THE Midlands Region returned to Dartfield, Loughrea last Sunday for a meeting that was funded by the contributions of many of our current jockeys, a few retired jockeys and a number of trainers most, but not all of whom had started off in horse and pony racing.

It was great to see these giving back so generously in order to ensure the next generation get an opportunity to hone their skills especially as those running meetings are doing so in very challenging circumstances where their normal source of funding through gate receipts and local sponsorship if effectively unavailable.

As he headed for Loughrea on Sunday, 14-year-old Monasterevin, Co Kildare rider Keithen Kennedy would have been hopeful of riding his first ever winner. Keithen, who rides out for Seamus Fahey, did indeed record his first success but he incredibly added another three winners on the day, his magnificent four-timer also netting him day’s the leading rider award.

Keithen made his breakthrough in the 14-furlong race for Aidan Melia where he was in the first two throughout. He then teamed up with Shane Crabbe to take the 10-furlong race on Let It Go. Keithen settled in mid-division early before delivering a well-timed run to win.

Keithen’s third winner came on Our Souls in the Vinny Glynn Memorial, a race confined to riders who hadn’t ridden a winner this season before this meeting, a great initiative that should be repeated.

Keithen sat behind the two leaders before making his winning move on the downhill run into the straight to win for Ballybrittas, Co Laois owner John Joe Bailey.

Winner’s prize

Keithen then teamed up again with Aidan Melia to take the mile race as Best Friends led from just after halfway. This race was jointly sponsored by Gordon Elliot and Joseph O’Brien with Keithen being invited to spend a morning riding out for Joseph as part of the prize.

The feature race of the day was the Tom Malone Bloodstock Derby over two miles and that saw Carlow rider Paddy Hanlon, who opened his account recently in Big Isle, land the spoils on the Michael Flannery-owned The Auld House.

Paddy (14), son of trainer Shark Hanlon, sat in midfield through the early stages of the race before taking closer order from just after halfway and when Hanlon asked for his mount’s effort at the two-furlong pole, the winner quickened well for an impressive victory, with Paddy winning the ‘Ride of the Day’ award as an added bonus.

O’Connor treble

Dylan O’Connor has been in tremendous form this season and he added another treble to his tally. Temple Hill Tamara has been in dominant form for owner J.J. O’Keeffe this season and he took the 12.2hh race, a race sponsored by the owner’s son and leading jump jockey Darragh with a pillar-to-post success.

In the 13.2hh race Dylan partnered Little Maine for Monasterevin owner Megan Byrne and he was content to let the Danny Gilligan-ridden Little Chief cut out the early pace before taking control inside the final two furlongs.

O’Connor brought up his treble in the 15hh race on Cali Cartel for Killorglin Co Kerry owner Patty O’Sullivan. Dylan sat off the leaders for the first mile of this 12-furlong contest before bringing Cali Cartel through to hit the front inside the distance.

Kian ‘Tubs’ McNally bounced back from a nasty fall in Moira last Sunday as he notched up a double.

The 14hh race was a thriller as Tubs made the early running on Unhinged before the Conor Stone-Walsh ridden Little Chief laid down a stern challenge and actually headed the long-time leader at the furlong pole but Unhinged showed her battling qualities as she responded to Kian’s drive to kick clear again.

In the Sean Cleary Memorial 14.2hh race, Tubs did well to get the free-running Five Stone Of Lead settled through the first half of the 12-furlong contest and once he let him stretch from halfway, they quickly went clear and won eased down by about six lengths from the Paddy Hanlon-ridden Saint James, this ride getting Kian the ‘Pony Ride of the Day’ award.

Shane Crabbe, who won with Let It Go, had earlier taken the Peter Finnerty Memorial Race with Bipolar Blondie who was ridden to victory by Conor Stone-Walsh.

Conor stayed off the pace through the first half of the race before working his way through to strike for home with about two furlongs to travel to win snugly.

Good luck to Kearney and Coen

TWO riders bade farewell to horse and pony racing last Sunday as they move onto the next stage of their careers. Jack Kearney will be signing on as an apprentice with Noel Meade and Jake Coen will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother Ben as he signs on to his uncle Andrew Slattery. Everybody in horse and pony racing wishes them the best of luck and will follow their careers with interest.

RESULTS - Sunday, August 15th

12.2HH Race (6F): 1, JJ O’Keeffe’s TEMPLE HILL TAMARA (Dylan O’Connor); 2, T. Beegan’s GREY FOX (Reese Holohan); 3, M. O’Sullivan’s BISCUIT (D. O’Sullivan).

13.2HH Race (7F): 1, M. Byrne’s LITTLE MAINE (Dylan O’Connor); 2, T. Beegan’s KATIE TAYLOR (Daniel Gilligan); 3, L. Cregg’s LOUGH SWILLY (Kyle McHugh).

14HH Race (1M): 1, S. Kerr’s UNHINGED (Kian McNally); 2, S. Crabbe’s LITTLE CHIEF (Conor Stone-Walsh) 3, J. Brady’s LUCY (Paddy Hanlon).

Sean Cleary Memorial 14.2HH Race (12F): 1, S. Kerr’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, J. Collins’s SAINT JAMES (Paddy Hanlon); 3, J. Lynch’s HARPERS PET (Adam Grant).

15HH Derby (12F): 1, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. Holian’s YA SKITTER (Jake Coen); 3, Finnerty Family’s CARRAMORE (Eryka Snioch).

Tom Malone Bloodstock Derby (2M): 1, 1, M. Flannery’s THE AULD HOUSE (Paddy Hanlon); 2, Team Mac’s KINNEGAR BOY (Daniel Gilligan); 3, M. O’Connor’s IDA’S DREAM (Dylan O’Connor).

Open Horse Race (14F): 1, A. Melia’s MR. BOWEN (Keithen Kennedy); 2, S. Lohan’s REMEMBER ME (Jake Coen); 3, P. McGill’s COOL THE JETS (Sea Bowen).

Peter Finnerty Memorial Horse Race (12F): 1, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Conor Stone-Walsh); 2, L. Cregg’s WEST BOOTS (Daniel Gilligan); 3, C. 0’Donnell’s THE TWO BOYS (Sean Bowen).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s LET IT GO (Keithen Kennedy); 2, S. Gildea’s MAKE A PLAN (Daniel Gilligan); 3, C. McGilligan’s ONE MAN FLINT (Sean Bowen).

Vinny Glynn Memorial Horse Race (1M): 1, J.J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Keithen Kennedy); 2, P. Cooney’s ALLIE (N. Byrnes); Finnerty Family’s OMEGA (Paul Kavanagh)

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, A, Melia’s BEST FRIENDS (Keithen Kennedy); 2, M. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Paddy Hanlon); 3, A. Gallagher’s PACK YOUR BAGS (Jake Coen).

THE Southern Region kick-off their season in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny tomorrow, Sunday at 1pm beside the GAA grounds.