THE Midlands Region kicked off the 2023 pony racing season with a top quality nine-race card at Borris House on Sunday last. A big turnout of both runners and jockeys bodes very well for the season ahead. A big well done to Shark Hanlon and his committee on a job very well done.

Leading jockeys were Reese Holohan and Julian Pietropaolo with two winners apiece. Mount Rath, Co. Laois native Reese Holohan who was celebrating his 14th birthday on the day combined with Kildare farrier Ian Worrell to win the mile contest with Honest Bernie. Last season’s Champion Miler led off the home turn and powered clear up the straight for a very impressive victory.

The double was quickly completed in the following 10-furlong contest when Verstappen stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to hold off Ya Skitter by a length at the line. The winner is owned in partnership by Ian Worrell and Shane Crabbe. Honest Bernie and Verstappen are both intended runners in Scotland next month.

First winner

Julian Pietropaolo who made his debut in Dingle last August gained a first career victory when The Tinder Swindler ran out an impressive winner of the 12-furlong race. This was the second leg of a treble for yet another Kildare owner Aidan Melia.

The same yard provided Julian with his double in the featured Barry Connell two-mile Derby. Here We Go Again led before the straight in a slowly-run contest and stayed on strongly to beat Brandy And Ginger Ale with Dingle Derby winner The Auld House back in third. Fourteen-year-old Julian rides out for Donie Murphy, Paul O’Connell and Colin Bowe.

There was a poignant moment before the 15hh contest when the jockeys released balloons in memory of Jack de Bromhead followed by one minute of clapping.

Kathy Flannery’s smart campaigner Baby Brown bounced out in front here and made every yard of the running under the local jockey Paddy Hanlon.

The Irish Field National Champion Jockey Dylan O’Connor got off the mark when Dream Dancer made a winning debut in the mile maiden race for Donegal owner Ryan Gormley. The winner got up in the final strides to touch off the always prominent Tom’s Cross.

Fourteen-year-old Donegal jockey Patrick McGettigan was seen to really good effect when landing his first career victory on King Of The Hill in the mile and six-furlong event. The winner is owned by former Midlands Regional Secretary Lisa Cregg. Not surprisingly, the winning jockey hopes one day to follow in the footsteps of his neighbours Dylan Browne-McMonagle, Oisin Orr and Luke McAteer.

Kian ‘Tubbs’ McNally continues to impress and he gave the veteran Pacman a brilliant drive to win the 14.2 hands over a mile on a day to savour for winning owner Aidan Melia.

The first strike of the season went to Tipperary when Diamond Nel came right back to form to win the combined 12.2/13.2hh race under Fethard jockey Adam Browne Souza. The winner is owned by Seamus Carey who dedicated the victory to his mother who is currently recovering from illness.

Notes

Next meetings: The next meeting in the Midlands Region will take place in Navan on Sunday, May 14th.

This will be followed by a new venue at Vicarstown, Co. Laois, on Sunday, May 28th. The North West circuit intends to kick off on Sunday, April 30th weather permitting. The Southern region is scheduled to begin on Sunday, June 4th at Ballysteen, Co. Limerick.

14.2HH Race (1M): 1, A. Melia’s PACMAN (Kian McNally); 2, F. Byrnes STEADY EDDIE (Camillus Byrne); 3, Laois/Galway Syndicate’s AN CAPALL DUBH (Adam Browne Souza).

15HH Race (1M): 1, K. Flannery’s BABY BROWN (Paddy Hanlon); 2, S. Crabbes/I. Worrell’s WHAT’S GOING ON (Kian McNally); 3, J. McGettigan’s FIADH’S FANCY (Patrick McGettigan).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Reese Holohan); 2, P. Mooney’s BAILEYS (Conor Whiteley); 3, Team Mac’s KINAGAR BOY (Dylan O’Connor).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbes/I. Worrell’s VERSTAPPEN (Reese Holohan); 2, L. Holian’s YA SKITTER (Sam Coen); 3, J.J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Nicola Burns).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, A. Melia’s THE TINDER SWINDLER (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, K. Flannery’s RIGHT ON TIME (Paddy Hanlon); 3, G. Faulkner’s OUR MAN FLINT (Adam Browne Souza).

Open Horse Race (1M 6F): 1, L. Cregg’s KING OF THE HILL (Patrick McGettigan); 2, K. Flannery’s TIME FOR TEA (John Mulvihill); 3, R. Gormley’s DREAM TO SHARE (Dylan O’Connor).

Barry Connell Derby (2M): 1, A. Melia’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, I. Worrell’s BRANDY AND GINGER ALE (Reese Holohan); 3, K. Flannery’s THE AULD HOUSE (Paddy Hanlon).

Maiden Horse (1M): 1, R. Gormley’s DREAM DANCER (Dylan O’Connor); 2, Three In A Row Syndicate’s TOM’S CROSS (Julian Pietropaolo); 3, G. Faulkner’s CAUSEWAY CLIFFS (Adam Brown Sousa).