Portsalon Saturday
THE North West Racing Board staged their traditional mid-July race meeting in Portsalon on Saturday evening last.
There was a record crowd in attendance for the eight-race card, which was run in aid of the Donegal Hospice. Thankfully, the sun shone brightly over beautiful Portsalon and a final update on the figure raised will be announced in the coming weeks.
It was an evening to savour for Kaceylou Carberry when she completed her first double on Shake Me and He’s Some Boy, both for the Team Browne Syndicate. Shake Me travelled strongly throughout the 12-furlong contest and forged right away in the final furlong and a half for a very comprehensive victory.
He’s Some Boy had caught the eye in recent weeks and he put up a stellar performance to win the mile race. Kaceylou always looked confident here and forged away inside the distance to win with plenty in hand.
As always, Team Browne are focused on the Dingle festival next month, while both horses will reappear on home ground in Letterkenny tomorrow afternoon.
Doherty does it again
Nina Doherty is enjoying a tremendous season and she was on the mark yet again in the two-mile contest, when Tommy K came home late and fast to land the contest. Leona McLaughlin’s stable star proved too strong for Verstappen inside the distance and won a shade snugly at the line. Tommy K continues to enhance his Dingle Derby prospects and will bid to extend his winning sequence in the Big Isle tomorrow.
Kian McNally, who was runner-up on Verstappen, went on to complete a treble and extend his lead in the jockey’s standings. Little Fiddlers continues to dominate the 13.2hh division and notched up another victory for the Finnerty family. Here For The Craic kept on gamely but was no match for the winner.
Kian’s double was completed in the 15hh event when Teddy Worrell’s Little Heart ran out a facile winner over Dare To Dream and Little Man. The winner is now likely to head straight to Dingle, where he was a dual winner last season.
McNally treble
The McNally treble came courtesy of She’s Got It for his home stable in the 10-furlong race. This prolific winner was always travelling best and ran on strongly to beat Diamond Nation. She’s Got It will form part of a six-strong book of rides for Kian tomorrow afternoon.
The Brady family are enjoying another wonderful season with Little Chief and the king of the 14hh division ran out a clear-cut winner here over Wild Venture. Jake Cromwell had a double handful off the final bend and will be at short odds to give Jake his first Dingle winner next month.
The biggest upset of the afternoon came in the 12-furlong race, when Wee Bucks came from the next parish to land the spoils for the Holian Syndicate under Camillus Byrne.
Fiadh’s Fancy and Five Stone Of Lead set a very strong pace here, but off the final bend both began to tread water and Wee Bucks came storming through under a vintage Byrne drive to win in style.
Results
13.2HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Family’s LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, K. Cromwell’s HERE FOR THE CRAIC (Jake Cromwell).
14HH (10F): 1, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Jake Cromwell); 2, A. Doherty’s WILD VENTURE (Nina Doherty); 3, Holian Syndicate’s TELL HER NOTHING (Ben Lecky).
14.2HH (12F): Holian Syndicate’s WEE BUCKS (Camillus Byrne); 2, J. McGettigan’s FIADH’S FANCY (Reese Holohan); 3, McNally Racing’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally).
15HH (10F): 1, I. Worrell’s LITTLE HEART (Kian McNally); 2, Holian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Camillus Byrne); 3, D. Gildea’s LITTLE MAN (Nina Doherty).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, Team Browne’s HE’S SOME BOY (Kaceylou Carberry); 2, S/M Syndicate’s STOP ON RED (Ben Lecky); 3, N. McGhee’s HASTA LUEGO (Leah McGhee).
Open Horse Race (10F): 1, McNally Racing’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 2, McGinley Racing’s DIAMOND NATION (Reese Holohan); 3, D. Ferry’s ROONEY (Brody Ferry).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Team Browne’s SHAKE ME (Kaceylou Carberry); 2, McGinley Racing’s SECOND VIOLIN (Reese Holohan); 3, Holian Syndicate’s RIGHT ON TIME (Camillus Byrne).
Open Horse Race (2M): 1, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Nina Doherty); 2, I. Worrell’s VERSTAPPEN (Kian McNally); 3, Irish Angle Syndicate’s WAGON WHEEL (Camillus Byrne).
Taghmon Sunday
THE class of 2025 and their parents were back on the road early on Sunday morning for the Taghmon races in Co Wexford, run under the southern region.
Richie O’Keeffe’s track was in splendid condition and the sunny south east certainly lived up to its name with Mediterranean-like temperatures.
The Cregg family from Frenchpark, Co Roscommon made the long trip to Wexford and they were duly rewarded when King Of The Hill came out on top in the Monbeg Stables and Rathangan Bar Two-Mile Derby. The former Dingle Derby third benefited from a vintage Nina Doherty drive from the front to hold off Anto’s Wish and Little Rocket in a gripping finish.
King Of The Hill answered every call up the straight and even won a shade cosily at the line. He will reappear in Ballyconneely in a bid to repeat his 2023 triumph before heading back to Dingle for the Derby Trial and the Derby itself. Full marks to new jockey Paddy McGowan, who gave Anto’s Wish a fine drive in second place.
