RACING returned to Castleisland for the first time since 2019 last Sunday as the southern season finally got under way. A bumper crowd turned out for the 164th anniversary of the event headed up by Charlie Farrelly.

Adam Grant got the perfect 14th birthday present with four winners to add to another four achieved in Letterkenny the previous week.

Kian McNally, fresh from a historic trip to Scotland, landed the featured R.O.L. Island Derby on the brilliant Verstappen.

The Lee Strand Dingle Derby favourite made every inch of the running and quickened impressively up the hill to beat Cali Cartel. This was yet another winner for the Teddy Worrell/Shane Crabbe combination.

The remainder of the card was dominated by Rosslare’s Adam Grant who kicked off with Pacman taking the 14.2hh over a mile.

Now owned by Pat Collins and Jenny Walsh, Pacman led from half way and ran out a snug winner. Susie Quatro was another front running winner when taking the 15hh contest for Ballybunion owner Dinny Enright. Adam combined with the Dunmanway-based Castle Racing to win the 12-furlong race on the impressive grey Al Capone. This horse will reappear in Ballybunion tomorrow.

Four-timer

The Grant four-timer came in the concluding maiden event when Abbey King ran out a dominant winner for long-standing owned Dessie Donnelly.

Ballynoe, Co Cork jockey Julian Pietropaolo made the perfect return from injury when Chancy Money made a winning debut in the mile for Aiden Melia’s Kildare yard.

Mullingar jockey Nicola Burns continued her fine start to the season when giving Young Pie a brilliant drive up the hard shoulder to win the 13.2hh pony race. This was the second leg of a double for Dinny Enright.

The opening 12.2hh contest saw Askeaton, Co Limerick jockey Darragh Hayes get off the mark for the season on the veteran Biscuit. This one proved too strong up the hill for Tiny Dancer. The Kerin family from Clarecastle, Co Clare have an absolute star racing pony in Katie Taylor and she powered home once more to win the 14hh race for Dylan O’Connor.

Dream Team Racing headed up by Neil Hurley had a day to savour when Not Now Ned, under a fine tactical ride from Mitchelstown, Co Cork jockey Darragh O’Sullivan, came out on top in a gripping finish to win the 10-furlong contest from Maverick.

12.2HH (6F): 1, M. O’Sullivan’s BISCUIT (Darragh Hayes); 2, J. Mulvihill’s TINY DANCER (Nicola Burns); 3, D. Cahill COPPER HEAD (Adam Brown Souza).

13.2HH (1M): 1, D. Enright’s YOUNG PIE (Nicola Burns); 2, J. O’Sullivan’s SORE LOSER (Julian Pietropaolo); 3, P. Collins’s DOWN MEXICO WAY (Oisin Goff).

14HH (1M): 1, S. Kerin’s KATIE TAYLOR (Dylan O’Connor); 2, Island Syndicate’s BLOWING BUBBLES (Kian McNally); 3, D. Enright’s AMERICAN PIE (Jayden Tuite).

14.2HH (1M): 1, P. Collins/J. Walsh’s PACMAN (Adam Grant); 2, N. Brosnan’s THE LOW ROAD (Sam Coen); 3, R/T McMahon’s HAVE YOU EVER SEEN JIM LANES (Oisin Goff).

15HH (1M): 1, D. Enright’s SUSIE QUATRO (Adam Grant); 2, M. O’Connor’s HASTA LA VISTA (Dylan O’Connor); 3, K. Flannery’s BABY BROWN (Paddy Hanlon).

Open Horse Race (1M): 1, A. Melia’s CHANCY MONEY (Julian Pietropaolo); 2, J.J. Bailey’s OUR SOULS (Eryka Snioch); 3, J. Murphy’s OSAKA (Donagh Murphy).

Open Horse Race (10F): 1, Dream Team Racing’s NOT NOW NED (Darragh O’Sullivan); 2, Finnerty Family’s MAVERICK (Kian McNally); 3, R. Lynch’s LILY (Eryka Snioch).

Open Horse Race (12F): 1, Castle Racing’s AL CAPONE (Adam Grant); 2, Deelview Racing’s BUBBA WATSON (Dylan O’Connor); 3, Finnerty Family’s MR JAMES (Jimmy Dalton).

R.O.L. Island Derby (2M): I. Worrell/S. Crabbe’s VERSTAPPEN (Kian McNally); 2, P. O’Sullivan’s CALI CARTEL (Dylan O’Connor); 3, B. Ward’s LITTLE BEAUTY (Ally Clarke).

Non Winners Mile (1M): 1, D. Donnelly’s ABBEY KING (Adam Grant); 2, P. O’Sullivan’s CALL HIM MR RAIDER (Dylan O’Connor); 3, K. Flannery’s UP TO CAPPA (John Mulvihill).

THE southern season continues in Ballybunion, Co Kerry tomorrow with a 1pm start. Athea in Co Limerick will stage their fixture on Sunday, July 2nd next.