DRIMOLEAGUE publican Derry McCarthy had a great day on Saturday with a double; he owned a winner at home and another over at York.

GD’s Honey has been knocking on the door in the past few weeks and got his day in the sun with a pillar-to-post victory in the Grade F Pace. Usual driver and owner Chelsie O’Driscoll was away on holidays but McCarthy was an able deputy hitting the front from the off and leading home Ayr Harbour by four lengths.

Over in York, Emily Rose, owned by McCarthy, was a winner at the PACT Charity meeting while Stateside Lockdown finished third for him.

Best finish of the day came in the top-grade pace. Showtime Notorious was sent off race favourite and duly led out. He enjoyed an easy passage until the final two furlongs however on the run-in, IB Felicity (Robbie Maguire for his grandfather John Boyle) loomed large. The Doneraile-owned mare got up in a blanket finish to beat Get Me Out Of Here by a length.

Niall Forbes from Leap had a 1-2 in the Grade E to F trot. Forbes chose to drive last week’s winner Empereur Souverain while stable companion Irish Good Dream had Mike O’Mahony in the bike. Irish Good Dream led and was closely attended by Hippie Sisu.

Advantage

Nothing much changed until the final two furlongs at which point Hippie Sisu momentarily lost stride giving the advantage to Irish Good Dream who stayed on to win by four lengths from Empereur Souverain.

“The lads were slagging me for picking the wrong horse but it doesn’t matter once one of them won,” Forbes was quoted.

Patrick Hill, also from Leap, recreated the same result as Forbes with first and second in the top-grade trot. Hestia Malex led for the first lap and a half but Hill had all bases covered with Halloway Road and eased to the front at the bell.

The only challenge came from Humour De Cosse but he was never going to get there. Both horses are owned by Pete Hill who runs Hillside Farms just east of Leap village.

Pan Cam Dynasty enhanced his growing reputation with another five-star display in the Grade G, G1 and G2 pace. West End Delight led for the opening lap but Luke Kelleher sent Pan Cam Dynasty to the front with five furlongs to pace and was hard held in winning by a length and a half win from Brywins Vacation.

“We won’t get carried away but he looks a real decent horse. He will be up into the Open Handicap next time out which is a big step,” Kelleher said of the five-year-old son of Foreclosure.

The second big festival of the season takes place at Ballabuidhe, Dunmanway, this weekend. Sunday sees heats of the Grand Prix and the Paddy Connolly Memorial with the finals on the Bank Holiday Monday. Racing both days has a 2.30 pm start time.