SHERGAR CUP, ASHBOURNE

THE third renewal of the Shergar Cup of pony racing took place last Saturday at Ashbourne between the young riders of Ireland and the Britain.

For the British riders it offered new challenges as it is the only time in the year they rode horses higher than 14.2hh in a race. They rode horses and ponies that they never sat on before and unlike British pony racing, they are allowed to carry and use whips.

They rose to these challenges without any difficulty as the British riders rode the winners of seven of the 11 races although they were narrowly denied in the overall team event where Ireland came out victorious.

Leading rider on the day was James Bowen, the 14-year-old son of trainer Peter, and whose brother and current British champion conditional Sean was a participant two years ago.

Bowen rode a double on the day. He opened his account in the mile non-winners where he partnered Your Achilles to win for Aidan Gallagher. Bowen always had the winner in a prominent position, kicking clear to win well. If he thought that was straight-forward he found the other winner even easier as he partnered Let Him Go to win middle distance race over 11 furlongs.

The two-times Glenbeigh Invitational winner always looked in control as he won in impressive fashion from the Luke Bleahen-ridden Forget Me Not.

The McCain family also claimed two victories as the two daughters of Donald McCain both made a trip to the winner’s enclosure.

Fifteen-year-old Abbie teamed up with the Batsy Maher-owned Man Of Steel to win the mile championship race from the Pat Taaffe ridden Aideen’s Dream.

McCain sat second throughout before hitting the front in the last 100 yards. Meanwhile 14-year-old Ella won the 14hh race on the Co. Galway-based Kevin Connell-owned Shoot The Breeze as they made all to see off the challenge of the Charlie Todd-ridden Fiddler’s Bridge.

Jamie Perrett is a nephew of trainer Amanda and he has also gained experience riding out for none-other than John Gosden and Criquette Head-Maarek.

He put that experience to good effect as he landed the 12-furlong non-winners race on the Tim McCarthy-owned Lady Lynn. Perrett sat well off a strong pace early on before coming with a sustained run over the final half-mile to deliver his challenge down the outside to lead inside the distance.

Fifteen-year-old Connor Murtagh has strong Irish connections as his father, the Cumbrian-based trainer, Barry is originally from Drogheda.

Last year Connor and his elder brother Lorcan both rode winners in this competition, and with Lorcan now progressed to riding on the race-track it was left to Connor to fly the flag on his own which he duly did with a winner as he partnered the strong travelling Dodge The Bullet to win for Adrian Browne from the Rory King-ridden Angel Eyes.

The other British ridden winner came in the two-mile championship where Michael Treneer partnered All About Chris to victory from the Finnley Green-ridden Let Me Go.

Letterkenny rider Dylan Browne-McMonagle has had a memorable first season in racing with the Dingle Derby win as the highlight. He rounded his season off with a win in the 14.2hh race where he dictated the pace to bring the Seamus Bergin-owned Waratah home in front from the Charlie Todd-ridden One Of The Boys.

There was a second 14.2 race for this season’s non-winners and Mikey Sheehy took this with a pillar-to-post win on the Gerry Murphy-owned Georgie’s Girl who was showing a return to the type of form that saw her win the Gowran Park Race in 2013.

While Dylan and Mikey have a number of seasons ahead of them in the pony racing ranks, Co. Galway rider Evan Daly was having his final day at this level and he signed off with a winner before he starts off as an apprentice next year with Ger Lyons.

Daly made all gradually injecting pace to land the 15hh race on Keeper Hill.

Pat Taaffe is another rider to have an excellent first season in pony racing and the 13-year-old Kildare recorded his 16th winner as he steered newcomer Mr. Bowen to victory in the 14 furlong race coming from off the pace to win impressively.

RESULTS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH

14HH (1M): 1, K. Connell’s SHOOT THE BREEZE (Ella McCain); 2, Finnerty brothers’ FIDDLERS BRIDGE (Charlie Todd); 3, V. Moriarty’s OBI ONE KNOBI (Connor Brace).

Non-Winners (12F): 1, T. McCarthy’s LADY LYNN (Jamie Perrett); 2, J. Torrens’s MR. JAMES (Luke Bleahen); 3, J. Rogan’s STRAHAN LADY (Pat Taaffe).

14.2HH Championship (10F): 1, S. Bergin’s WARATAH (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 2, Five County Syndicate’s ONE OF THE BOYS (Charlie Todd); 3, J. J. Bailey’s BLAZING GLORY (Connor Brace).

Non-Winners Horse (1M): 1, A. Gallagher’s YOUR ACHILLIES (James Bowen); 2, K. Connell’s THE STENSORATOR (Danny Sheehy); 3, M. Flannery’s SMILES FOR MILES (Joe Conlon).

Non-Winners 14.2HH (7F): 1, G. Murphy’s GEORGIE’S GIRL (Mikey Sheehy); 2, W. McGrath’s SANDYCOVE (Dylan Browne-McMonagle); 3, D. Donnelly’s LITTLE MOLLY (Ella McCain).

Mile Championship (1M): 1, B. Maher’s MAN OF STEEL (Abbie McCain); 2, I. Kelly’s AIDEEN’S DREAM (Pat Taaffe); 3, G. O’Boyle’s NEVER SAY NEVER (Rossa Ryan).

15HH Championship (10F): 1, A. Browne’s DODGE THE BULLET (Connor Murtagh); 2, L. Baird’s ANGEL EYES (Rory King); 3, A. Browne’s THE WAGON WHEEL (Evan Daly).

Middle-Distance Championship (12F): 1, A. Browne’s LET HIM GO (James Bowen); 2, G. Collins’ FORGET ME NOT (Luke Bleahen); 3, B. Harrison’s LAST CHANCE PADDY (Rossa Ryan).

Non-Winners 15hh (1M): 1, P. Gleeson’s KEEPER HILL (Evan Daly); 2, T. Spence’s DRAMA QUEEN (Connor Murtagh); 3, T. McCarthy’s BAL DAZZI (Joe Conlon).

Stayers Championship (2M): 1, M. Campbell’s ALL ABOUT CHRIS (Michael Treneer); 2, A. Browne’s LET ME GO (Finnley Green); 3, J. Collins’ WHERE’S JOHNNY (Luke Bleahen)

Non-Winners Race (14F): 1, A. Taaffe’s MR. BOWEN (Pat Taaffe); 2, M. Campbell’s WELL BOY (Darragh O’Keeffe); 3, C. Donnelly’s MOUNTAIN HAWK (Bruce Lynn).

Southern region

The season is rapidly drawing to a close with just two southern meetings remaining. This Sunday racing takes place on Asdee Strand, Co Kerry, while Sunday, October 11th see racing return to Athea, Co Limerick, after a number of years break, albeit at a new course.