Cahersiveen Sunday
THE curtain came down on the southern circuit for 2026 last Sunday last in beautiful Cahersiveen on the Ring Of Kerry.
It has been a record-breaking year for tourism in the area and many stayed on to watch this historic fixture. As always, the meeting was run on lands donated to the people of the area by ‘The Liberator’ Daniel O’Connell.
It was a wonderful day at the office for brothers Thady and Paddy Finnegan who shared four winners but it was Thady who was crowned champion jockey of the afternoon with the better placings.
Not to be out done, the Finnegans’ dad Ollie guided all the jockeys on the course walk and was a three-time winning owner while their mum Rachael was on lead-up duties!
Thady initiated his double when Little Joey upset the two hot-pots in the opening 12.2hh race over six furlongs. Tiny Dancer tried to make all the running here under Maya Nolan with Little Joey sitting in the box seat.
Under a fine Finnegan drive, Little Joey went to the front off the home bend and kept on strongly to beat Tiny Dancer with the favourite Minie Hawk flashing home in third place.
Front-running ride
Thady then combined with Tarbert, Co Kerry owner Noel Brosnan to win the 14hh contest over nine furlongs. This was a brave front-running ride from the Meath jockey who judged the fractions to perfection and ran out an impressive six-length winner over Rice’s Road. The winner is likely to reappear at the Ballyheigue Christmas meeting.
Paddy Finnegan continued the family dominance of the Cahersiveen races when Little Heart put up a stellar performance to win the 15hh race over 10 furlongs. In truth, this multiple Dingle winner was never out of second gear here when making every inch of the running.
For good measure, he was followed home in second place by Little Man ridden by Thady Finnegan! Little Heart is likely to reappear in Louisburgh tomorrow afternoon.
The father and son team of Paddy and Ollie were quickly back in the winner’s enclosure after the 12-furlong contest when Not Another Horse made most of the running to beat She’s A Freebie and Kingfisher. The winner is becoming a course specialist having also won this race a year earlier.
Camron Cromwell is another rising star from Co Meath and he gave Lesson Learned a patient drive to win the 10-furlong 14.2hhh event.
The high-flying Thady Finnegan made a brave bid from the front here on The Low Road and had them stretched heading to the home turn. However, Camron was now in full flow as Lesson Learned came with a wet sail down the outside for a snug two length victory.
Cahersiveen Derby
Our Bridget made the long trip from Donegal to Cahersiveen for the featured two-mile Derby and it paid rich dividends as Nina Doherty’s mount ran out a cosy three-length winner.
Owned by the S & R Syndicate and trained by young Daithi Gormley, Our Bridget was gaining her seventh success of the season and has only tasted defeat once when runner-up in the Dingle Derby.
Under a patient Doherty drive, the Donegal challenger led before the straight and held the late flourish of Fill The Tank before drawing on again close home. It was a great end to the southern season for the Rathmolyon, Co Meath jockey who will shortly be taking out her track licence.
Rising star
Mallow, Co Cork jockey Peter Cremin is yet another rising star of the pony division and he was on the mark when Little Sadie sluiced home to win the 13.2hh contest. Owned by Willie McGrath from Kilkee, Co Clare, Little Sadie made practically all the running for a convincing success.
The Cahill brothers from Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick are really enjoying their return to the pony racing circuit and they gained another victory when Kiss Cam kept on dourly up the straight to deny Bubbles and He’s Got There in a driving finish.
Kiss Cam was up there all the way and having shaken off He’s Got There, had enough in hand to deny Bubbles who sprouted wings in the closing stages.
This was the third victory in recent weeks for jockey Callum Mangan having scored on Kingfisher and on Snow Patrol in Allihies. Incidentally all three horses are owned by the Cahill family.
The maiden race over 10 furlongs concluded the season down south and it went to Endless Dream under Bobby Lambe who was certainly one of the most improved jockeys on the circuit this year.
Amanda Lambe’s winner was in front before the final bend and showed plenty of battling qualities to fend off The Banger Man and Could Be Anything in yet another exciting finish.
The Midlands season will conclude in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo tomorrow at 1pm.
Results
12.2HH (6F): 1, O. Finnegan’s LITTLE JOEY (Thady Finnegan); 2, J. Mulvihill’s TINY DANCER (Maya Nolan); 3, T. Beegan’s MINIE HAWK (Camron Cromwell).
13.2HH (9F): 1, W. McGrath’s LITTLE SADIE (Peter Cremin); 2, K. Cromwell’s LITTLE MICKEY (Camron Cromwell); 3, O. Finnegan’s SMOKEY LADY (Thady Finnegan).
14HH (1M): 1, N. Brosnan’s CLEVER CRYSTAL (Thady Finnegan); 2, J. McMahon’s RICE’S ROAD (Jake Cromwell); 3, P. Collins’ FAIR PLAY (Paddy Finnegan).
14.2HH (10F): 1, K. Cromwell’s LESSON LEARNED (Camron Cromwell); 2, N. Brosnan’s THE LOW ROAD (Thady Finnegan); 3, You Know Yourself Syndicate’s DREAM ALLIANCE (Ethan Hogan).
15HH (10F): 1, O. Finnegan’s LITTLE HEART (Paddy Finnegan); 2, O. Finnegan’s LITTLE MAN (Thady Finnegan); 3, S. Bergin’s FIREDROPS (Jake Cromwell).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, Cahill Brothers’ KISS CAM (Callum Mangan); 2, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 3, S. Crabbe’s HE’S GOT THERE (Paddy Finnegan).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Paddy Finnegan); 2, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Camillus Byrne); 3, Cahill Brothers KINGFISHER (Callum Mangan).
Cahersiveen Derby (2M): 1, S & R Syndicate’s OUR BRIDGET (Nina Doherty); 2, S. Tierney’s FILL THE TANK (Billy Roberts): 3, S. Crabbe’s TOMMY TANGO (Paddy Finnegan).
Maiden Horse Race (2M): 1, A. Lambe’s ENDLESS DREAM (Bobby Lambe); 2, M. Mulcahy’s THE BANGER MAN (Jake Cromwell); 3, P. Hand’s COULD BE ANYTHING (Paddy Finnegan).