Midlands Region, Vicarstown Sunday

THE Midlands regional circuit staged its fourth fixture of the season on the superb Vicarstown track in Co Laois, owned by the Heffernan family on Sunday.

It was a wonderful outing for the renowned Finnerty family from Roscommon who sent out three winners. Two of these were partnered by Kian McNally while Mr James was the first leg of a treble for Adam Grant.

There was yet another double for Julian Pietropaolo while East Cork jockey Rian Lane got his breakthrough winner with On The Line.

The Finnerty treble was initiated in some style when the homebred Little Fiddlers routed the opposition in the one mile 13.2hh race. The winner is now clearly the top rated in this division and will be at short odds for Dingle glory.

Maverick bounced right back to form when forging clear up the hill to land the mile open contest under Kian McNally.

This Dingle winner is now bound for the Finnerty meeting in Ballinagare on July 16th. Former Glenbeigh Invitational hero Mr James made every inch of the running to win the 12-furlong contest under championship leader Adam Grant.

Chloe’s Sam made it a double for the Rosslare, Co Wexford jockey when running out an awesome winner of the 10-furlong race for Kildare owner Shane Crabbe.

This hugely talented winner will head for the Laura Barry Ladies Derby in Dingle before a possible tilt at the Lee Strand Derby 24 hours later.

Adam deputised for the sidelined Reese Holohan in the 14.2hh on All Bets Are Off and the pair produced a stellar performance to win by three lengths from Pacman.

Julian Pietropaolo is the jockey find of the season to date and he was on the mark when Sandycove jumped out and made every inch of the running for the Listowel-based Curly syndicate.

The Pietropaolo double quickly followed in the 15hh race when Castleisland winner Chancy Money followed up at the expense of the always prominent Fire Drops. This was yet another winner for the Aidan Melia stable.

Fifteen-year-old East Cork jockey Rian Lane will have fond memories of his trip to Vicarstown as he landed the featured two-mile Derby on board with the family-owned On The Line. The debutant led at halfway and drew clear up the straight for an impressive victory.

Wexford jockey Lilly Walsh will have high hopes in the 12.2hh Dingle Pony Derby after South Of The Border made it two wins in a week for Pat Collins in the opening contest. Lilly is also enjoying a good run in the 14.2hh division with her new recruit Pacman.

Eryka Snioch ended a frustrating series of near misses when Our Souls regained the winning thread in the 10-furlong non winners’ contest. J. J. Bailey’s multiple winner will now bid for a repeat victory at the Dingle festival.

Tim Byrne is gaining invaluable experience in the local pony division and he gained his second course and distance victory with Lucy.

Next week’s fixtures

ATHEA, Co Limerick will stage a premier fixture tomorrow [Sunday] with a 1pm start.

The North West circuit will resume in Carrickadawson on Sunday, July 9th.

Broadford, Co Limerick will also race on Sunday July 9th.

Ballinagare, Co Roscommon will be the sole fixture on Sunday, July 16th.

HERE’S wishing our former record-breaking champion Dylan Browne McMonagle (pitured right) every success in tomorrow’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on White Birch.

This is Dylan’s first Irish Derby ride.

Sunday, June 26th

12.2HH (6F): 1, P. Collins’s SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Lilly Walsh); 2, K. Kerin’s NORDY RAZZMATAZZ (Sophie Mae Kerin).

13.2HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Family’s LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, Curly Syndicate’s Hello Star (Dylan O’Connor); 3. J. O’Sullivan’s SORE LOSER (Julian Pietropaolo).

14HH (1M): 1, J. O’Sullivan’s SANDYCOVE (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, Island Syndicate’s BLOWING BUBBLES (Kian McNally); 3, K. Kerin’s NEWTOWN GG (Sophie Mae Kerin).

14.2HH (10F): 1, N. Holohan’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Adam Grant); 2, P. Collins/J. Walsh’s PACMAN (Lilly Walsh); 3, S. Bergin’s SKY (Kian McNally).

15HH (1M): 1, A. Melia’s CHANCY MONEY (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, S. Bergin’s FIRE DROPS (Kian McNally); 3, I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s WHAT’S GOING ON (Adam Grant).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, Finnerty Family’s MAVERICK (Kian McNally); 2, P. Mooney’s BAILEYS (Conor Whiteley); 3, Finnerty Family’s JACK REACHER (Patrick McGettigian).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. Crabbe’s CHLOE’S SAM (Adam Grant); 2, R. Gormley’s DAITHI’S DREAM (Kian McNally); 3, L. O’Donnell’s THE MAFIA GANG (Patrick McGettigan).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Finnerty Family’s MR. JAMES (Adam Grant); 2, J. McGettigan’s THE POOR FARMER (Patrick McGettigan); 3, S. Gildea’s MAKE A PLAN (Dylan O’Connor).

Vicarstown Derby (2M): 1, R. Lane’s ON THE LINE (Rian Lane); 2, G. Faulkner’s OUR MAN FLINT (Adam Browne Souza).

Non Winners Race (10F): 1, J. J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Eryka Snioch); 2, A. Melia’s TIMES UP (Julian Pietropaolo); 3, R. Lynch’s LILY (Adam Browne Souza).

Common Pony Race (4F): 1, LUCY (Kim Byrne); 2, PRETTY BOY (Sean Holohan); 3, MOONLIGHT (Jake Cromwell).