMonagle).
14HH Race (1M); 1, N. Gilligan’s BUBBALICIOUS (Daniel Gilligan); 2, Browne Syndicate’s UNHINGED (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3, Five Country Syndicate’s ONE OF THE GIRLS (Jake Coen).
Open Horse Race (12F) Div. 1; 1, Finnerty Family’s MR. JAMES (Daniel Gilligan); 2, Browne Syndicate’s THAT’LL DO (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3, N. Mulligan’s LETS GO (Ben Mulligan).
Open Horse Race (12F) Div. 1; 1,N. McLaughlin’s MR. MAC (Daniel Gilligan); 2,S. Laird’s SIR RJ (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3,K. Browne-McGuigan’ s CHURCH HILL (Sam Ewing).
Non Winners Race (1M6F): 1, B. Harrisons LAST CHANCE PADDY (Sam Ewing); 2,J. Harris’s LAID BACK LUCY (Ben Mulligan); 3,Finnerty Family’s MR. GREY (Dylan Browne-McMonagle).
Open Horse Race (2M): 1,S. Quinn’s MR. BOWEN (Daniel Gilligan); 2,Sam Ewing’s IDAS DREAM (Sam Ewing); 3,Browne Syndicate’s LET HIM GO (Dylan Browne-McMonagle)
Open Horse Race (10F) Div. 1: 1,A. Melia’s HALF PRICE (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 2,Finnerty Family’s BACK IN TOWN (Sam Ewing); 3,D. McGill’s MR MAGIC (D. McGill).
Open Horse Race (10F) Div. 2: 1, T. Fennelly’s STORM FORCE (Daniel Gilligan); 2, Browne Syndicate’s ATHEA JADE (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3,Finnerty Family’s ROSNOVA (Jake Coen)