WITH Danny Sheehy and Rossa Ryan having now progressed to the apprentice ranks, the stage is set for another group of riders to shine and 15-year-old Fethard, Co. Tipperary rider Ben Coen took his opportunities with both hands at the opening meeting of the 2017 Horse and Pony Racing season as he registered a double.

Coen’s first winner came in the 12-furlong race where he landed the spoils for Asdee owner Ray Keane. He sat second through most of the race before delivering his winning run two furlongs out to deny Just Like That, who was ridden by Ben’s cousin Andrew Slattery.

Coen’s other winner, which came in the two-mile race, was of a controversial nature as it was decided in the stewards’ room after a dramatic finish. Coen took up the running on Forgive And Forget after a couple of furlongs and set the pace from thereon.

However, as the Dylan Browne-McMonagle ridden He Got It laid down his challenge coming into the final bend, both horses ran wide and with the two riders blinded by the sun, they failed to see the outside finishing post.

This resulted in Forgive And Forget colliding with the post unseating Coen but, in the opinion of the stewards, the unseating occurred after the line. They also deemed that He Got It went outside the finishing post, resulting in the disqualification of the Adrian Browne charge, a decision that is under appeal.

The winner is normally ridden by his Tralee-based owner Ross Sugrue, who had to give up the ride through injury, but he will have the consolation of looking forward to what should hopefully be a very profitable campaign back in the saddle.

Mikey Sheehy looked as if he was going to win last year’s The Irish Field National Riders’ Championship until his season was brought to a premature end following a fall and he will be the pick of many observers to take this year’s title.

Sheehy got his 2017 campaign off with a winner as he took the 15hh race on Farmer Boyce, who is trained in Newmarket, Co. Cork by Ben and Jerry Daly jnr for the Three County Syndicate.

Mikey O’Connor tried to make all on Red Handed but once Farmer Boyce set sail for home three furlongs out the result was never in doubt. This completed a double for the Daly yard as the evergreen Tail To Tail celebrated his 21st birthday by taking the 12.2hh race under a fine front running ride from Wexford rider Conor Walsh.

HIGH HOPES

The Three County Syndicate would have had high hopes of making it three winners in the 10-furlong race as their flag-bearer, Good Times Ahead represented them.

However, they had to settle for the runners-up position here as Ciara Mannion gave the Buddy Harrison newcomer Try Your Best a fine drive to gain the initiative close home for a length win after going head-to-head with the Mikey Sheehy-ridden Good Times Ahead throughout.

Rory King got his season off to a fine start as he took the 14.2hh race on Sandycove for Kilkee, Co. Clare owner Willie McGrath.

Sugre made all the running to come home in front, although he might not have been too popular on the drive home that night as he consigned his brother Danny to the runners-up spot on his father’s Oopsy Daisy.

The concluding maiden race (for horses who ran at least three times, but who had not won more than three races last season) went to beach specialist Top Of The Morning, who was piloted by Dungourney, Midleton, Co. Cork rider Brian Dunleavy.

Fourteen-year-old Dunleavy jumped Dick Foley’s charge off in second place and once they hit the front three furlongs out, they quickened away impressively to win from Close Encounter.

With this traditional Christmas meeting over, the season goes back into hibernation until it recommences sometime after Easter.

RESULTS

Ballyheigue

Sunday January 1st

12.2HH/13.2HH (6F): 1, Three County Syndicate’s TAIL TO TAIL (Conor Walsh); 2, J. McMahon’s TINY ROGUE (Ben Kennedy); 3, J. McMahon’s COTTAGE (Jake Coen).

14.2HH (1M): 1, W. McGrath’s SANDYCOVE (Rory King); 2, R. King’s OOPSY DAISY (Daniel King); 3, K. Hand’s STORMY MORNING (Joey Sheridan).

15 HH (1M): 1, Three County Syndicate’s FARMER BOYCE (Mikey Sheehy); 2, Soft Touch Syndicate’s RED HANDED (Mikey O’Connor); 3, Tyner Syndicate’s BOUNCE (Shane Crosse).

Open Horse (10F): 1, B. Harrison’s TRY YOUR BEST (Ciara Mannion); 2, Three County Syndicate’s GOOD TIMES AHEAD (Mikey Sheehy); 3, R. Sugrue’s TOP OF THE HILL (Ben Coen).

Open Horse (12F); 1, R. Keane’s SHANNON BREEZE (Ben Coen); 2, R. Sugrue’s JUST LIKE THAT (Andrew Slattery); 3, A. Browne’s I GOT IT (Dylan Browne McMonagle).

Open Horse (2M): 1, R. Sugrue’s FORGIVE AND FORGET (Ben Coen); 2, P. Collins THE LANE ROAD (Mikey Sheehy); 3, R. King’s ROSA PARKS (Rory King).

Maiden Horse (1M): 1, T. Foley’s TOP OF THE MORNING (Brian Dunleavy); 2, Soft Touch Syndicate’s CLOSE ENCOUNTER (Mikey O’Connor); 3, Three County Syndicate’s THE TAOISEACH (Mikey Sheehy).