JUST three races took place at the Killeagh Harriers meeting at Carrigarostig on Sunday as the fixture was abandoned shortly after the third race due to the deteriorating weather conditions.

At this stage, the winds were beginning to pick up in ferocity and the ground was already quite testing while the rain was also continuing to teem down, which meant that calling a premature halt to proceedings was sadly the only course of action.

Shane Cotter, a 17-year-old that hails from nearby Britway and who presently works with Denis Murphy, left the Killeagh venue on excellent terms with himself as he recorded a second career success by steering the Billy Codd-trained Bluey (8/1) to an emphatic all-the-way success in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Last season’s Ballyknock runner-up Bluey, who was having a fifth career start, was bounced out smartly in the front and the complete outsider of the six runners gave an assured round of fencing throughout.

While enjoying a commanding advantage until her five opponents closed up before setting out on the final circuit, the winning daughter of Affinisea was still able to receive a couple of opportune breathers and she was closely pressed by both Runaway Bride and Grainne A Chroi approaching the second last of the 15 obstacles.

However, that pair couldn’t cope with the victorious Co Wexford challenger from before the last as she stormed clear on the uphill run to the finish to oblige by an increasing 11 and a half lengths from the staying on Either Way.

Handler Codd remarked of his daughter-in-law Robyn Codd’s Bluey that’s out of a half-sister to three blacktype winning mares in Mystic Theatre, Castra Vetera and Morello Royale: “She’s a smashing mare and she was sick after she finished fifth in Lingstown the last day – November 26th. We knew that she was back to herself and we really fancied her today.”

Bluey was quickly added to this evening’s Tattersalls sale after racing at Cheltenham and so too was the Colin Bowe-trained Timesareachanging (5/4) who made a victorious return to the fray under Bertie Finn in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, an event that attracted just three runners.

The Mahler-sired Timesareachanging, having finished a creditable seventh on the final of his two forays last term at Moira in late April, led or disputed the running throughout and he held the advantage when faster in the air than the pursuing For One Night Only at the last.

While For One Night Only stuck resolutely to his task in the closing stages, he was still three-quarters of a length adrift of the Milestone Bloodstock Ltd-owned bay at the line in what was the closest finish of the day.

Finn, a key member of handler Bowe’s team at Milestone Stables, has incidentally now lost his five pound claiming allowance.