Geesala Sunday
ON a glorious mid-August Sunday afternoon, Doolough Strand played host to a massive crowd for a nine-race card.
It was a day to savour for Meath jockey Camillus Byrne, who completed a four-timer as he nears the end of his pony racing career.
Cameron Cromwell followed up his Dingle double with another two winners, while Kaceylou Carberry was the toast of Doolough when landing the Ladies’ Derby. Amazingly, all nine races on the card were won by Meath jockeys.
Camillus struck early in the day, when Speed Dial took advantage of Little Fiddler’s absence to run out a cosy winner of the 13.2hh race. Little Mickey made a brave bid from the front here under Cameron Cromwell, before Speed Dial swooped a furlong down for a gutsy success.
The winner is a young pony who is rapidly on the upgrade, while similar comments apply to the runner-up. Let us hope they both remain in Ireland for the young aspiring jockeys of the future.
Double up
The Byrne family combined for a quick double, when Black Betty confirmed the promise shown in recent weeks to land the 14.2hh contest. Despite the small field, the race developed into a real humdinger with the trio spread across the track inside the furlong pole.
In a heads-up, heads-down finish, Black Betty just prevailed over Justasec and Thady Finnegan, with the favourite Little Princess close up in third.
Camillus then struck with the highly-consistent Bubbles, who just denied She’s A Maniac in a thrilling finish to the mile race.
The pair were locked together from the three-furlong marker and it was only in the dying strides that Bubbles gained the day.
Runner-up She’s A Maniac, under a welter burden, deserves a big race victory having placed second twice at the Dingle festival.
The Byrne four-timer was completed in the 12-furlong contest, when the new acquisition by the Holian Syndicate, Green Whistle, ran out a thoroughly impressive winner. This horse, who won the Dingle Consolation race for the Byrne family, will now head to Louisburgh before ending the season on the North-West circuit.
Stylish jockey
Cameron Cromwell has gone from strength to strength this season and the stylish Meath jockey doubled up with Minie Hawk and Mayo Are Back. Dingle winner Minie Hawk, who is owned by Tony Beegan, quickened on a furlong down in the opening 12.2hh race for a snug victory.
Cameron’s double came in the local race when the aptly-named Mayo Are Back forged clear down the straight for a four-length success.
Yet another Meath jockey Kaceylou Carberry partnered Hills Of Donegal to a most impressive victory in the Ladies’ Derby over 10 furlongs. Kaceylou, who had a few near misses at the Dingle festival, was ultra-confident here and quickened in style from a furlong down. It was all over bar the shouting from here as the Team Browne-owned winner forged clear.
The Meath jockeys’ whitewash continued, when Cayden Power gained his biggest success to date on Dare To Dream in the Geesala Derby over a mile and six furlongs.
This race developed into a three-way scrap down the straight, as long-time leader Dare To Dream was strongly pressed by Dingle Derby winner Tommy K and further out by Fireball.
It was nip and tuck all the way to the line, but under a fine Cayden Power drive, Dare To Dream held on to make every post a winning one.
Paddy Finnegan solidified his position as the leading jockey on the national circuit, when Little Heart made it two wins for the weekend in the 15hh race over 10 furlongs.
This pony is now firing on all cylinders after an early season setback.
He ran on powerfully here to beat The Wee Warrior, who caught the eye in second place.
Geesala results
Saturday
14.2HH (1M): 1. Finnerty Family’s JO MALONE (Paddy Finnegan); DH 2, K. Cromwell’s I DON’T CARE (Cameron Cromwell); DH 2, P. J. Donnelly’s FOREIGN IVY (Ethan Hogan).
15HH (10F): 1. O. Finnegan’s LITTLE HEART (Paddy Finnegan), 2. F. Byrne’s HASTA LA VISTA (Camillus Byrne), 3. Cregg Family’s STICK SEASON (Nina Doherty).
Open Horse Race (1M)<:/B>: 1. S. Gildea’s A BETTER PLAN (Nina Doherty); 2. S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A MANIAC (Paddy Finnegan); 3. F. Byrne’s FIREBALL (Camillus Byrne).
Non-Winners Race (10F): 1. F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 2. Finnerty Families ATHY SPIRIT (Bobby Lambe); 3. M. Brady’s SPOT ON (Paddy Finnegan).
Open Horse Race (1M) Non-Winning Jockeys: 1. S. Crabbe’s SEAFORD SUNSET (Ethan Hogan); 2. T. Beegan’s HAPPY DAYS (Cormac Munnelly); 3. J. Power’s LETS TRY AGAIN (Corey Power).
