WEST CORK, Ireland – The opening day of the 2016 Red John Memorial weekend at The Cornfield Oval in Manch produced some fantastic fare despite poor weather conditions.
The five elimination heats of The Red John Memorial Pacing Handicap produced ten qualifiers for the Sunday Final.
The opening heat went the way of Vyrnwy Terror .Fair Enough was all the rage in the betting but broke on a few occasions .Vyrnwy Terror was sent to the front by Mike O'Brien and was never in danger of being caught with the favorite coming back from his mistakes to grab the second qualifing spot.
In the second heat Frisco Hold Up set the pace with Meadowbranch Milli in close attention .Nearing the final two furlongs, The Hitman joined the leaders and in a battle royal the three crossed the line together.
The photo finish finish went the way of Frisco Hold Up with a neck back to The Hitman and the same to Meadowbranch Milli. Heat Three was another ultra competitive affair with Rhyds Cobbler and driver Billy Roche eventually seeing off Armoured Bear with John Boyle and the late finishing King Wills Arrival just failing by a neck to make the final.
Only four went to post in the fourth heat and Gadgie Pan was waited by John Manning overtaking leader Lyons Stallone with three furlongs to pace and won going away by four lengths .
The fifth and final heat was a classic .Maximus Lad led from the start and had a good tussle with Western Dreamer for pole position which he held .With three furlongs to pace Sunnyside Kildare arrived to deliver a challenge.All the while Ringo Kid waited in the wings and David Brickley sent him to the front in the last 100 yards to win by two lengths .
The PJI Engineering Free For All Pace pitched eight of the top grass specialists into battle .
Sprinhill Jazz lead off the gate from Meadowbranch Romeo and Meadowbranch Demon . At the half way point "Jazz" slipped out of contention and Romeo and Demon(half brothers both out of Churchill Queen)were left in front .Last weeks winner Rhyds Destiny had crept into the contest .Turning for home all three went to war with Hail Spartacus getting no room to challenge .Un the final 50 yards Meadowbranch Demon poked his nose in front and won by two lengths from Rhyds Destiny with Meadowbranch Romeo third .
Racing opened with a Grade G Pace where victory went to Swift Sunshine and Ciaran Brickley .
The Anto Russell Memorial trot saw aw win for Valiant Forgion who with Mike Goggin in the bike led from the start and was not for catching
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
RED JOHN MEMORIAL HANDICAP HEAT ONE
1. J O Leary VYRNWY TERROR M O Brien
2. A Wallace FAIR ENOUGH Owner
3. Kane/Donaghy ON TOP JEREMIES JET P Kane Jnr
DIST 4l 1/2l TIME 2.37.1 7 Ran
HEAT TWO
1. J Stewart FRISCO HOLD UP P Kane Jnr
2. J Hill THE HITMAN K Sheehy
3. Meadowbranch Stables MEADOWBRANCH MILLI N Ryan
DIST NK NK TIME 2.37.3 8 Ran
HEAT THREE
1. J Gannon RHYDS COBBLER B Roche
2. J Boyle ARMOURED BEAR Owner
3. Quill Bros KING WILLS ARRIVAL F Quill Jnr
DIST NK NK TIME 2.38.6 8 Ran
HEAT FOUR
1.M Shanahan GADGIE PAN J Manning Jnr
2. O Driscoll /O Reilly LYONS STALLONE C O Reilly
3. Quill Bros KEYSTONE WINGMAN S Quill
DIST 4l 2l TIME 2.41.1 4 Ran
HEAT FIVE
1. J Brickley RINGO KID D Brickley
2. S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE D Murphy
3. P J Cleary WESTERN DREAMER Owner
DIST 2l 1/2l TIME 3.36.3 7 Ran
Grade G Pace
1. F Brickley SWIFT SUNSHINE C Brickley
2. S Jennings HEATHER BREEZE Owner
3. H Bennett FAIRDAYS HART S Quill
DIST 4l 2l TIME 2.39.3 6 Ran
ANTO RUSSELL MEMORIAL TROT
1. M Goggin VALIANT FORGION Owner
2. Hurrell /Kane SOPRANO GEDE S Kane
3. Brickley/O Reilly SOCRATE DU NOYER F Brickley
DIST 4l 4l TIME 2.44.9 5 Ran
PJI ENGINEERING FREE FOR ALL
1.Kelleher Bros MEADOWBRANCH DEMON M Kelleher
2. Shanahan/ Mycock RHYDS DESTINY P Kane Jnr
3.Meadowbranch/Watson MEADOWBRANCH ROMEO N Ryan
DIST 2l SH TIME 2.34.1 8 Ran