THE North West Racing Board staged their traditional Bank Holiday pre-Dingle meeting at Murvagh on Monday last.
Following last year’s cancellation due to flooding, the committee endured a sleepless Sunday night due to Storm Floris. Thankfully, the Ballintra area avoided the worst of the weather and the committee were rewarded with top-drawer racing.
Kaceylou Carberry and Paddy Finnegan shared top honours with a double apiece. Kaceylou has built up a strong partnership with Team Browne and they landed the featured Donegal Derby with Shake Me.
The pair jumped out in front, judged the fractions to perfection and ran out cosy winners over Not Another Horse. The winner is likely to make a quick reappearance in Dingle over 12 furlongs.
The Browne yard, who of course are synonymous with Dingle, got the perfect send off to this year’s festival when Check It Out landed the concluding maiden contest. The winner travelled kindly all the way and ran on strongly down the straight for a most impressive victory.
Brilliant start
Paddy Finnegan has made a brilliant start to his pony racing career and he was on the mark when U.S.A. made every inch of the running to win the 10-furlong race for the Mahon family.
The Meath jockey then completed his double when Mr Bean again successfully adopted front-running tactics to land the two-mile contest. Both winners are Dingle-bound this weekend, where both Paddy and Kaceylou will be bidding for their first festival victories.
The 15hh race produced the most exciting finish of the afternoon, when Dream Dancer ran on strongly under a fine Reese Holohan drive to see off Travelling Soldier under Jake Cromwell.
A little over a length separated the first four home here, with Follow Me the real eye-catcher in third place. Dream Dancer has given McGinley Racing a season to savour and makes the trip to Dingle with a superb chance.
Donegal jockey Ben Lecky will continue his family’s legendary association with Dingle this weekend and he gained a winner en route when Stop On Red landed the mile race for the S and R Syndicate. Stop On Red kept on gamely from Green Whistle who was doing his best work at the finish.
THE Dingle Racing Festival, which kicked off last night, continues today Saturday and tomorrow Sunday with a 2.30pm start each day.
Allihies Races deep in the Beara Peninsula will take place next Friday, August 15th with a 1pm start.
Midlands Racing will race in Geesala, Co Mayo on Saturday and Sunday, August 16th and 17th.
Results
15HH (1M): 1, McGinley Racing’s DREAM DANCER (Reese Holohan); 2, N. McGhee’s TRAVELLING SOLDIER (Jake Cromwell); 3, Team Browne’s FOLLOW ME (Kaceylou Carberry).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, S & R Syndicate’s STOP ON RED (Ben Lecky); 2, F. Byrne’s GREEN WHISTLE (Camillus Byrne); 3, N. McGhee’s HASTA LUEGO (Leah McGhee).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, B. Mahon’s U.S.A. (Paddy Finnegan); 2, Holian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Camillus Byrne); 3, A. Lambe’s PACMAN (Bobby Lambe).
Donegal Derby (12F): 1, Team Browne’s SHAKE ME (Kaceylou Carberry); 2, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Paddy Finnegan); 3, D. Gildea’s LITTLE MAN (Kian McNally).
Open Horse Race (2M): 1, O. Finnegan’s MR BEAN (Paddy Finnegan); 2, Holian Syndicate’s WEE BUCKS (Kian McNally); 3, Holian Syndicate’s RIGHT ON TIME (Camillus Byrne).
Maiden Horse Race (12F): 1, Team Browne’s CHECK IT OUT (Kaceylou Carberry); 2, A. Sweeney’s WALTZING MATILDA (Camillus Byrne); 3, L. McLaughlin’s SOUND OF SILENCE (Nina Doherty).