THE biggest race in the horse and pony racing calendar is the Dingle Derby and the latest running last Sunday went to the Brian Laird-owned Ida’s Dream who was ridden to victory by Sam Ewing.
Ida’s Dream, named after Brian’s mother, is the first mare to win this race for 18 years, and she did it without the benefit of a mares’ allowance, and adding to her Ladies Derby win of 2016 where she was ridden by Tara McCrissican.
It was a hugely popular win as Bright, Downpatrick-based Brian has been a great supporter of horse and pony racing over many years and this is by far the biggest win he has enjoyed, while 13-year-old Sam, son of trainer Warren, was riding in his first Dingle Derby.
Ewing gave the winner a very confident ride and he delivered his challenge as they turned in with two furlongs to run. He sat out the back of the field early on and gradually crept closer, still having the composure to allow her a breather climbing “heartbreak hill” for the final time.
Once they straightened up with a furlong and a half to run, they were in complete control as they stretched clear to win from last year’s winner, the Pat Taaffe-ridden Mr. Bowen who had cruised ominously into the lead five furlongs out.
Dylan Browne-McMonagle who won the Derby at his first attempt in 2015 was unseated at the start and missed out on his last three rides, but he did have the consolation of taking the leading rider award for the second time secured by his victory in the first race as Athea Jade, who having lost his long unbeaten sequence on Saturday, got quickly back in a winning vein.
Browne-McMonagle travelled in fourth spot through the race before coming through to lead a furlong out and quickening away impressively. The young rider headed to the British Racing School in Newmarket following the meeting to avail of a scholarship awarded for his achievements the previous year. His misfortune was Andrew Slattery’s opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands to record his first Dingle win for local owner Gary O’Boyle before he takes the apprentice route with his father Andy.
Slattery sat in third place until the turn-in of this mile contest before quickening clear for an impressive win. Andrew is a first-cousin of Ben Coen and that rider had a memorable Dingle making it four wins over the weekend by winning the 14.2hh race on Blazing Glory for Ballybrittas, Co. Laois owner John Joe Bailey.
Coen sat second until striking for home as they turned into the straight to win from the Mikey Sheehy-ridden The Low Road.
REPEAT WINNER
The 15hh race saw On The Edge repeat his win of last year and Alex Hamilton’s charge will probably head onto to Glenbeigh to defend his Glenbeigh Invitational crown.
As last year, Shane Crosse was aboard and he made all, drawing clear up the straight under a hands and heels ride. To cap a memorable weekend for the Crosse family, Shane’s older brother Nathan also recorded his second winner of the weekend as he landed the apprentice race at the Curragh in the Godolphin colours on Snowstar.
Philip Byrnes has made a very quick impact in horse and pony racing and the 13-year-old added a Dingle winner to his CV by taking the first division of the consolation race on Make Me for his mother Cora.
Having run a shade disappointing on Friday night, the winner bounced back to form and Philip eased him to the front with a little under five furlongs to travel and then gave him a chance to get a breather before quickening up the straight to win from Mr Mac who had to settle for the runner-up spot for the second time over the weekend.
Ballybrown Boy finished second in the Dingle Derby in 2014 under Killian Leonard behind the Jack Kennedy-ridden Coola Boola and while he might not be the force of old, he can still deliver the goods as he showed in landing the finale and second division of the consolation race under Rory King.
King sat second hugging the rail as Man Of Steel cut out the running before taking over two furlongs from home to win. Philip Egan, who father John came over from the UK to support him, took a fall in this race but thankfully he escaped with nothing worse than bruising.
UNBEATEN RUN
The riders in the 12.2hh race had the benefit of a course walk with RACE Instructor and former NH Jockey Paddy Flood prior to racing and the race itself went pretty much as expected as Another Tiger stretched his unbeaten run to over three years and 42 races.
Eleven-year-old, Pierstown Co. Wexford rider Conor Walsh who had finished runner-up last year on Tail To Tail gained his first Dingle success with a pillar-to-post to success seeing off a brave challenge from the Danny Gilligan-ridden Just For James up the straight.
News
Glenbeigh: The Racing Festival in Kerry takes place on Rossbeigh Strand next weekend on Saturday August 26th and Sunday August 27th. The feature of the weekend is the Glenbeigh Invitational worth €5000 run over two miles on Sunday.
Midlands: The region race tomorrow on Doolough Beach, Geesala (near Bangor Erris), Co. Mayo with the first race due off at 1pm.
Results
Sunday August 13th
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, A. Browne’s ATHEA JADE (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 2, C. McSweeney’s DAN’S YOUR MAN (Michael O’Connor); 3, C. Byrne’s SLEEPY LADY (Philip Byrnes).
15 HH Race (12F): 1, A. Hamilton’s ON THE EDGE (Shane Crosse); 2, L. McAteer’s MESSI (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 3, D. Donnelly’s THE SINNER (Ben Coen).
14.2 HH Race (10F): 1, J.J. Bailey’s BLAZING GLORY (Ben Coen); 2, P. Lohan’s THE LOW ROAD (Mikey Sheehy); 3, M. Ahern’s PACMAN (Shane Crosse).
12.2 HH Race (1M): 1, Curly Syndicate’s ANOTHER TIGER (Connor Walsh); 2, A. Beegan’s JUST FOR JAMES (Danny Gilligan); 3, J. J. O’Keeffe’s TEMPLEHILL TAMARA (Mikey Sheehy).
Dawn Milk Dingle Derby (2M): 1, B. Laird’s IDA’S DREAM (Sam Ewing); 2, J. Torren’s MR BOWEN (Pat Taaffe); 3, A. Browne’s LET’S GO NOW (Michael O’Connor).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, G. O’Boyle’s NEVER SAY NEVER (Andrew Slattery); 2, M. Flannery’s BANNED SUBSTANCE (Sam Ewing); 3, D. McGuigan’s FOLLOW THE DREAM (Mikey Sheehy).
Consolation Horse Race (12F): Div. 1: 1, C. Byrne’s MAKE ME (Philip Byrnes); 2, M. Brady’s MR MAC (Ben Coen); 3, R. Sugrue’s THE CROSS OF SPANCIL HILL (Ross Sugrue).
Consolation Horse Race (12F): Div. 2: 1, Deelview Racing’s BALLYBROWN BOY (Rory King); 2, B. Maher’s MAN OF STEEL (Mikey Sheehy); 3, L. McCarthy’s THE RUSSIAN (Michael McGuane).