Nina Doherty then went on to complete a double when Athea winner Joe Malone duly followed up in the 14hh contest over 10 furlongs. This young pony looks a smashing recruit for the Finnerty family and could well be the one to give Little Chief most to do at the Dingle festival.
The Finnerty family, who were also on the mark with Little Fiddlers in Portsalon, made it three winners for the weekend when Maverick got up in the final strides to win the concluding maiden contest.
The New House made a brave bid from the front here under Camillus Byrne and looked sure to score off the final bend. However, Kian McNally now had Maverick in full flow to snatch victory in the shadows of the post.
Byrne double
Camillus Byrne, narrowly denied on The New House, still went away with a double, courtesy of Little Sadie and Bubbles. Little Sadie, who had been runner-up in her last two starts, turned the form around here with Clever Crystal to land the 13.2hh race for Kilkee, Co Clare owner Willie McGrath.
Camillus made it three winners for the weekend, when Bubbles made every inch of the running to win the mile race. Reese Holohan’s brother Sean gave Red Rogue a fine drive in second spot.
Local jockey Lily Walsh, who is enjoying a wonderful season on the eventing and show jumping circuits, got a rousing reception after driving Pacman to victory in the 14.2hh race.
The brilliant chesnut, who rolled back the years in Athea, was even more impressive here when quickening right away in the final quarter of a mile. The winner is owned by Jenny Walsh and Pat Collins.
Another Wexford jockey, Ciano Goff, gave the locals plenty to cheer about when South Of The Border sprouted wings up the straight to land the 12.2hh contest over seven furlongs. This one, who is owned by Pat Collins, will now head back to Dingle to defend its festival crown.
Hannah’s day
It was a day to remember for Co Limerick jockey Hannah Brennan, who made a winning debut on the circuit, combining with Kathy Flannery to land the 10-furlong Ladies’ Derby. The Long Haul was prominent all the way here before taking it up down the back straight and staying on strongly to see off Athea winner She’s A Freebie.
Winning connections quickly nominated the Dingle equivalent as The Long Haul’s next target.
The mile 15hh race produced yet another grandstand finish, as old rivals Hasta La Vista and Stick Season battled it out all the way to the line. Mags O’Connor’s Hasta La Vista under Reese Holohan just found a little bit more in the closing stages to deny the Cregg family a famous double. Both ponies will renew rivalry in Omey and Ballyconneely before the trip to Dingle.
The local pony derby always attracts great interest in Taghmon and it had to be divided with 10 runners in each race. The Codd brothers Jack and Tommy showed their rivals a clean pair of heels with Rosie winning both divisions.
Results
12.2HH (7F): 1, P. Collins’ SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Ciano Goff); 2, M. Mulcahy’s TINY DANCER (Peter Cremin); 3, M. O’Connor’s HONEYSUCKLE (Thady Finnegan).
13.2HH (1M): 1, W. McGrath’s LITTLE SADIE (Camillus Byrne); 2, N. Brosnan’s CLEVER CRYSTAL (Billy Roberts); 3, O’Sullivan/King’s ATHLOMAN DANCER (Killian Brosnan).
14HH (10F): 1, Finnerty Family’s JOE MALONE (Nina Doherty); 2, D. Cahill’s SHE’S CONFRONTATIONAL (Nathan O’Sullivan); 3, D. Cremin’s MISS RACHEL (Paddy Finnegan).
14.2HH (12F): 1, J. Walsh/P. Collins’ PACMAN (Lily Walsh); 2, J. Collins ST JAMES (Kian McNally); 3, N. Brosnan’s THE LOW ROAD (Billy Roberts).
15HH (1M): 1, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Reese Holohan); 2, Cregg Families STICK SEASON (Nina Doherty); 3, K. Flannery’s LAST MINUTE THOUGHT (Nathan O’Sullivan).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 2, N. Holohan’s RED ROGUE (Sean Holohan).
Ladies Derby (10F): 1, K. Flannery’s THE LONG HAUL (Hannah Brennan); 2, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Nina Doherty); 3, Finnerty Families ATHY FLYER (Holly Halford).
Open Horse Race (2M): 1, Cregg Family’s KING OF THE HILL (Nina Doherty); 2, T. Beegan’s ANTO’S WISH (Paddy McGowan); 3, K. Flannery’s LITTLE ROCKET (Eoin Sheehan).
Maiden Horse Race (1M): 1, Finnerty Family’s MAVERICK (Kian McNally); 2, K. Flannery’s THE NEW HOUSE (Camillus Byrne); 3, Dream Team Racing’s NOT NOW NED (Calum Mangan).
Local Pony Race Div 1: 1, Rosie (Jack Codd); 2, Mary (Gracie Kelly); 3, An Capall Dubh (Frankie Rath).
Local Pony Race Div 2: 1, Rosie (Tommy Codd); 2, Jumping Dale Peanut (Ruby Cousins); 3, Missy (Billy Scallan).
THE North West Racing Board are back in action tomorrow with racing at the Big Isle Manor, Letterkenny at 1pm.