THE penultimate meeting of the season on the southern circuit took place on Sunday in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.
This was an ultra-special fixture in 2025 as the town celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O’Connell, the historic Liberator. He was born in Carhan and donated the land for the race track to the people of Cahersiveen.
On a brilliant afternoon of racing, there were doubles for Paddy Finnegan, Kian McNally and Billy Roberts, while Callum Mangan rode his first career winner.
The featured Cahersiveen Derby over two miles with a record prize fund of €2,000 went to Nina Doherty and Here We Go Again for Donegal owner Leona McLaughlin. The Dingle Derby winner was again prominent all the way and stayed on resolutely to just deny the fast-finishing Tommy Tango under Reese Holohan by a nose at the line.
The gallant winner had been paraded through the streets of Ballyduff, Co Kerry on Saturday evening under his victorious Dingle jockey Billy Roberts. Both the first and second are likely to renew rivalry at the new meeting in South Clare on September 7th next.
Paddy Finnegan continued to impress and he initiated his double when Little Heart put up a power-packed performance to win the first split of the 10-furlong contest. This multiple Dingle winner simply outclassed the opposition and won with a lot in hand. The Finnegan double was completed in the 12-furlong race when Not Another Horse probably put up a career-best performance to beat Sam’s Friend by a cosy three lengths. The winner is likely to head to Louisburgh tomorrow.
Kian McNally enhanced his wonderful record in Cahersiveen when Joe Malone landed the 14hh race. Owned by the Finnerty family from Co Roscommon, this young pony looks a really classy sort and a fine prospect for next season. The McNally double came courtesy of St James in the Barr Na Sraide Plate for 14.2hh ponies.
The Jim Collins-owned St James came with a wet sail to lead off the Melling Road and ran on strongly to see off Dream Alliance. The winner will reappear in Clare next weekend. This race was poignantly run in memory of Jerome Power who rode the winner of this race, Level Headed, on his 14th birthday in 2014 for the Tyner family.
Billy Roberts continued his rich vein of form when Clever Crystal maintained her record as the best 13.2hh pony on the southern circuit. The Ballybunion and Athea winner made most of the running to beat Athloman Dancer, who was given a fine drive by Killian Brosnan in second place.
Double
The Ballyduff jockey completed his double when Come Mr DJ ran out a comprehensive winner of the concluding maiden race. The winner is owned by Mary Mulcahy, who also supplied the second home, Sober On Sunday.
Reese Holohan, who was narrowly denied in the feature on Tommy Tango, had earlier visited the winner’s enclosure with the brilliant Hasta La Vista in the 15hh contest. Reese never had an anxious moment here on this year’s dual Dingle winner.
It was a day to savour for Knocknagoshel, Co Kerry jockey Callum Mangan, who rode his first winner on Kiss Cam for the Cahill brothers from Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick.
Fourteen-year-old Callum had hit the crossbar during the season but gave Kiss Cam an ice-cool drive and forged right away up the straight for a very cosy victory. The winning owners had enjoyed much success previously with the great Horan’s Cross, a Glenbeigh Derby winner.
There was another rousing finish to the 12.2hh pony race when great rivals South Of The Border and Tiny Dancer battled it out all the way to the line. On this occasion, it was Wexford jockey Ciano Goff who landed the spoils in the final stride over Mallow jockey Peter Cremin.
The pair had dead-heated on their most recent encounter at the Dingle Festival.
Liam Murgrave and his committee are to be congratulated for organising a superb race meeting, which was run in a timely and professional manner.
THE Midlands circuit will resume on Carrowniskey Beach, Louisburgh, Co Mayo tomorrow at 1pm. The Southern region will stage its final meeting of the season on Sunday, September 7th in Cooraclare, Co Clare at 1pm.
Results
12.2HH (6F): 1, P. Collins SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Ciano Goff); 2, M. Mulcahy’s TINY DANCER (Peter Cremin).
13.2HH (9F): 1, N. Brosnan’s CLEVER CRYSTAL (Billy Roberts); 2, O’Sullivan/King’s ATHLOMAN DANCER (Killian Brosnan); 3, W. McGrath’s LITTLE SADIE (Camillus Byrne).
14HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Families JOE MALONE (Kian McNally); 2, D. Cahill’s SHE’S CONFRONTATIONAL (Paddy Finnegan); 3, J. McMahon’s RICE’S ROAD (Billy Roberts).
14.2HH (1M): 1, J. Collins ST JAMES (Kian McNally); 2, You Know Yourself Syndicate’s DREAM ALLIANCE (Nina Doherty); 3, A. Lambe’s PACMAN (Bobby Lambe).
15HH (10F): 1, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Reese Holohan); 2, Cregg Families STICK SEASON (Nina Doherty); 3, P. O’Sullivan’s LUCY’S DREAM (Camillus Byrne).
Open Horse Race Div 1 (10F): 1, I. Worrell’s LITTLE HEART (Paddy Finnegan); 2, K. Flannery’s THE LONG HAUL (Nina Doherty); 3, S. Crabbe’s QUICK QUICK QUICK (Reese Holohan).
Open Horse Race Div 2 (10F): 1, Cahill Brother’s KISS CAM (Callum Mangan); 2, S. Crabbe’s DELL BOY (Reese Holohan); 3, S. Lohan’s REMEMBER US (Nina Doherty).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, S. Crabbe’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Paddy Finnegan); 2, S. Crabbe’s SAM’S FRIEND (Reese Holohan); 3, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Nina Doherty).
Cahersiveen Derby (2M): 1, L. McLaughlin’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Nina Doherty); 2, S. Crabbe’s TOMMY TANGO (Reese Holohan); 3, Kerin Families JELLY BABY (Camillus Byrne).
Maiden Horse Race (10F): 1, M. Mulcahy’s COME MR DJ (Billy Roberts); 2, M. Mulcahy’s SOBER ON SUNDAY (Reese Holohan); 3, K. Flannery’s THE NEW HOUSE (Paddy Finnegan).