Lyre Sunday

TOP Dollar put in a five-star performance when landing the top-grade handicap at Lyre on Sunday. Coalford Goodfella and Emily Rose were best away with Top Dollar having the burden of a 40-yard handicap.

At half-way, Top Dollar had made up that deficit and led out on the final lap. He steadily drew clear from the three-quarter pole and put his seven rivals to the sword by 14 lengths. The time of 1.58.6 for the mile was a remarkable performance, taking into account his 40-yard trail.

The six-year-old son of For a Few Dollars More is owned by Dylan O’Reilly and trained by James Hurley.

The win was the second leg of a double for Reenascreena-based reinsman Jamie Hurley and kept him well in touch in The Irish Field-sponsored National Drivers’ Championship.

Rebecca Hurley, his sister, is sidelined with an arm injury, so Jamie came in for the spare drive on Oakwood Maestro, who has returned to form in recent weeks. The pair led away from Spartan Warrior and were five lengths clear of the pack on the opening lap.

Out on the final circuit, the field began to close and, in a blanket finish, Oakwood Maestro held on by a neck from Spartan Warrior with a further neck back to Streams Of Whiskey in third.

“This week has been busy with Dunmanway and we also took Graal Du Dollar to Tir Prince for the Anglo Irish Free For All, where he finished third. I was delighted with his run and his next engagement will probably be Dundalk on August 23rd,” Hurley told The Irish Field.

Represent Ireland

Speaking of Dundalk, Eoin Murphy who is due to represent Ireland in The European Apprentice Drivers’ Championships (see accompanying article) got another winner on the scoresheet when Homa recorded his fourth win of the year in Lyre for Rosscarberry-based Aidan Hayes and IB Stables of Baltimore.

The pair were to the fore from the start and had a length and a half cushion at the finish from Kyo Ferfay.

The top-grade trot attracted four runners, with Kirio Scott the punters’ choice. The Baltimore runner held a decent lead turning for home and looked all over a winner, but Inspire Me with Schull driver Mike O’Mahony whittled the lead down and had three lengths to spare at the finish. John Healy from Dunmanway owns and trains the eight-year-old home-bred son of Rachmaninov Seven.

Lee Kelly from Delvin in Co Meath has been plundering wins on his visits to Cork over the summer. Lee trains at The Baskin, north Co Dublin.

Kelly added another win with Newtown Happy Feet, who he trains for his landlord Alan Wallace.

Meadowbranch Rí had seen off the early leader Top Of The Bill, however, the Ballyboughal runner was collared late on by Newtown Happy Feet, who got the verdict by a neck. Comete Des Landes is another veteran trotter who has been running well of late and got an overdue success in the Grade G1 and F trot.

In the capable hands of Donal Murphy, the almost black mare led from the start. They dictated the fractions well to beat the Niall Forbes-owned pair Irish Good Dream and Empereur Souverain.

Racing is pencilled in for Lyre today and Annaghmore, Co Armagh tomorrow. Results, entries and other information can be found at www.irishharnessracing.com. Replays are to be seen on the IHRA You Tube channel.