THE southern circuit moved to a superb new venue at Ballyeigh just outside Ballybunion on Sunday last.

Julian Pietropaolo will surely be one of the main contenders for ride of the season after Brandy And Ginger Ale caused a mild upset when landing the featured Ballybunion Derby.

This was the first clash between Dingle Derby joint favourites Verstappen and Chloe’s Sam. This pair were held up early doors as Brandy And Ginger Ale set an even gallop.

From here the Ballynoe, Co Cork jockey judged the fractions to perfection and kicked again, to forge away from the market principals who could never really get in a blow. This was yet another victory this season for Kildare owner Shane Crabbe. Julian was back in the winner’s enclosure half an hour later when Aiden Melia’s The Tinder Swindler put up a top-drawer performance to win the 12-furlong contest.

Team Hanlon

It was a busy weekend for Team Hanlon following their hugely successful Trainer’s Open Day 24 hours earlier.

They will certainly have fond memories of this Ballybunion fixture as Paddy brought the curtain down on his pony racing career with a sparkling double.

Sinead Glynn’s N17 was delivered with precision timing to land the second division of the mile in the final stride. There were amazing scenes in the winner’s enclosure following the concluding maiden race where Paddy made every inch of the running on Kathy Flannery’s Heartbreak Hill.

All his fellow jockeys lined the parade ring to salute the reigning Dingle Derby winning jockey. His dad, Shark, had the final word as he gave an emotional speech in the winner’s enclosure.

The remainder of the card was dominated by The Irish Field National Champion Dylan O’Connor who completed a brilliant four-timer.

The North Cork jockey guided Hello Star to make every inch of the running when scoring in the 13.2hh for the Listowel based Curly Syndicate. The locals landed a nice touch when Michelle Brosnan’s Shelly Baby proved too strong for Little Chief in a competitive 14.2hh event.

Blitzing

Katie Taylor enjoyed the biggest winning margin of the afternoon when absolutely blitzing her opponents in the 14hh race. The Kerin family stable star is near unbeatable in this division at the moment.

The O’Connor four-timer came courtesy of Hasta La Vista who is owned by his mother Mags in the 15hh race. The winner showed an impressive turn of foot to win by eight lengths.

Mitchelstown, Co Cork jockey, Darragh O’Sullivan has made a tremendous start to the southern season and he was on the mark when Not Now Ned ran out an authorative winner in the first divide of the mile. Neil Hurley’s smart inmate was following up his victory in Castleisland a week earlier.

Wexford jockey, Lilly Walsh is one of the young stars of the circuit and she gave South Of The Border a peach of a drive to land the opening 12.2hh in the final strides beating Biscuit under Darragh Hayes.

THE Midlands circuit resumes in Vicarstown, Co Laois on tomorrow Sunday with a 1pm start.

The southern region will stage their next meeting at Athea, Co Limerick on Sunday, July 2nd.

The final southern measuring will be held on Saturday, July 1st. Text entries 087 9759500.

Sunday, June 18th

12.2HH (7F): 1, P. Collins’s SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Lilly Walsh); 2, M. O’Sullivan’s BISCUIT (Darragh Hayes); 3, J. Mulvihill’s TINY DANCER (Nicola Burns).

13.2HH (9F): 1, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Dylan O’Connor); 2, D. Enright’s YOUNG PIE (Nicola Burns); 3, P. Collins’s DOWN MEXICO WAY (Oisin Goff).

14HH (10F): 1, K. Kerin’s KATIE TAYLOR (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. O’Sullivan’s SANDYCOVE (Julian Pietropaolo); 3, D. Enright’s AMERICAN PIE (Jayden Tuite).

14.2HH (1M): 1, M..Brosnan’s SHELLY BABY (Dylan O’Connor); 2, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Adam Grant); 3, P. Collins/J. Walsh’s PACMAN (Lilly Walsh).

15HH (10F): 1, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Dylan O’Connor); 2, M. O’Sullivan’s BENJI (Darragh O’Sullivan); 3, D. Enright’s SUSIE QUATRO (Adam Grant).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div 1: 1, Dream Team Racing’s NOT NOW NED (Darragh O’Sullivan); 2, P. O’Sullivan’s CALL HIM MR. RAIDER (John Mulvihill); 3, G. Murphy’s OSAKA (Donagh Murphy).

Open Horse Race (1M) Div2: 1, S. Glynn’s N17 (Paddy Hanlon); 2, K. Flannery’s THE NEW HOUSE (John Mulvihill); 3, Finnerty Family’s CARAMORE (Kian McNally).

Andrew Pierce Memorial Derby (2M): ,1 S. Crabbe’s BRANDY AND GINGER ALE (Julian Pietropaolo): 2, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s VERSTAPPEN (Kian McNally); 3, S. Crabbe’s CHLOE’S SAM (Adam Grant).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, A. Melia’s THE TINDER SWINDLER (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, Castle Racing’s AL CAPONE (Adam Grant); 3, The Three In A Row Syndicate’s TOM’S CROSS (Jack Collins).

Maiden Horse Race (10F): 1, K. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Paddy Hanlon); 2, Finnerty Family’s MR. JAMES (Jimmy Dalton).