FRIDAY evening in Dingle saw Tipperary rider Ben Coen shine on the biggest stage in horse and pony racing as he recorded an opening night treble.
The rider opened his score in the 10-furlong race where he partnered Half Price for Monasterevin, Co. Kildare-based Aidan Melia. Ben travelled in second position behind the Dylan Browne-McMonagle ridden Athea Jade, who was seeking an 18th consecutive victory, until the turn-in where he kicked for home to land the spoils.
The Finnerty family from Roscommon have been amongst the leading lights in horse and pony racing over many years and they provided Coen with his second winner of the night as Omega made all to land the second division of the mile race from the Sam Ewing-ridden Aideen’s Dream. Ben then rounded off his hat-trick in the 15hh race capping a wonderful evening for the large contingent from Monasterevin as Mr. Bud made all to win readily for Buddy Harrison, with the Dylan Fitzgerald-ridden Go For It staying on well to take second spot.
Last year’s leading rider Dylan Browne-McMonagle made a good start to his quest to retain the title with an opening night double for the powerful Letterkenny, Co. Donegal stable of his uncle Adrian Browne.
His first winner came in the 14-furlong race where I’ve Got It saw off the strong challenge of the Mikey Sheehy-ridden Chasing A Dream. Browne-McMonagle made the running to two furlongs out, where Chasing A Dream was delivered to head him, but Dylan got a renewed effort out of his willing mount to hit the line in front.
He had a much easier time of it in the 14.2hh race where Five Stone Of Lead sat second the two-furlong marker where she quickly quickened away putting the result beyond doubt.
Mikey Sheehy was another rider who would have a big chance of
winning the leading rider award and he started off with a double. Sheehy won the opening race on the card for the Duagh, Listowel yard of Batsy Maher as Who’s Your Daddy took up the running with about five furlongs to travel in the 12-furlong contest, coming home about five lengths clear of On The Edge. Sheehy later won the first division of the mile race as Catch A Dream made all for a very impressive win for Declan McGuigan.
It was a memorable night for the Crosse family as Nathan rode a winner in Tipperary on Raramauri for his boss Willie McCreery and younger brother Shane landed the feature event of the night, the two-mile Derby trial on The Poacher for Asdee, Co. Kerry owner Jim Collins.
Crosse sat well off the pace through the early part of the race before making smooth progress from four furlongs out to take the lead inside the distance and win by three lengths.
RESULTS
Friday, August 11th
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, B. Maher’s WHO’S YOUR DADDY (Mikey Sheehy); 2, A. Hamilton’s ONE THE EDGE (Shane Crosse); 3, B. Murphy’s GO GEORGIE GO (Philip Egan).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, A. Melia’s HALF PRICE (Ben Coen); 2, A. Browne’s ATHEA JADE (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 3, B. Harrison’s LAST CHANCE PADDY (Joe Conlon).
Open Horse Race (14F): 1, A. Browne’s I’VE GOT IT (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 2, D. McGuigan’ s CHASING A DREAM (Mikey Sheehy); 3, N. Gilligan’s PHANTOM (Jack Gilligan).
Derby Trial (2M): 1, J. Collins’s THE POACHER (Shane Crosse); 2, R. Sugrue’s FORGIVE AND FORGET (Ross Sugrue): 3, I. Worrell’s CALL THE GUARDS (Andrew Slattery).
14.2 HH Race (1M): 1, G. O’Boyle’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 2, M. Ahern’s PACMAN (Shane Crosse); 3, J. J. Bailey’s BLAZING GLORY (Ben Coen).
Open Horse Race (1M): Div. 1: 1, D. McGuigan’ s CATCH A DREAM (Mikey Sheehy); 2, C. McSweeney’s DAN’S YOUR MAN (Michael O’Connor); 3, D. O’Sullivan’s FOUR PENNY ROAD (Shane Crosse).
Open Horse Race (1M): Div. 2: 1, Finnerty’s Bros OMEGA (Ben Coen); 2, J. Holian’s AIDEEN’S DREAM (Sam Ewing); 3, P. Rabbitte’s OUR SOULS (Conor Rabbitte).
15 HH Race (1M): 1, B. Harrison’s MR BUD (Ben Coen); 2, K.S. Racing’s GO FOR IT (Dylan Fitzgerald); 3, L. Baird’s ANGEL EYES (Sam Ewing).