THE curtain came down on the southern horse and pony racing circuit on Sunday at the historic Cahersiveen racetrack. This land was donated to the people of the area by ‘The Liberator’, Daniel O’Connell.
On an afternoon of hazy sunshine, Kian McNally maintained his 100% record for the weekend with a double. Dylan O’Connor rode his 150th career winner while Adam Grant landed the feature on Heartbreak Hill.
Kian McNally moved on from Omey Island overnight and he had an armchair ride on Katie Taylor who made every inch of the running to win the 14hh contest. Katie Taylor was the only runner to complete the Omey/Cahersiveen double.
The Armagh jockey duly followed up with She’s Got It who bounced right back to form to win the 12-furlong race. Always travelling comfortably, the Dream Team Partnership’s winner quickened right away up the straight for a six-length victory. The winner is likely to reappear at Carndonagh tomorrow.
Landmark win
Dylan O’Connor landed his landmark 150th winner when Volar Altamigo landed the concluding maiden race for his mother Mags.
The winner led before the Melling Road and kept on strongly to see off Caoimhe Sugrue and Sandra’s Secret. This was the second leg of a double for the Liscarroll jockey who had earlier landed the 15hh race on Hasta La Vista.
This prolific winner, who is also owned by Mags, got the better of a tremendous duel with Bubba Watson from the final bend to score by two lengths.
Caoimhe Sugrue had much better luck later when The Bickering Bunch put up an impressive performance to win the mile contest. The Farmer’s Bridge, Tralee, jockey gave the C.V.R. Syndicate runner a really positive drive to win with plenty in hand. The Bickering Bunch will be an interesting contender for next season.
Rosslare jockey Adam Grant has been one of the stars of recent years and he ended the southern season with a brilliant victory on Heartbreak Hill in the Cahersiveen Derby. Narrowly denied in Omey 24 hours earlier, the attractive grey horse led from halfway and ran out a convincing winner from Lights Of London. The win continued the sparkling run of the Kathy Flannery-trained horses.
Adam is now returning to school having been with the Henry de Bromhead yard for the summer months.
Canny ride
On a great afternoon for Wexford jockeys, Lily Walsh was on the mark when Pacman rolled back the years to win the 14.2hh race over one mile.
Under a canny ride Pacman was held up in third spot before sprouting wings up the straight for a four-length victory over The Low Road. Lily is eagerly looking forward to next season when she will be a strong contender for championship honours.
Another Wexford jockey to relish the Cahersiveen terrain was Cian Goff who landed the opening 12.2hh race for Pat Collins on South Of The Border. This Dingle-winning partnership made every inch of the running for a snug victory over Tiny Dancer and Billy Roberts. Cian will now be stepping up in the pony division next season.
Kerry jockey Billy Roberts gained compensation just half an hour later when Down Mexico Way was another all the way winner in the 13.2hh contest.
Given a polished drive by one of the finds of the season, Down Mexico Way ran on strongly for a six-length success over Hello Star. Interestingly, both South Of The Border and Down Mexico Way are half-sisters having the highly successful pony racing mare Young Nun as their dam.
Well done to Liam Musgrave and all the committee in Cahersiveen for their trojan efforts and record prize money on offer.
Results
Sunday, August 25th
12.2HH (7F): 1, P. Collins SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Cian Goff); 2, L. Lynch’s TINY DANCER (Billy Roberts); 3, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO BOY (Reese Holohan).
13.2HH (1M): 1, P. Collins/M. Ahern’s DOWN MEXICO WAY (Billy Roberts); 2, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Reese Holohan); 3, W. McGrath’s LITTLE SADIE (Camillus Byrne).
14HH (1M): 1, S. Kerin’s KATIE TAYLOR (Kian McNally); 2, J. McGrath’s RICE’S ROAD (Adam Lynch); 3, J. Collins KERRY NORTH (Camillus Byrne).
14.2HH (1M): 1, J. Walsh/P. Collins PACMAN (Lily Walsh); 2, N. Brosnan’s THE LOW ROAD (Billy Roberts); 3, M. Brosnan’s SHELLY BABY (Dylan O’Connor).
15HH (1M): 1, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Dylan O’Connor); 2, R. White’s BUBBA WATSON (Lily Walsh); 3, K. Flannery’s BABY BROWN (Katelyn Leddin).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, C.V.R. Syndicate’s THE BICKERING BUNCH (Caoimhe Sugrue); 2, K. Flannery’s THE MAD HOUSE (Reese Holohan); 3, Soft Touch Syndicate’s MAYDAY (Dylan O’Connor).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Dream Team Partnership’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 2, K. Flannery’s THE DOSS HOUSE (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Dream Team Racing’s NOT NOW NED (Adam Grant).
