NORTH-WEST REGION -

BUNDORAN

WITH the traditional August Bank Holiday meeting in Ballintra not taking place this year, Bundoran stepped in to host a replacement meeting at Finner Camp.

Luke McAteer missed a large chunk of the season with a broken collar bone, but he is quickly making up for lost time and he will head to Dingle with confidence as he followed-up the previous week’s double with a first ever treble.

McAteer got his first winner in the mile race where he stretched clear from the Luke Bleahen-ridden Angel Eyes over the final furlong to win in impressive fashion on the Sammy Laird-owned Thunder Struck.

He then teamed up with Sammy in the one mile, three furlong race and struck the front late as All Joking Aside won from the Rossa Ryan-ridden What’s The Crack.

McAteer completed his treble in the concluding non-winners’ race as he brought Mr Mac through from off the pace with a steady run to win for Michael and Mary Brady.

Rossa Ryan rode the winners of the other two races, both owned by Adrian Browne. Dodge The Bullet sat second before stretching clear on the downhill run to the finish as he put five lengths between himself and the nearest pursuer, Messi.

Let Me Go started favourite for last year’s Dingle Derby, where he finished third behind stable companion Let’s Go, and he showed his wellbeing as he took the longest race on the card, over one and three-quarter miles, quickening away down the hill to win from Who This.

RESULTS

August 1st

15HH/153cm Race (10F): 1, A. Browne’s DODGE THE BULLET (Rossa Ryan); 2, L. McAteer’s MESSI (Luke McAteer); 3, T. Donaghey’s SKY DIAMOND (Joseph Dunne).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, S. Laird’s THUNDER STRUCK (Luke McAteer); 2, L. Baird’s ANGEL EYES (Luke Bleahen); 3, A. Browne’s LETS GO BOY’S (Rossa Ryan).

Open Horse Race (1M 6F): 1, A. Browne’s LET ME GO (Rossa Ryan); 2, S. Laird’s WHO THIS (Luke McAteer); 3, G. Faulkner’s SHAKA ZULA (Conan Faulkner).

Open Horse Race (1M 3F): 1, S. Laird’s ALL JOKING ASIDE (Luke Mc Ateer); 2, A. Browne’s WHATS THE CRACK (Rossa Ryan); 3, L. Baird’s TINKERBELL (Joseph Dunne).

Non Winners/Maiden Race (10F): 1, M. Brady’s MR MAC (Luke McAteer); 2, A. Browne’s THE WAGON WHEEL (Rossa Ryan); 3, C. Cairn’s SMILES FOR MILES (Joseph Dunne).