THE second day of the Glenbeigh Racing Festival took place in front a good crowd who saw some fabulous racing with many close finishes.

The weekend feature, the Invitational Race run over two miles, saw a thrilling finish in which the Andrew Slattery-ridden Mr. James edged out the Daniel Gilligan-ridden Call The Guards after a head to head battle over the final three furlongs.

As the early pacemaker Forgive And Forget dropped away after the turn into the long four-furlong finishing straight, it became a three-way struggle and for a while it looked as if the Gerard O’Connor-owned and Rory King-ridden Chamber Of Secrets was going to provide a local victory as he travelled ominously well.

However, he wilted inside the final furlong and when Slattery pulled his stick through into his left hand, he got one final burst from Mr. James who edged to the front in the final 20 yards to gain victory by the narrowest of margins.

It was the biggest victory yet for Andrew Slattery, the Killenaule, Co. Tipperary-based rider, a son of trainer Andy while 11-year-old Danny Gilligan from Craughwell in Galway, son of Cheltenham winning trainer Paul, showed remarkable composure for such a young rider.

The winner is owned and trained by the Finnertys in Co. Roscommon and whose Glenbeigh-based aunt Nuala was present to cheer them on.

Kevin McGillicuddy who trains on the beach for The Soft Touch Syndicate in nearby Dooks, had a day to remember as they shared a double with Joey Sheridan.

The took the 15hh race where Red Handed edged out Saturday’s winner Bubba Watson with the decision only announced after lengthy deliberations by the judge.

Mikey Sheehy had Bubba Watson in front from three furlongs out until well inside the final furlong when Sheridan hit the front and they just had enough in reserve to hold off a renewed challenge from Bubba Watson by the minimum margin with The Bosses Daughter and Andrew Slattery half-a-length back in third spot.

DISTINGUISHED FOOTSTEPS

The concluding local race went to Close Encounter who made all to record her seventh win in the last eight runnings of this race. Sheridan is following in some distinguished footsteps as the other successful riders of Close Encounters in this race included Connor King, Oisin Murphy, Jack Kennedy and Killian Leonard.

The rider, who is 15 years old and who hails from Hollyford in Tipperary, rides out in Ballydoyle and he finished up with a treble on the day as he also won the 14.2hh race on One Of The Boys for the Five County Syndicate as he stretched clear over the final two furlongs to win from Saturday’s winner, Sandycove.

Mikey Sheehy also registered a treble, starting off in the 13.2hh where Carrig Ava got her reward for a number of consistent runner-up finishes behind Hello Star as she turned the tables to win for the Athea, Co. Limerick-based O’Sullivan/King partnership.

Sheehy opened up a considerable lead over his main rival from half-way and while Hello Star was eating into the lead over the final furlong, the winner had enough reserves to last it home. Who’s Your Daddy was successful in the two-mile race on Saturday and he stepped back to 12-furlongs to provide Sheehy with winner number two of the day as he sprinted through on the stand-side inside the final 100 yards to win the first division of the 12-furlong race.

The rider also landed the second division as Pacman made the step up from 14.2hh class in style with a pillar-to-post win for owner Tom O’Donovan.

For many years Good Times Ahead was one of the best and most consistent horses on the circuit and he has come back to winning form again making it three wins from his last four runs with a win in the 10-furlong race.

Michael O’Connor from Curraglass in Cork was in the saddle and both he and Shane Crosse who rode the runner-up Last Chance Paddy gave nothing away in the drive to the line.

Dylan Browne-McMonagle added to his Saturday double as Half Price landed the mile race in comprehensive fashion following up on 10-furlong win of Saturday.

RESULTS

August 27th

13.2 HH Race (1M): 1, O’Sullivan/ King’s CARRIG AVA (Mikey Sheehy); 2, Curly Syndicate’s HELLO STAR (Michael O’Connor); 3, P.A O’Sullivan’s HELLO THUNDER (Danny Gilligan).

14.2HH Race (10F): 1, Five County Syndicate’s ONE OF THE BOYS (Joey Sheridan); 2, Curly Syndicate’s SANDYCOVE (Danny Gilligan); 3, R. McMahon’s THE GREEN MONKEY (Dylan Browne McMonagle).

15HH Race (10F): 1, Soft Touch Syndicate’s RED HANDED (Joey Sheridan); 2, Deelview Racing’s BUBBA WATSON (Mikey Sheehy); 3, P. O’Sullivan’s THE BOSSES DAUGHTER (Andrew Slattery).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, Three County Syndicate’s GOOD TIMES AHEAD (Michael O’Connor); 2, B. Harrison’s LAST CHANCE PADDY (Shane Crosse); 3, A. Browne’s ATHEA JADE (Dylan Browne McMonagle).

Glenbeigh Invitational Race (2M): 1, Finnerty Family’s MR JAMES (Andrew Slattery); 2, I. Worrell’s CALL THE GUARDS (Danny Gilligan); 3, G. O’Connor’s CHAMBER OF SECRETS (Rory King).

Open Horse Race (12F): Div 1: 1, B. Maher’s WHO’S YOUR DADDY (Mikey Sheehy); 2, Deelview Racing’s BALLYBROWN BOY (Rory King); 3, C. Byrnes MAKE ME (Philip Byrnes).

Open Horse Race (12F): Div 2: 1, T. O’Donovan’s PACMAN (Mikey Sheehy); 2, Finnerty Family’s MR GREY (Andrew Slattery); 3, M. Paige’s THE FERRYMAN (Joey Sheridan).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, A. Melia’s HALF PRICE (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 2, A. Browne’s LET’S ROCK (Andrew Slattery); 3, P. J. Moloney’s RAZZLE DAZZLE (Mikey Sheehy).

Local Horse Race (1M): 1, Soft Touch Syndicate’s CLOSE ENCOUNTER (Joey Sheridan); 2, G. O’Connor’s CALL HIM WHAT YOU WANT (Ross Sugrue); 3, P. O’Sullivan’s BRIGHT EYES (Rory King).