Cahersiveen Derby (2M): 1, K. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Adam Grant); 2, B.C.G. Syndicate’s LIGHTS OF LONDON (Dylan O’Connor).
Maiden Race (1M): 1, M.O’Connor’s VOLAR ALTAMIGO (Dylan O’Connor); 2, C.V.R. Syndicate’s SANDRA’S SECRET (Caoimhe Sugrue); 3, Tyner Syndicate’s SHE’S GOT IT 1 (Adam Grant).
Omey Beach, Saturday
RACING returned to Omey Beach for the first time in five years on Saturday before a massive crowd which broke all previous attendance records.
On a glorious late August afternoon, Kian McNally did a “Frankie Dettori” and rode six winners from his six rides. Under insurance regulations jockeys are only allowed six mounts on any afternoon.
The Armagh maestro began his winning spree when Katie Taylor ended the unbeaten record this season of Little Chief in the 14hh contest. Katie Taylor bounced out and made every inch of the running showing courage in abundance to hold off Little Chief in a rousing finish.
Winner number two came courtesy of the high-class Little Heart in the 15hh race.
Teddy Worrell’s dual Dingle scorer put up another impressive performance to see off Firedrops under Nicola Burns by two lengths. The winner is the top 15hh pony in the country and will give Team Worrell plenty to dream about over the winter months.
Tremendous performance
The Worrell/McNally partnership was quickly back in the winner’s enclosure when Honest Bernie put up another tremendous performance to win the mile contest. Dingle’s Golden Mile hero proved far too strong for Abbey King and Bubbles.
This was the horse’s 31st victory on the pony racing circuit. Full marks to all concerned for getting him back to peak fitness following a mid-season injury scare.
Kian’s fourth victory came for the McNamara family of Ballyconneely when Silver Hill landed the 10-furlong race. The Button Mile winner from Dingle showed loads of courage to hold off the late flourish of Maverick under Nicola Burns.
This was a hugely popular success for the locally-based owners who are steeped in pony racing in the west of Ireland.
The Dingle Derby-winning jockey made it five when Mr James once again relished the return to sand over 12 furlongs. This multiple scorer on the beach followed up his victory at Geesala seven days earlier with a facile victory over Sandra’s Secret. This crowned a wonderful season for the Finnerty family who put so much into this sport all over the country.
The perfect six from six came in the featured Omey Derby when Tommy K got back up in the shadows of the post to deny Heartbreak Hill in a grandstand finish.
Heartbreak Hill looked destined for victory a furlong down before Tommy K fought back bravely under a vintage McNally drive to land the spoils close home.
The Armagh jockey accepted the Award for Champion Jockey before quickly heading back on the road to Cahersiveen in South Kerry!
Dylan O’Connor made it a day to remember for the McNamara family when Turnberry landed the maiden contest at the expense of Chancy Money and Maximus. The winner had enjoyed a somewhat frustrating season but relished the sand for a cosy success.
Notes
THE final meeting in the North West at Carndonagh, Co. Donegal has been moved to next week, Sept 1st, at 1pm. Meetings scheduled for Ballingarry, Co. Limerick and Vicarstown, Co. Laois are cancelled.
Results
Saturday, August 24th
14HH (1M): 1, S. Kerin’s KATIE TAYLOR (Kian McNally); 2, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Nicola Burns); 3, K. Connell’s FLOORING PORTER (Camillus Byrne).
15HH (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s LITTLE HEART (Kian McNally); 2, S. Bergin’s FIREDROPS (Nicola Burns); 3, L. Cregg’s STICK SEASON (Reese Holohan).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Kian McNally); 2, D. Donnelly’s ABBEY KING (Dylan O’Connor); 3, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, McNamara Families SILVER HILL (Kian McNally); 2, Finnerty Families MAVERICK (Nicola Burns); 3, K. Flannery’s THE DOSS HOUSE (Dylan O’Connor).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Finnerty Families MR JAMES (Kian McNally); 2, C.V.R. Syndicate’s SANDRA’S SECRET (Caoimhe Sugrue).
Omey Derby (2M): 1, N. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Kian McNally); 2, K. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Dylan O’Connor); 3, S. Crabbe’s BRANDY & GINGER ALE (Reese Holohan).
Maiden Race (1M): 1, McNamara Families TURNBERRY (Dylan O’Connor); 2, D. Burns CHANCY MONEY (Reese Holohan); 3, Finnerty Families MAXIMUS (NIcola Burns).