Bundoran Sunday
THE North West Racing Board continued their busy season with a trip to beautiful Bundoran on Sunday last. The Finner Camp track was in perfect condition in the glorious sunshine and attracted a record attendance.
The Donegal pony racing fraternity were in high spirits following Paddy McGettigan’s Apprentice Derby victory on Friday night, followed by a Luke McAteer victory and a Dylan Browne McMonagle double on Irish Derby weekend.
Kian McNally is setting a scorching pace at the top of jockey’s standings and he added another four victories before heading south tomorrow.
The Finnerty family’s Little Fiddlers put up a stellar performance to win the 13.2hh contest by five lengths over Here For The Craic and Jake Cromwell. The winner is likely to reappear in Port Salon next Saturday.
The queen of pony racing Five Stone Of Lead continued on her merry way when routing the opposition to win the 14.2hh race over 10 furlongs. She is also Port Salon bound, while the rematch with Baby Caro in Dingle will surely be one of the highlights at next month’s festival.
The Gildea family are great supporters of North West Racing and they were on the mark when Little Man gave Kian his third victory in the 15hh event.
The former high-class Dingle winner had shown signs of returning to form in recent weeks and ran on strongly up the straight to see off Not Another Horse in snug fashion.
Little Man is Athea-bound tomorrow afternoon for a possible intriguing clash with Verstappen and Caro Quintero.
Kian completed the four-timer for his home stable when She’s Got It made it back-to-back victories in the 10-furlong race. This was an ultra-smart performance from the winner, who is a possible contender for the Derby Trial on the opening night in Dingle.
Best finish
Kaceylou Carberry and Reese Holohan fought out the best finish of the afternoon in the one mile and six-furlong race with Shake Me and She’s A Freebie unable to be split by the finish camera.
This was a first career winner for Kaceylou, while many of the winning Team Browne contingent were at the Curragh to celebrate Dylan’s successful weekend. She’s A Freebie is a tough performer and could well be a strong contender for this year’s Dingle Derby.
Little Chief is the king of the 14hh division and notched up another impressive success here under Jake Cromwell. The Brady family pony will take some beating in a bid for back-to-back victories at the Dingle festival.
Nina Doherty is currently in a rich vein of form and she made it three winners in a week when Tommy K came home late and fast to win the mile race.
Leonna McLaughlin’s winner is one of the real stars of the game and has now won over all trips from one mile to two miles. Connections are anxious to have a tilt at the Derby Trial, followed by the Derby itself.
THE Southern circuit resumes in Athea, Co Limerick tomorrow with a 12.30pm start.
The North West Racing Board will stage their big holiday fixture in Port Salon on Saturday, July 12th.
The ever-popular Taghmon races in Co Wexford will be held on Sunday, July 13th at 1pm.
Results
13.2HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Families LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, K. Cromwell’s HERE FOR THE CRAIC (Jake Cromwell); 3, O. Finnegan’s ROSE OF CLARE (Thady Finnegan).
14HH (1M): 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 (10F): 1, McNally Racing’s FIVE STONE OF LEAD (Kian McNally); 2, J. McGetting’s FIADH’S FANCY (Reese Holohan); 3, K. Cromwell’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Jake Cromwell).
15HH (12F): 1, D. Gildea’s LITTLE MAN (Kian McNally); 2, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Thady Finnegan); 3, Holian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Camillus Byrne).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Nina Doherty); 2, Irish Angle Syndicate’s COASTAL VIEW (Camillus Byrne); 3, D & R Racing’s DAITHI’S DREAM (Eoin Sheehan).
Open Horse Race (11F): 1, McNally Racing’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 2, S. Crabbe’s DELL BOY (Reese Holohan); 3, L. McLaughlin’s SOUND OF SILENCE (Nina Doherty).
Open Horse Race (14F): Dead-heat 1, Team Browne’s SHAKE ME (Kaceylou Carberry); Dead-heat 1, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Reese Holohan); 3, P. Smith’s DOREY’S FORGE (Nina Doherty).