THE North West Racing Board kicked off the summer Horse and Pony Racing circuit in beautiful Carndonagh on Sunday last.

The sun shone brightly over the hills of Donegal for a wonderful afternoon of top drawer racing. It was the first meeting in the region since the sad passing of its great stalwart Uel Adair.

The national champion jockey Kian McNally is clearly in no mood to relinquish his title and he was on the mark with a superb four-timer. The Finnerty family from Roscommon supplied Kian with his opening winner when Little Fiddlers made every inch of the running to win the 13.2hh contest. The champion pony of this division remains unbeaten and all roads will now lead back to Dingle in August.

The ageless Five Stone Of Lead put up yet another stellar performance to land the 14.2hh race over a mile.

Now 12 years of age, the queen of pony racing never looked in danger here and ran out a cosy winner over Black Taxi and Reese Holohan.

Jake Cromwell had a lovely introduction to the bigger pony division when partnering All Bets Are Off into third place.

Tremendous performance

Kian made it win number three when the brilliant Little Heart put up a tremendous performance to win the 15hh contest over one mile. This gorgeous gelding, who was so impressive in Dingle last August, was duly following up a Scottish victory in Hawick two weeks ago.

The McNally four-timer came courtesy of another outstanding performer Honest Bernie in the mile event. The duel Golden Mile hero oozed class from flagfall and ran out an ultra-impressive winner. Teddy, Hanna and Croia Worrell will have much to look forward to in the weeks ahead.

Donegal jockey Ben Lecky had a day to savour in front of his home crowd when Tommy K routed the opposition to win the two-mile race. Under a cool and confident Lecky drive, Noel McLaughlin’s tough performer came through off the final bend for an impressive victory. Tommy K will once again be Dingle Derby bound next August.

Jared Huggan from the Scottish Borders, who was on the mark at Ballyheigue over Christmas, doubled his score when Dream Dancer landed a hot looking renewal of the 10-furlong race. The winner is owned by Shaun McGinley while the winning jockey is based with Ger Lyons for the summer months. Runner-up here was Check Him Out for Team Browne under a fine drive from Kaceylou Carberry who was making her debut on the circuit.

Perfect start

Navan jockey Paddy Finnegan made the perfect start to his pony racing season when Justasec powered home to win the 14hh contest. This debutante pony impressed many shrewd observers and could well be a star in the making.

The Hollian Syndicate seldom leave a Donegal fixture without a victory and the Ballyare outfit were duly on the mark when Dare To Dream upset the hot favourite She’s Got It in the 12-furlong race. The winner was given a fine drive by Camillus Byrne who will clearly be one of our leading jockeys this season.

The North West Racing Board are to be congratulated on a job well done and for producing a very safe circuit. They will return to Carndonagh for their next meeting on May 25th next.

Carndonagh Sunday

Results, Sunday, May 11th

13.2HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Families LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, J. Cromwell’s HERE FOR THE CRAIC (Jake Cromwell); 3, W. McGrath’s LITTLE SADIE (Timothy Byrne).

14HH (1M): 1, O. Finnegan’s JUSTASEC (Paddy Finnegan); 2, P. McGill’s SWILLY SPIRIT (Tiernan McGill); 3, F. Byrnes WEE POLLY (Camillus Byrne).

14.2HH (1M): 1, R. McNally’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, S. Tynan’s BLACK TAXI (Reese Holohan); 3, J. Cromwell’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Jake Cromwell).

15HH (1M): 1, I. Worrell’s LITTLE HEART (Kian McNally); 2, L. Bergin’s FIREDROPS (Jared Huggan); 3, D. Gildea’s LITTLE MAN (Camillus Byrne).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, R. McNally’s HONEST BERNIE (Kian McNally); 2, D/R Racing’s DAITHI’S DREAM (Ben Lecky); 3, L. Bergin’s JACOB (Jared Huggan).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, S. McGinley’s DREAM DANCER (Jared Huggan); 2, Team Browne’s CHECK HIM OUT (Kaceylou Carberry); 3, S. Crabbe’s DELL BOY (Reese Holohan).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Hollian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Camillus Byrne); 2, R. McNally’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 3, P. Smith’s DOREY’S FORGE (Nina Doherty).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, N. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Ben Lecky); 2, S. Crabbe’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Paddy Finnegan); 3, Hollian Syndicate’s RIGHT ON TIME (Holly Halford).