SOUTHERN BALLABUIDHE DUNMANWAY

Darragh dominates with winning double

By Denis Coakley

SUNDAY saw the opening day of the annual Ballabuidhe Races in Dunmanway, a unique event in that it combines gallop and trotting races.

The star of the day was 14-year-old Mallow rider Darragh O’Keeffe who registered a double. In the opening 12.2hh race, O’Keeffe partnered Here Comes The Pain and they exacted revenge on their Cahersiveen conquerors, Tail To Tail and Jerry Daly.

O’Keeffe jumped off in front and kicked clear over the final three furlongs to win well. He then went on to complete his double in the maiden race which he won on Clinton for Asdee owner Ray Keane.

Darragh sat third early and got a dream run up the inner inside the final 100 yards to lead in the dying strides.

Jack Kennedy rarely goes home without a winner and this limited card was no exception as he landed the two-mile race on King Boo Boo for local owner Sean Sheehan, father of reigning British champion conditional National Hunt rider Gavin.

The winner drew clear over the final two furlongs to win from another Dunmanway horse, the Castle Racing-owned Oscar De La Hoya.

The consolation race saw the Richard Foley-owned and trained Top Of The Morning follow up on their recent Courtmacsherry win, with Killorglin, Co. Kerry rider Tadhg O’Sullivan again in the plate. The rider made every post a winning post as he held off Tell George.

The 14.2hh race was won by Level Headed who followed up on his Cahersiveen win for the Tyner Syndicate with Dungarvan-based Jerome Power in the saddle.

Power slipped up the inner of the front-running Darragh’s Delight turning down the back the final time and this proved decisive as they won by two lengths.

Unfortunately he was to have a nasty fall in a latter race which necessitated his removal to Cork University Hospital where he is continuing his recovery.

The second day’s racing on Monday saw only one race completed before a decision was taken to abandon the remainder of the meeting due to unsafe ground conditions.

This 13.2hh race saw Another Nun register her third win of the week-end following up on her wins in Ballyconneely and Omey Beach and with Mikey Sheehy giving this meeting a miss Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny rider Joey Conlon stepped in to register his second win.

RESULTS

Sunday, August 3rd

12.2hh (7F): 1, JJ O Keeffe’s HERE COMES THE PAIN (Darragh O’Keeffe);2, Three County Syndicate’s TAIL TO TAIL (Jerry Daly); 3, R. King’s ARJAN (Rory King).

14.2hh (1M): 1, Tyner Syndicate’s LEVEL HEADED (Jerome Power); 2, Three County Syndicate’s DARRAGHS DELIGHT (Ben Coen); 3, D. Granville’s HANNAH’S DREAM (Jack Kennedy).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, S. Sheehan’s KING BOO BOO (Jack Kennedy); 2, Castle Racing’s OSCAR DE LA HOYA (Denis Linehan); 3, D. Curtin’s SMOOTH OPERATOR (Darragh O’Keeffe).

Maiden Horse (1M): 1, R. Keane’s CLINTON (Darragh O’Keeffe); 2, D. Peyton’s WHO IS HE (A. Fitzgerald); 3, D. Enright/D Curin’s SUAREZ (Mikey Mulvihill).

Consolation Race (1M): 1, R. Foley’s TOP OF THE MORNING (Tadgh O’Sullivan); 2, M. O’ Reilly’s TELL GEORGE (Denis Linehan); 3, C. O’Connor’s SIKORSKI (Killian Leonard).

Monday August 4th

13.2HH Race (1M): 1, P Collins’s ANOTHER NUN (Joey Conlon); 2, R. King’s ARJAN (Daniel King); 3, T Dunleavy’s APACHE BRAVE (Brian Dunleavy).

Rest of Card Abandoned

Dingle: Dingle Races continue, today and Sunday with 2.30pm starts. The Dingle Derby is the feature on Sunday.

South: The Southern Region has its August 15th meeting in Allihies, West Cork next Friday.

Ireland/UK Challenge: Racing returns to Ballybeggan Park for the Rose of Tralee Festival next weekend. Saturday, August 16th sees an Ireland/UK Challenge between young pony race riders, while Sunday August 17th sees a Southern region meeting being held.