WEST CORK, Ireland – The 2017 Red John O Donovan Memorial Harness Racing Festival drew record crowds to the splendid Lyre Raceway over the weekend.
With so much top class racing here is a brief outline of the action
Elimination heats were held on the Saturday for both the Red John Memorial Handicap for pacers and the Maven Derby for trotters .
Brywins Starship took the opening heat of the Red John Pace leading home Fairdays western
Heat two went to On Top Big C who saw off The Govenor in a pulsating contest.
Rhyds Panache ran his rivals ragged in heat three leading home Meadowbranch Roman by 11 lengths
Streamside Star was most impressive taking heat four with Maitha Buachaill grabbing the second qualifing spot.
Rhyds Destiny got up in the shadow of the post to deny Kickass Katie in the fifth and final heat.
On to The Maven Trotting Derby Heats.
Urbano Des Selles made all to lead home Cilando De Temps in the first heat.
Brutenor and Silvano Bello made it a 1 2 for the locals in heat two.
Balarou Des Iles just held on from Ariane Des Tithais in the third heat.
The top grade heat went to Donal Murphy and Alineka Darche who was too good for Uldiem Alfa by two lengths .
Sprinhill Doyle an Luke Kelleher upset the odds in the Grade E D & B Pace.
El Tejar despite two breaks confirmed his status as leading three year old trotter getting back to beat Epice De La Goutte .
Sunday was finals day and the organisers delayed the start of racing due to heavy morning rain .
The features of an action packed weekend were The Red John Memorial Pace which saw a Rhyds Destiny come off a 40 yard trail to land the €10,000 top prize.On top Big C and Steamside Star finished second and third .
Brutenor with Patrick Hill took The Maven trotting Derby with Alineka Darche a distance back in second and there were emotional scenes in the presentation area where Hill a best friend of the late Red John was presented with the Maven Cup by the main sponsor Bill Donovan .
Hill also took the Maven Consolation with Aubade A Helene who came off an 80 yard trail to win by four lengths from Tarnao Josselyn
The Red John Handicap Consolation produced an epic finish with IB A Magician just touching off Brywins Picasso and Sunnyside Kildare .
The Oakwood Stud Irish Three Year Old Grass Pacing Championship went to Rebel Rouser who is owned By Bill Donovan and his entourage packed the presentation area after the race.
Wellfield Ghost was a most impressive winner of the PJI Engineering Miracle Mile for driver John Manning Jnr who also steered home Hurry Up Abi in the G & G1 Pace.
Tenor Meslos took the Anto Russell Memorial Free for All Trot beating his old foe Ultimo D,Ouville.
The weekend concluded with a win for Ringo Lady in the Grade F Pace.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
SATURDAY
Heat 1.
1. BRYWINS STARSHIP R Kingston
2. FAIRDAYS WESTERN S Kane
3. LYONS STALLONE C O'Reilly
DIST 2L 6l TIME 2.35.77 Ran
Heat Two
1. ON TOP BIG C P Kane Jnr
2. THE GOVENOR M McAleer
3. MEADOWBRANCH MILLI S Flanagan
DIST 1/2L 7 3/4L TIME 2.34.3 9 Ran
Heat Three.
1. RHYDS PANACHE C O'Reilly
2. MEADOWBRANCH ROMAN B Roche
3. RHYDS HEARTBEAT D Murphy
DIST 11 3/4L 3/4L TIME 2.35.8 8 Ran
Heat Four.
1. STREAMSIDE STAR E Joyce
2. MAITHA BUACHAILL D Murphy
3. SAUNDERS JUBILEE J Manning Jnr
DIST 4 3/4L 4 3/4L TIME 2.32.4 8 Ran
Heat Five .
1. RHYDS DESTINY T O'Leary
2. KICKASS KATIE J Richardsson
3. SUNNYSIDE KILDARE D Murphy
DIST NK 4 1/4L TIME 2.33.2 8 Ran
MAVEN TROTTERS HEATS 1 ½ Miles
Heat One.
