DAY two of the Dingle Festival was certainly proof that these are three of the greatest days on the pony racing calendar. There were gripping finishes from start to finish and hugely competitive racing once again.

It was a day to savour for Nina Doherty, who completed a sparkling treble which included victory in the featured Dingle Distillery Golden Mile.

The McNamara family in Ballyconneely, Clifden, Co Galway always targeted this festival and they were rewarded with their biggest win in the sport. The Athea and Errismore winner Silver Hill came out on top after a dour battle up the straight with Dell Boy.

Silver Hill answered every call up the hard shoulder in the closing stages for a memorable victory.

Nina completed the double in yet another stirring finish to the 14.2hh race where the photo-finish camera had to split The Little Brown Jug and All Bets Are Off. After lengthy deliberation, the Cregg family’s The Little Brown Jug got the verdict by a whisker.

The Doherty treble came in the Laura Barry Ladies’ Derby, when Sam’s Friend ran out a snug winner over Shake Me. Under an ultra-patient Nina drive, Sam’s Friend led a furlong down and ran on strongly to win for Shane Crabbe.

Cromwell compensation

Jake Cromwell, who was agonisingly touched off in that dramatic finish to the 14.2hh race, gained some compensation when Little Chief easily landed the 14hh race for the Brady family from Roscommon. The unbeaten Little Chief was thus landing back-to-back victories in this event.

The win will be a real tonic for owner Jimmy Brady, who is currently in hospital.

Kian McNally, who hit the crossbar on three occasions at the opening stage, hit back with a double. The family-owned She’s Got It benefited from a change in tactics when making all the running to win the 12-furlong contest.

The Finnerty family have a long association with this meeting and they were on the mark again when the brilliant Little Fiddlers proved herself the best 13.2hh pony in the land. Kian bounced out here and made every inch of the running. The pony’s dam Fiddlers Bridge also enjoyed many big days in Ballintaggart.

Crossbar

Camillus Byrne, who also hit the crossbar on the opening night, gained a deserved Dingle victory when Bubbles caused a mild upset to win a red-hot 13-runner Button Mile race.

The Taghmon winner proved far too strong for the market principals here and looks a horse really on the up-grade.

Reese Holohan made it three wins for the weekend when Hasta La Vista became the first dual-winner of the festival in the 15hh race over 10-furlongs. Mags O’Connor’s talented pony held off Firedrops and Not Another Horse in another driving finish.

Saturday Results

13.2HH (1M): 1, Finnerty Families LITTLE FIDDLERS (Kian McNally); 2, K. Cromwell’s HERE FOR THE CRAIC (Jake Cromwell); 3, N. Brosnan’s CLEVER CRYSTAL (Billy Roberts).

14HH (10F): 1, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Jake Cromwell); 2, K. Connell’s FLOORING PORTER (Camillus Bryne); 3, O. Finnegan’s JUSTASEC (Paddy Finnegan).

14.2HH (10F); 1, Cregg Families THE LITTLE BROWN JUG (Nina Doherty); 2, K. Cromwell’s ALL BETS ARE OFF (Jake Cromwell); 3, K. Cromwell’s LESSON LEARNED (Cameron Cromwell).

15HH (10F): 1, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Reese Holohan); 2, S. Bergin’s FIREDROPS (Paddy Finnegan); 3, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Thady Finnegan).

Dingle Distillery Golden Mile: 1, McNamara Families SILVER HILL (Nina Doherty); 2, S. Crabbe’s DEL BOY (Reese Holohan); 3, L. Bergin’s JACOB (Paddy Finnegan).

Push The Button Mile: 1, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 2, C. Toole’s DAITHI’S DREAM (Reese Holohan); 3, Team Browne’s HE’S SOME BOY (Kaceylou Carberry).

Laura Barry Ladies Derby: 1, S. Crabbe’s SAM’S FRIEND (Nina Doherty); 2, Team Browne’s SHAKE ME (Kaceylou Carberry); 3, Finnerty Families ATHY SPIRIT (Holly Halford).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, McNally Racing’s SHE’S GOT IT (Kian McNally); 2, In For The Craic Syndicate’s AMBLE (Nina Doherty); 3, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Reese Holohan).

Sunday Results

12.2HH (1M): Dead-Heat 1, M. Mulcahy’s TINY DANCER (Peter Cremin); Dead-Heat 1, P. Collins SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Ciano Goff); 3, W. McGrath’s LITTLE BLUEBELL (Camillus Byrne).

14.2HH (12F): 1, J. Brady’s LITTLE CHIEF (Jake Cromwell); 2, Holian Syndicate’s WEE BUCKS (Camillus Byrne); 3, K. Connell’s AN CAPALL DUBH (Nina Doherty).

15HH (12F): 1, S. Bergin’s FIREDROPS (Paddy Finnegan); 2, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Reese Holohan); 3, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Thady Finnegan).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, Finnerty Families ATHY SPIRIT (Holly Halford); 2, F. Byrne’s GREEN WHISTLE (Camillus Bryne); 3, H. McGee’s HUGGIN DE GRASS (Eoin Sheehan).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, L. Bergin’s JACOB (Paddy Finnegan); 2, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 3, McGinley Racing’s DREAM DANCER (Nina Doherty).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, L. Halford’s SMOOTH OPERATOR (Holly Halford); 2, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Paddy Finnegan); 3, Irish Angle Syndicate’s COASTAL VIEW (Camillus Byrne).

Barr Na Sraide Inn & Paul Geaney Dingle Derby: 1, L. McLaughlin’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Billy Roberts); 2, S. Crabbe’s SAM’S FRIEND (Paddy Finnegan); 3, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Nina Doherty).