Loughbrickland, Sunday

THE North West Racing Board staged their second fixture of the season on the point-to-point track at Loughbrickland, Banbridge, Co Down, on Sunday last.

Many thanks to John Kidd for providing the field and to Mayne Kidd for spiking it. With safety of the essence, the North West Racing Board are to be congratulated in securing such wonderful tracks for the benefit of all concerned.

Kian McNally moved on to the 11-winner mark courtesy of a treble on Five Stone Of Lead, Honest Bernie and Verstappen respectively. Nicola Burns kept up the chase with a double on Little Chief and Maximus.

Five Stone Of Lead continues to rewrite the history books and she looked better than ever when landing the 10-furlong 14.2hh contest. Held up for much of the journey behind the pace-setting Pacman, the queen of pony racing sauntered to the front inside the furlong pole for a most impressive victory.

The Armagh jockey then combined with Ian and Hanna Worrell, his longtime supporters for victories on Honest Bernie and Verstappen. Honest Bernie is back to his top-drawer best and was ultra-impressive in landing the hugely competitive mile race.

Last year’s Tradesman’s handicap winner in Scotland ran on powerfully to see off the Ballysteen winner Jacob, under Patrick McGettigan, with Daithi’s Dream back in third.

The most exciting finish of the day came in the 12-furlong contest when the two Kildare star horses Verstappen and Chloe’s Sam went head-to-head from the furlong marker.

In a titanic struggle, Verstappen was just on top in the final stride. All roads will now lead back to Kerry for the Lee Strand-sponsored feature at the festival.

Winning partnership

Nicola Burns, who was so narrowly denied on Chloe’s Sam, renewed her winning partnership on Little Chief in the 14hh race. This pony who is owned by the Brady family was making it three from three for the season following victories at Carndonagh and Vicarstown.

The Mullingar jockey completed her double when notching-up a victory for the Finnerty family from Co Roscommon, with Maximus taking the two-mile contest. The successful partnership had struck a week earlier with Maverick at Ballysteen.

Maximus is a new recruit to the Finnerty yard and could well develop into a live Dingle Derby candidate come August.

Julian Pietropaolo made the long journey from Ballynoe in east Cork well worthwhile as Dell Boy put up another taking performance to land the 10-furlong race for the All For Sale Syndicate.

The winning grey was following up impressive victories at Vicartown and Ballysteen in recent weeks. Winning connections nominated the Dingle Golden Mile as his main festival target.

Wexford jockey Lily Walsh is one of the real rising stars of this game and she was seen to really good effect when giving Bubba Watson a polished drive to win the 10-furlong 15hh race.

Robert White’s multiple Dingle hero had just enough in hand to see off last year’s festival winner Little Man under fellow Wexford jockey Adam Grant. This was Lily’s first victory in the 15hh division and she is now looking forward to stepping up to the horse grade.

The local race was a keenly contested affair with victory just going to Rocket Rosie under Oliver McGlinchey over the gallant Chestnut Charlie and Katie Faulkner.

Results, Sunday June 2nd

14HH (1M): 1, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Nicola Burns); 2, Holian Syndicate’s TELL HER NOTHING (Patrick McGettigan); 3, P. McGill’s SWILLY SPIRIT (Tiernan McGill).

14.2HH (10F): 1, M. Moloney’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, P. Collins/J. Walsh’s PACMAN (Lily Walsh); 3, N. Holohan’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Reese Holohan).

15HH (10F): 1, R. White’s BUBBA WATSON (Lily Walsh); 2, Gildea Syndicate’s LITTLE MAN (Adam Grant); 3, J. Orr’s SHAKE EM UP HARRY (Jamie Orr).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Kian McNally); 2, L. Bergin’s JACOB (Patrick McGettigan); 3, R & D Racing’s DAITHI’S DREAM (Jimmy Dalton).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, All For Sale Syndicate’s DELL BOY (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, Dream Team Partnership’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 3, S. Crabbe’s GO ON JIMMY (Reese Holohan).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, I. Worrell’s VERSTAPPEN (Kian McNally); 2, S. Crabbe’s CHLOE’S SAM (Nicola Burns); 3, N. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Julian Pietropaolo).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, Finnerty Families MAXIMUS (Nicola Burns); 2, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Reese Holohan); 3, All For Sale Syndicate’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Julian Pietropaolo).

Local Pony Race: 1, ROCKET ROSIE (Oliver McGlinchey); 2, CHESTNUT CHARLIE (Katie Faulkner.