WEST CORK, Ireland – Harnes racing jockey's David Brickley and Jamie Hurley both rode two winners on the day while Rhyds Ponder returned to winning ways in the featured Grade A & B Pace that were the headlines on a bitterly cold but dry day at the annual Dunmanway Road Trotting Races on the Killbarry Road .
Brickley, the former multiple champion jockey, started off the day guiding The Red Rebel (a winner on Memorial Day in Skibbereen) to victory in the Novice Pace.
On The Other Side was sent off a warm favorite and sat in behind Fame Earned to the first turn. Both horses over shot the turning point and this allowed The Red Rebel and jockey Van Helsing to go clear with The Red Rebel eventually going on to win by 2 lengths with eight lengths back to On The Other Side.
Young Deano, a dashing grey pacer, has finished second on three of his four tarmac outings and this time put it right on the day, taking an ultra competitive Grade D and gave David Brickley his second win of the day .
The winner and Millers Boy, ridden by Ciaran Brickley (a brother of David), were at the head of affairs for most of the contest .At The final turn Young Deano had edged in front in the "Battle of The Brothers" and ran out a three length winner from newcomer Coalford Hardy with Millers Boy staying on to finish third.
Jamie Hurley has been racking up the winners in his second season on the road and added two more on the day.
IB Tweedy wont get an easier assignment all year when landing the Grade E at prohibitive odds. IB Tweedy was sent to the front after a furlong and the six length winning margin could have been a lot more with Return Of The Mac putting in its best performance to date to finish second.
Ryds Artist has been mixing it with the big boys in the top grade but was down in the handicap today in the Grade C, but came up against the unbeaten Saunders Paris who was having her first outing in higher company today.
Both market principles were prominent at the opening turn. There was drama at the second turn where Deirdre Goggin got unseated from Saunders Paris leaving Rhyds Artist clear and this gave Jamie Hurley his second win of the afternoon. Thoughts then turned to the fallen jockey and horse, but thankfully both returned unscathed.
Deirdre Goggin is made of stern stuff and following the compulsory check over by the Medical Staff, sat back on Rhyds Ponder in the grade A . With his arch rival Maitha Buachaill an absentee, "Ponder " got back to winning ways but not before a great battle with Tactician Du Lys.
The imposing French bred trotter really served it up to the 2016 Horse of the year and it was only in the final furlong that Rhyds Ponder got the better of Tactician, winning by four lengths.
The All Ireland Road Championships are next on the menu in three weeks time at Owenahincha and we will preview that next week
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
GRADE A & B (The George & Monica Deane Memorial Cup)
1. N Forbes RHYDS PONDER Deirdre Goggin
2. G Kane TACTICIAN DU LYS T O Leary
3. D Brickley MEADOWBRANCH KIKI Owner
GRADE C
1. L O Brien RHYDS ARTIST J Hurley
2. J Manning SPRINGHILL JAZ D Brickley
GRADE D
1. D Brickley YOUNG DEANO Owner
2. J woodland COALFORD HARDY J Hurley
3. C Brickley MILLERS BOY Owner
GRADE E
1. On For The Road Syn IB TWEEDY J Hurley
2. P Kane RETURN OF THE MAC M O Reilly
3. G O Callaghan TROOPERS HARMONY M Goggin Jnr
NOVICE
1. D O Callaghan THE RED REBEL D Brickley
2. M O Brien VAN HELSING P O Brien
3. D McCarthy ON THE OTHER SIDE Marie Moloney