Dingle Friday

THE eagerly anticipated Dingle Racing Festival kicked off on Friday evening in glorious sunshine.

The field of dreams in Ballintaggart has played host to a multitude of future famous jockeys at home and abroad for many’s the year. The class of 2026 were as competitive as ever, strutting their stuff overlooking beautiful Dingle Bay. The dream of becoming the next Jack Kennedy, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Rossa Ryan and Oisin Murphy was certainly truly alive over the weekend.

There were doubles for the two leading jockeys to date this season. Paddy Finnegan landed the featured Dingle Derby Trial on the teak tough Tommy Tango, who proved too strong for the former Dingle Derby winner Verstappen under Holly Halford.

The latter was brave as a lion, but had to give best a furlong down to the Shane Crabbe-owned Tommy Tango.

The Finnegan double came courtesy of Michael Zamm, who put up a tremendous performance to win the first split of the 14.2hh mile race. Seamus Bergin’s market leader travelled ominously well all the way and ran out a very taking winner.

Nina Doherty combined with Donegal owner Leona McLaughlin to win the mile and six-furlong race with the gallant Tommy K.

Genuine and consistent

This is one of the most genuine and consistent horses in training and never runs a bad race. Under a confident Doherty drive, Tommy K forged away inside the distance to see off Leah McGhee with Right On Time. The winning owner was successful in last year’s Dingle Derby with Here We Go Again.

Nina doubled up on the debutant A Better Plan, who created a big impression when scoring in the 15-runner mile race. Owned by the Gildea family from Donegal, who are longstanding patrons of the Dingle races, A Better Plan justified heavy market support here.

Favourite-backers never had an anxious moment as the Donegal horse quickened in style up the straight to win handsomely. Sean Holohan had a great spin on Rocky, who kept on gamely for second place.

The McGettigan family, also from Donegal, were on the mark when Fiadh’s Fancy backed up last year’s victory in the second split of the 14.2hh mile contest. Jake Cromwell on Fiadh’s Fancy was up front all the way and this special pony forged clear from the furlong pole to win easily. This pony was first purchased to get Patrick McGettigan up and running as a jockey.

McNally off the mark

Kian McNally, the winning-most jockey competing at this year’s festival, got off the mark when the well-touted Buncrana put up a stellar performance to win the 10-furlong contest.

The Omey winner quickened off the home turn and proved too strong for Fill The Tank, who ran another solid race in second place.

In style

Callum Mangan opened the meeting in style when Kingfisher made every inch of the running to win the 12-furlong race. Callum judged the fractions to perfection here and ran on powerfully for a decisive success. The winner is owned by the Cahill brothers from Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick.

Hasta La Vista continued her love affair with the Dingle racecourse, when landing the 15hh mile race.

Off the track since winning in Bundoran, this Dingle specialist strode right away up the straight for an impressive victory under Camillus Byrne. Stick Season kept on to snatch second place with Spot On in third.

Results

14.2HH Div 1 (1M): 1, S. Bergin’s MICHAEL ZAMM (Paddy Finnegan); 2, You Know Yourself Syndicate’s DREAM ALLIANCE (Ethan Hogan); 3, K. Cromwell’s I DON’T CARE (Cameron Cromwell).

14.2HH Div 2 (1M): 1, J. McGettigan’s FIADH’S FANCY (Jake Cromwell); 2, M. Brady’s LITTLE PRINCESS (Charlie Chalmers): 3, F. Byrne’s BLACK BETTY (Camillus Byrne).

15HH (1M): 1, F. Byrne’s HASTA LA VISTA (Camillus Byrne); 2, Cregg Families STICK SEASON (Nina Doherty); 3, M. Brady’s SPOT ON (Paddy Finnegan).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, D. Gildea’s A BETTER PLAN (Nina Doherty); 2, N. Holohan’s ROCKY (Sean Holohan); 3, Cahill Brothers KISS CAM (Callum Mangan).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, McNamara Families BUNCRANA (Kian McNally); 2, S. Tierney’s FILL THE TANK (Billy Roberts); 3, A. Lambe’s ENDLESS DREAM (Bobby Lambe).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Cahill Brothers KINGFISHER (Callum Mangan); 2, S. Crabbe’s THE CROOKED COP (Camillus Byrne); 3, O. Finnegan’s NOT ANOTHER HORSE (Paddy Finnegan).

Open Horse Race (14F): 1, L. McLaughlin’s TOMMY K (Nina Doherty); 2, N. McGhee’s RIGHT ON TIME (Leah McGhee); 3, S. Crabbe’s SHE’S A FREEBIE (Paddy Finnegan).

Dingle Derby Trial Race (2M): 1, S. Crabbe’s TOMMY TANGO (Paddy Finnegan); 2, L. Halford’s VERSTAPPEN (Holly Halford); 3, L. McLaughlin’s HERE WE GO AGAIN (Billy Roberts),