BALLYGLUINAN, near Tuam in Co. Galway, was the venue for the Midlands Region Meeting last Sunday where Thomastown, Co Kilkenny rider Joe Conlon took the leading rider award with a double, edging out Pat Taaffe on placed finishes.
Included in Conlon’s double was the feature event of the day, the one mile Derby where he partnered Half Price to win for Monasterevin-based Aidan Melia.
Conlon sat in third place throughout before getting a gap up the inside to come through and lead inside the final furlong and win from the Michael McGuane-ridden Dancinginthedark.
Conlon teamed up with another Monasterevin stable, that of Buddy Harrison to win the 10-furlong race. Conlon was always in the front two here, striking for home three furlongs out to win with the Sam Ewing-ridden Stormforce taking the runner-up spot.
TOP RIDE FROM TAAFFE
Pat Taaffe got his first winner of the day in the 12-furlong race where he rode a patient waiting race on Morgan Spice before coming through inside the distance to win with two lengths to spare. The two-mile race was run at a frenetic pace from flagfall and Taaffe sat as much as 15 lengths off the leaders early on Mr Bowen.
However, Taaffe made ominous progress on last year’s Dingle Derby winner from four furlongs out before coming through two furlongs out to win by a little over two lengths. Both of Taaffe’s winners are owned by James Torrens to add to his birthday celebrations on the day.
After running-out in Abbeyfeale the previous week. Hello Star got back in the winning groove in the 13.2hh race with a pillar-to-post win under Middleton, Co Cork rider Michael O’Connor.
The Low Road took the 14.2hh race in the hands of Shane Crosse. The winner responded well to pressure as he came through to win by a couple of lengths from the Joey Sheridan ridden One Of The Boys.
Buddy Harrison who was successful with Last Chance Paddy also turned out Mr. Bud to win the 15hh race with Ben Coen doing the steering as they made all.
Bubbalicious and Fiddler’s Bridge are having a great rivalry in the 14hh class this season with Bubbalicious coming out on top in the latest instalment as she stayed on strongly in the hands of usual partner Daniel Gilligan to see off her rival.
RESULTS
Sunday, July 9th
13.2 HH Race (7F): 1, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Michael O’Connor); 2, L. Bergin’s MIKEY FINN (Sam Ewing); 3, T. Beegan’s JUST FOR JAMES (Daniel Gilligan).
14 HH Race: 1, N. Gilligan’s BUBBALICIOUS (Daniel Gilligan); 2, N. Finnerty’s FIDDLERS BRIDGE (Sam Ewing); 3, Three County Syndicate’s ONE OF THE GIRLS (Jack Gilligan).
14.2HH RACE (1M):1, P. Lohan’s THE LOW ROAD (Shane Crosse); 2, Five County Syndicate’s ONE OF THE BOYS (Joey Sheridan); 3, S. Bergin’s WARATAH (Sam Ewing).
15 HH Race (1M): 1, B Harrison’s MR. BUD (Ben Coen); 2, Three County Syndicate’s FARMER BOYCE (Mikey O’Connor); 3, M. Finnerty’s CHOC ICE (Daniel Gilligan).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, B. Harrison’s LAST CHANCE PADDY (Joe Conlon); 2, T. Fennelly’s STORMFORCE (Sam Ewing); 3, M. Finnerty’s ROSS NOVA (Shane Crosse).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, J. Torrens’ MORGAN SPICE (Pat Taaffe); J. Torrens’ MORGAN SPICE (Pat Taaffe; 2, A. Melia’s JUNGLE JUICE (Andrew Slattery); 3, M. Page’s THE FERRYMAN (Joe Conlon).
Ballygluinan Derby (1M): 1, A. Melia’s HALF PRICE (Joe Conlon); 2, S. Lohan’s DANCINGINTHEDARK (Michael McGuane); 3, N. Gilligan’s PHANTOM (Jack Gilligan).
Open Horse Race (2M): 1, J. Torrens’s MR BOWEN (Pat Taaffe); 2, A. Harrison’s TRY YOUR BEST (Joe Conlon); 3, I. Worrall’s CALL THE GUARDS (Andrew Slattery).
NORTH-WEST REGION FINN VALLEY
Finn Valley abandoned
LAST Sunday’s North-West Meeting in Finn Valley unfortunately fell victim to the elements as racing was abandoned following two races as rain falling onto dry fast ground rendered the surface too dangerous.
Mikey Sheehy got some reward for his long journey from his Kilkenny base as he picked up a winner on Angel Eyes in the mile race, while Dylan Browne-McMonagle, his main rival for jockey honours this year, got a winner of his own as Five Stone Of Lead took the only other race run, the opening 14.2hh contest.
RESULTS
Sunday, July 9th
14.2HH/148cm Race (1M): 1, A. Browne’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 2, A. Browne’s LITTLE MIX (P. McGill); 3, N. Mulligan’s THE WORRIER (Christina Simpson).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, Laura Baird’s ANGEL EYES (Mikey Sheehy); 2, J. Holian’s AIDEEN’S DREAM (Joey Dunne); 3, K. McCleary’s FACEBOOK YOUR GRANNY (R. De Monte).
Southern region: The next meeting is in the picturesque village of Courtmacsherry in West Cork tomorrow, Sunday where racing takes place on a sandbank at 3.30pm.
North-West Region: The next meeting is tomorrow, Sunday in Porthall Lifford with a 4.30pm start.