RACING returned to Ballybunion Strand for the first time since 2003 and on a track where agility and cornering ability was a premium asset, Daniel King was the star of the day with a fabulous four-timer. Danny must have thought it was going to be a frustrating day after two early runner-up finishes but the 15hh race saw him gain his first win on Xantico for the Dunmanway, Co Cork-based Castle Racing Syndicate.

Always in a prominent position, the winner came home with Danny looking around for non-existent dangers despite forfeiting significant ground by running wide off the final bend.

Danny then won the day’s feature race, the Ballybunion Derby on another Castle Racing charge as he delivered Tiger Force with a perfectly timed run down the stand side to hit the front inside the final 100 yards and win from the John Mulvihill ridden Roll Of Thunder.

The first split of the 10-furlong race saw another Castle Racing horse and Daniel make it a treble as Kobay Ashi quickened clear inside the final furlong to win from Top Of The Morning and Brain Barry.

Brian must have thought he was going to gain victory in the concluding maiden race (for horses with fewer than three wins in the last two seasons) but again he had to play second to Danny who got Mr Bush home in front by a neck after a thrilling battle over the final furlong and a half.

Benji Tierney’s remarkable veteran first competed on the horse and pony racing circuit in 2009 and it is great credit to his handler that he is still going strong.

The Letterkenny-based Team Browne are never afraid to travel in search of a winner and they got their reward in the two-mile race where Let Him Go, a dual winner of the Glenbeigh Invitational, showed his liking or the beach with a comprehensive pillar-to-post success under Dylan Browne-McMonagle.

Sam Ewing was another rider who made the long trip from the north and he took the second division of the 10-furlong race on Stormforce who made all to win for Athy Co Kildare-based Tom Fennelly.

Unlucky runner

The unlucky horse here was the third-placed All Star who would surely have gone close but for nearly running into the town off the final bend.

Ed Vaughan makes occasional forays from his Welsh base and the son of trainer Tim was rewarded with a double in the two opening races. Another Tiger took the opening 12.2hh race, quickly putting the race to bed with just over two furlongs to race to win from South Of The Border who stayed on well to deny Tail to Tail the runner-up spot.

Ed also took the 13.2hh race on Hello Thunder who made all and held of the late challenge of stablemate Sore Looser.

The 14.2hh race went to the Killorglin-based Pat O’Sullivan, whose The Bosses Daughter led from just under two furlongs out for a snug win from Oopsy Daisy.

Results

Ballybunion, June 8th

12.2HH Race (7F): 1, Curly Syndicate’s ANOTHER TIGER (Ed Vaughan); 2, P. Collins SOUTH OF THE BORDER (Conor Walsh); 3, Three County Syndicate’s TAIL TO TAIL (Dylan O’Connor).

13.2HH Race (9F): 1, P. O’Sullivan’s HELLO THUNDER (Ed Vaughan); 2, J. O’Sullivan’s SORE LOOSER (Daniel King); 3, D. Enright’s AMERICAN PIE (John Mulvihill).

14.2HH Race (10F): 1, P. O’Sullivan’s THE BOSSES DAUGHTER (Danny Gilligan); 2, R. King’s OOPSY DAISY (Daniel King); 3, Curly Syndicate’s SANDYCOVE (Ed Vaughan).

15HH Race (10F): 1, Castle Racing’s XANTICO (Daniel King); 2, R. Sugrue’s DIFFICULT DECISION (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 3, D. Cahill’s HILL VIEW GIRL (Danny Gilligan).

Ballybunion Derby (12F): 1, Castle Racing’s TIGER FORCE (Daniel King); 2, D. Cahill’s ROLL OF THUNDER (John Mulvihill); 3, S. O’Sullivan’s BALLYBROWN BOY (Michael McGuane).

Open Horse Race (2M): 1, Team Browne’s LET HIM GO (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 2, K. Murphy’s ANOTHER LEGEND (Daniel King); 3, I. Worrell’s CALL THE GUARDS (Conor Walsh).

Maiden Horse Race (12F): 1, B. Tierney’s MR BUSH (Daniel King); 2, T/A Barry’s WILD WIND (Brian Barry); 3, D. Cahill’s THE RUBBER MAN (Sam Ewing).

Open Horse Race (10F) Div. 1: 1, Castle Racing’s KOBAY ASHI (Daniel King); 2, Morning Syndicate’s TOP OF THE MORNING (Brian Barry); 3, L. Lynch’s SOBER ON SUNDAY (John Mulvihill).

Open Horse Race (10F) Div. 2: 1, T. Fennelly’s STORMFORCE (Sam Ewing); 2, B. Daly’s THUNDER STORM (Dylan Browne McMonagle); 3, M. Ahern’s ALL STAR (Danny Gilligan).

Southern Region

THE Southern Region race tomorrow in Castleisland, Co Kerry with the first race due off at 1.30pm.