Midlands Region

Vicarstown Sunday

THE Midlands region staged a hugely successful fixture at Vicarstown, Co Laois, last Sunday by kind permission of the Heffernan family.

This new track which is 12 furlongs round produced top class racing on a sun-drenched afternoon.

Kian McNally was yet again the leading jockey with three winners while there were doubles for Patrick McGettigan, Reese Holohan and Adam Grant respectively.

Kian has struck up a wonderful partnership with the champion miler Honest Bernie and the pair landed the featured P.J. Davis Memorial Mile in tremendous style. The winner now heads to Scotland for the historic Trademans Race on the June 10th.

Record breaking champion 14.2hh Five Stone Of Lead stepped up to open company and routed the opposition to win the 12-furlong race. The winner will again be aimed at the Dingle treble next August.

Kian completed his treble for the renowned Finnerty family from Roscommon when Little Fiddlers stormed clear up the hill to win the six-furlong 13.2hh contest. This home bred pony is out of the great Fiddlers Bridge.

Ballyare, Co Donegal jockey Patrick McGettigan is really catching the eye this season and he was on the mark when Theresa’s Joy landed the first division of the maiden for owner Lisa Cregg.

Patrick followed up quickly in the second split of the 14.2hh when Pacman came home best of all to land the spoils for Kildare’s Aiden Melia.

Local supporters

Local Mountrath jockey Reese Holohan kept his supporters happy when All Bets Are Off followed up his Navan victory in the first division of the 14.2hh. This family-owned pony is likely to reappear in Letterkenny this weekend.

Reese will have high hopes of Dingle glory on Verstappen after the pair put up a stellar performance to win the two-mile contest for the powerful Worrell/Crabbe Syndicate.

Wexford jockey Adam Grant was also on the mark for the Worrell and Crabbe team when What’s Going On made most of the running to run out an impressive winner for the 15hh race.

This talented winner now tops the 15hh division and will be aimed at Dingle on the opening night.

Adam completed his double for Shane Crabbe when the brilliant Bipolar Blondie forged clear up the straight to win the 10-furlong contest by four lengths.

Tipperary jockey Sam Coen will be busy at Letterkenny this weekend and he warmed up in style when Tom’s Cross quickened impressively to land the second division of the maiden.

The winner is owned by the enthusiastic Three In A Row Syndicate which includes Amy Carmody, Shane Tierney, Paddy O’Sullivan, Sean King and the Cahill family.

Dylan O’Connor has struck up a wonderful partnership with Katie Taylor and the pair combined for yet another victory in the 14hh contest over a mile.

The winner is owned by Shane Kerrin from Clarecastle, Co Clare.

Lilly Walsh who celebrated her 12th birthday during the week got a belated present when South Of The Border got up close home to win the opening 12.2hh race. The winning pony is owned by Pat Collins.

Mullingar jockey Nicola Burns made it a perfect day for owner Shane Crabbe when Chloe’s Sam bolted up to win the Shark Hanlon Ladies Derby. The winner will now be aimed at the Laura Barry Memorial in Dingle.

The first division of the local race saw Lucy ridden by Timothy Byrne get up in the final strides to catch the long-time leader Corey Heights ridden by Lucy O’Connor.

In the second division Sean Holohan, brother of Reese, made all on Pretty Boy for an impressive victory.

RACING takes place this weekend on the North West circuit at the Big Isle in Letterkenny with a 2.30pm start on today Saturday and tomorrow Sunday.

The Southern region will begin their season at Castleisland, Co Kerry on Sunday, June 11th with a 12.30pm start. Text entries to 087 9759500.

Results

Sunday, May 28th

12.2HH Race (6F): 1, P. Collins SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Lilly Walsh); 2, D. Ferry’s LITTLE LIONESS (Brody Ferry).

13.2HH Race (6F): 1, Finnerty Families LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, S. Carey’s DIAMOND NEL (Adam Brown Souza); 3, K Connell’s LITTLE TIMMY (Jimmy Dalton).

14HH Race (1M): 1, S. Kerrin’s KATIE TAYLOR (Dylan O’Connor); 2, A. Sweeney’s ERIN’S OWN (Sam Coen); 3, P. McGill’s SWILLY SPIRIT (Tiernan McGill).

14.2HH Race Div 1 (10F): 1, N. Holohan’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Reese Holohan); 2, K. Connell’s AN CAPALL DUBH (Adam Brown Souza); 3, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Dylan O’Connor).

14.2HH Race Div 2 (10F): 1, A. Melia’s PACMAN (Patrick McGettigan); 2, N. Brosnsn’s THE LOW ROAD (Sam Coen); 3, N. Holohan’s TAKE A CHANCE (Reese Holohan).

15HH Race (10F): 1, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s WHAT’S GOING ON (Adam Grant); 2, K. Flannery’s BABY BROWN (John Mulvihill); 3, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor).

P. J. Davis Memorial Derby (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s HONEST BERNIE (Kian McNally); 2, Two Priest’s Syndicate’s WHO TOLD YOU (Dylan O’Connor); 3, S. Crabbe’s HEY COWBOY (Adam Grant).

Shark Hanlon’s Ladies Derby (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s CHLOE’S SAM (Nicola Burns); 2, J. J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Eryka Snioch); 3, B. Ward’s LITTLE BEAUTY (Ally Clarke).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s BIPOLAR BLONDIE (Adam Grant); 2, S. Quinn’s CAUSEWAY CLIFFS (Adam Brown Souza); 3, R. Lynch’s LILY (Eryka Snoich).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, S. Kerr’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, A. Melia’s THE TINDER SWINDLER (Adam Grant); 3, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s BIG JOE JOYCE (Reese Holohan).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s VERSTAPPEN (Reese Holohan); 2, A. Melia’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Adam Grant); 3, R. Lane’s ON THE LINE (Rhian Lane).

Maiden Horse Race Div 1 (1M): 1, L. Cregg’s THERESA’S JOY (Patrick McGettigan); 2, K. Flannery’s HEARTBREAK HILL (Paddy Hanlon); 3, P. O’Sullivan’s CALL HIM MR RAIDER (Dylan O’Connor).

Maiden Horse Race Div 2 (1M): 1, Three In A Row SyndIcate’s TOM’S CROSS (Sam Coen); 2, Finnerty Families MAVERICK (Jimmy Dalton); 3, J. Donaghy’s MULBERRY LAD (Reese Holohan).

Local Pony Race Div 1: LUCY (Timothy Byrne); 2, COREY HEIGHTS (Lucy O’Connor); 3, OSCAR (Jake Cromwell)

Local Pony Race Div 2: 1, PRETTY BOY (Sean Holohan); 2, KITTY’S PRIDE (Hugh Neville); 3, MOONLIGHT (Jake Cromwell).