Sunday
12.2HH (6F): 1, T. Beegan’s MINIE HAWK (Camron Cromwell); 2, O. Finnegan’s LITTLE JOEY (Thady Finnegan).
13.2HH (1M): 1, F. Byrne’s FIREBALL (Camillus Byrne); 2, K. Cromwell’s LITTLE MICKEY (Camron Cromwell).
14.2HH (1M): 1, F. Byrne’s BLACK BETTY (Camillus Byrne); 2, O. Finnegan’s JUSTASEC (Thady Finnegan); 3, M. Brady’s LITTLE PRINCESS (Paddy Finnegan).
15HH (10F): 1, O. Finnegan’s LITTLE HEART (Paddy Finnegan); 2, P. McGill’s THE WEE WARRIOR (Ethan Hogan); 3, B. Mahon’s U.S.A. (Sean Mahon).
Open Horse Race (1M): 1, F. Byrne’s BUBBLES (Camillus Byrne); 2, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A MANIAC (Paddy Finnegan); 3, Team Browne’s LET’S ROCK (Kaceylou Carberry).
Geesala Ladies Derby (10F): 1, Team Browne’s HILLS OF DONEGAL (Kaceylou Carberry); 2, Finnerty Families MAVERICK (Nina Doherty); 3, S. Crabbe’s HE’S GOT HERE (Leah McGhee).
Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Holian Syndicate’s GREEN WHISTLE (Camillus Byrne); 2, S. Crabbe’s SEAFORD SUNSET (Paddy Finnegan); 3, Finnerty Families ATHY SPIRIT (Nina Doherty).
Geesala Derby Race (14F): 1, Holian Syndicate’s DARE TO DREAM (Cayden Power); 2, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Billy Roberts); 3, F. Byrne’s FIREBALL (Camillus Byrne).
Local Race: 1, MAYO ARE BACK (Cameron Cromwell); 2, ZOE LEGS MAYO (Camillus Byrne); 3, HIGH CHAPARRAL (Thady Finnegan).
THE Cahersiveen, Co Kerry races will begin tomorrow at 1.30pm.
The Midlands region will end their season in Louisburgh on Sunday, August 30th at 1pm. In an exciting development, it has been confirmed that Paul Carberry will join forces with all regions next season as a coach and advisor.
Geesala Saturday
THE Geesala Racing Festival on Doolough Beach held centre stage last weekend on the Midlands circuit.
As always, a huge number of people from the West of Ireland returned home for the week-long festivities. Following Mayo’s recent All-Ireland victory, this was the homecoming of all homecomings in 2026.
The races were expanded a few years ago into a two-day fixture, which is now combined with some really exciting greyhound racing.
Meath jockey Paddy Finnegan, fresh from a sparkling five-timer in Dingle, completed a double on Saturday afternoon. Jo Malone stepped up to the 14.2hh division in the absence of a 14hh race and duly landed the odds in style.
Unlucky off the home bend in Dingle, the Finnerty family-owned Jo Malone was left stride on here and proved far too strong for the dead-heaters, Foreign Ivy and I Don’t Care. Jo Malone will return in the 14hh race at Cahersiveen tomorrow.
Head-to-head
The Finnegan double was completed in a very strong 15hh contest, when Little Heart proved too strong for great rival Hasta La Vista.
These two outstanding ponies went head-to-head down the straight before Little Heart found an extra gear inside the distance to land the spoils.
It will surely be another enthralling battle between the pair in South Kerry tomorrow afternoon. Little Heart is owned by the jockey’s dad, Ollie.
Camillus Byrne, who was runner-up on Hasta La Vista, gained compensation in the 10-furlong non-winners’ horse race on Bubbles. This really consistent sort, owned by the jockey’s mum Frances, came out on top after a dour battle with Athy Spirit under Bobby Lambe.
Stellar performance
The Dingle jockey’s champion, Nina Doherty, was on the mark when A Better Plan put up another stellar performance to win the mile race.
The Dingle Distillery Golden Mile hero, owned by Shane Gildea, was simply awesome again and has taken to pony racing like a duck to water. Favourite-backers had a scare in the aftermath, before the winner alright was eventually confirmed.
The fifth race on the opening day was confined to jockeys, who had not ridden a winner in 2026 on the Midlands circuit.
Kilkenny jockey Ethan Hogan gained his initial victory in a similar contest in the north-west region a few weeks ago and he followed up here with Seaford Sunset. The Shane Crabbe-owned and trained winner ran on strongly from the furlong pole to beat Happy Days and Let’s Try Again.
The placed jockey Cormac Munnelly and Corey Power have gained invaluable experience in recent weeks.