Sunday

LEE Strand Dingle Derby day is a truly exceptional experience.

Once again, they came from home and abroad and gathered in Ballintaggart in their droves to watch the greatest race on the horse and pony racing calendar.

It was the day that The Irish Field National Champion Jockey Dylan O’Connor reached the pinnacle of his pony racing career when Caro Quintero put up a stellar performance in the feature to beat the favourite Verstappen with King Of The Hill back in third.

Maurice Ahern’s winner travelled ominously well throughout and was still on the bridle with a circuit to travel. Launched to the front on the downhill run to the home turn, Caro Quintero quickened away in a matter of strides and, despite the best efforts of Verstappen, ran out a most convincing winner.

Triple crown

Kian McNally followed in the footsteps of Dylan Browne McMonagle by completing the 14.2hh Dingle triple crown on Five Stone Of Lead, winning for the third day in the 14.2hh 12-furlong contest. Once again All Bets Are Off had to fill the runner-up berth with Wee Bucks in third.

Chloe’s Sam joined Five Stone Of Lead as a three-time winner over the weekend when putting up another fine performance in the opening 10-furlong contest under Nicola Burns. Earlier winners Volar Alto Amigo and She’s Got It lost little in defeat.

Ballyare, Co Donegal jockey Patrick McGettigan got his breakthrough Dingle winner when Cali Cartel put up a teak tough performance to win the 12-furlong 15hh race.

Cali Cartel is a multiple scorer at the track and stayed on dourly up the hill for the O’Sullivan family from Killorglin, Co Kerry.

Hawick jockey Shay Farmer was in the winner’s enclosure for the second time in Dingle when The Doss House justified strong market support for a snug victory in the mile. Kathy Flannery’s winner led from halfway and ran out a cosy winner by three lengths from Honest Bernie.

Winner a day

Julian Pietropaolo made it a winner each day when The Tinder Swindler ran out a most impressive winner of the concluding consolation race. Runner-up on Friday night to Caro Quintero, there were no such problems this time as Aidan Melia’s charge ran out a six-length winner from Smooth Operator.

Levi Williams from Newport in Wales will have treasured memories of Derby day in Dingle after he combined with Tony Beegan to land the Darragh Sheehan Memorial 12.2hh pony Derby on Gold Rush. South Of The Border made a brave bid to make all the running here for Lily Walsh but was just run down in the closing stages by Gold Rush.

Dylan O’Connor was crowned champion jockey of Dingle with the better placings after finishing level with Kian McNally on five winners each. Nicola Burns was crowned the champion lady jockey.

Notes:

Next fixtures: Racing resumes in the Midlands this Sunday at Geesala, Co Mayo, at 1pm.

12.2HH (1M): 1, T. Beegan’s GOLD RUSH (Levi Williams); 2, P. Collins’s SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Lily Walsh); 3, Curragh Racing’s LITTLE BABY (Shay Wallace).

14.2HH (12F): 1, M. Moloney’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, N. Holohan’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Reese Holohan); 3, Holian Syndicate’s WEE BUCKS (Patrick McGettigan).

15HH (12F): 1, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Patrick McGettigan); 2, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Dylan O’Connor); 3, M. Magee’s LITTLE MAN (Adam Grant).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, K. Flannery’s THE DOSS HOUSE (Patrick McGettigan); 2, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Kian McNally); 3, The Two Priests Syndicate’s WHO TOLD YOU (Nicola Burns).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s CHLOE’S SAM (Nicola Burns); 2, J. Daly’s VOLAR ALTO AMIGO (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Holian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Sam Coen).

Lee Strand Dingle Derby (2M): 1, M. Ahern’s CARO QUINTERO (Dylan O’Connor); 2, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s VERSTAPPEN (Kian McNally); 3, L. Cregg’s KING OF THE HILL (Patrick McGettigan).

Consolation Horse Race (12F): 1, A. Melia’s THE TINDER SWINDLER (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, I. Worrell’s SMOOTH OPERATOR (Reese Holohan); 3, C. Kerrigan’s WAY UP NORTH (Leah McGhee).