1. URBANO DE SELLES B Roche
2. CILANDO DU TEMPS J Richardson
3. BLANPAIN LE FOL P Kane Jnr
DIST 1 3/4L 2L TIME 3.13.6 6 Ran
Heat Two.
1. BRUTENOR P Hill
2. SILVANO BELLO D Murphy
3. ROHANS DES THIRONS P Kane Jnr
DIST 7L 1 1/4L TIME 3.12.9 5 Ran
Heat Three.
1. BALAROU DES ILES A Wallace
2. ARIANE DES TITHAIS S Quill
3. CUPIDON DE BRETEIL M Kelleher
DIST 1/2L 6 3/4L TIME 3.12.0 6 Ran
Heat Four
1. ALINEKA DARCHE D Murhy
2. ULDIEM ALFA S Kane3. AUBABE A HELENE P Hill
DIST 2 1/2L 1 3/4L TIME 3.11.6 5 Ran
Le Trot Three Year Old 1 ½ Miles
1. EL TEJAR A Wallace
2. EPICE DE LA GOUTTE J J McLeod
3. ELLA LOU LOU S Kane
DIST 1/2L 3/4L TIME 3. 23.1 7 Ran
Grade E D & B 1 Mile
1. SPRINGHILL DOYLE L Kelleher
2. TWO SCORE R Sheridan
3. ALERT CODE M O'Reilly
DIST 3/4L 1 1/2L TIME 2.02.5 4 Ran
SUNDAY RESULTS
RED JOHN MEMORIAL FINAL 1 ¼ Miles
1. RHYDS DESTINY T O'Leary
2. ON TOP BIG C P Kane Jnr
3. STREAMSIDE STAR E Joyce
DIST 3 1/2L 1 3/4L TIME 2.44.5 10 Ran
MAVEN TROTTERS DERBY FINAL 1 ½ Miles
1. BRUTENOR P Hill
2. ALINEKA DARCHE D Murphy
3. BALAROU DES ILES A Wallace
DIST 30L 1 3/4L TIME 3.21.0 8 Ran
RED JOHN CONSOLATION FINAL 1 ¼ Miles
1. IB A MAGICAN D Murphy
2. BRYWINS PICASSO L Kelleher
3. SUNNYSIDE KILDARE S Quill
DIST 1/2L 3/4L TIME 2.50.6 9 Ran
MAVEN CONSOLATION FINAL 1 ½ Miles
1. AUBADE A HELENE P Hill
2. TARNAO JOSSELYN S Quill
3. SAXO DE MARONCOURT S Kane
DIST 4L 1L TIME 3.29.1 8 Ran
OAKWOOD STUD 3YO GRASS PACING CHAMPIONSHIP 1 Mile
1. REBEL ROUSER D Murphy
2. RHYDS RIVAL B Roche
3. EARNIES UMPIRE M O Reilly
DIST 2 1/4L 3 1/2L TIME 2.09.7 7 Ran
PJI ENGINEERING MIRACLE MILE
1. WELLFIELD GHOST J Manning Jnr
2. CAMDEN CASSANOVA J Richardson
3. RHYDS BOOTS S Duggan
DIST 8L 1/2L No Time Available 8 Ran
ANTO RUSSELL MEMORIAL FFA TROT 1 ½ Miles
1. TENOR MESLOIS D Murphy
2. ULTIMO D, OUVILLE A Wallace
3. BEST OF BURIOUS J Richardson
DIST 2 1/4L 4 1/2L TIME 3.21.9 4 Ran
GRADE F 1 Mile
1. RINGO LADY T O Reilly
2. MR SECURITY M O Donovan
3. I TOLD YOU SO M Goggin Jnr
DIST 6 3/4L 6L TIME 2.17.3 5 Ran
GRADE G & G1 1 Mile
1. HURRY UP ABI J Manning Jnr
2. HILLSIDE MUSTANG K Sheehy
3. MEADOWBRANCH MATT M Kelleher
DIST 4 3/4L 18 1/2L TIME 2.15.9 6 Ran