WEST CORK, Ireland – Sunnyside Kildare completed the big Summer Handicap double double when landing the Red John Memorial handicap at The Cornfield Oval in Manch Sunday.
This son of Bear Dance was a thirty yard trailer in the nine horse final. Vyrnwy Terror and Frisco Hold Up led at the start at halfway. The Hitman and Gadgie Pan also shared the lead.
Then heading out on the final circuit Donal Murphy made his move with Sunnyside Kildare and led with two furlongs to pace .Despite late rallies from Gadgie Pan and The Hitman, the winner had a length to spare from Gadgie Pan with The Hitman another length third.
The winner is trained by Tadhg Murphy, the brother of the winning driver.
The second big final of the day, The Oakwood Stud Irish three year old Grass pacing Championship, also went to the Murphy brothers. IB A Magican, who was bred by the Baltimore based Murphy brothers and is a half brother to IB Coyote the winner of the VDM two year old fillies division in Portmarnock last week .
Lakeview Panam and and Hillside Aurelious made the early running with the winner always a close third .On the back straight Murphy made a race winning move to steal three lengths out of the field and maintained that advantage at the finish.
The Little Welsh Dragon in Tregaron in Wales is next on the menu for this one.
Murphy drove three winners on the day having earlier taken the Grade G pace on Alert Code who made light work of his rivals .
The Le Trot Gold and Silver divisions produce two great finishes .
In the Silver division Rohan Des Thirons had a short head to spare over Viking Du Layon with another short head back to Saxo De Maroncourt .
The Gold division went to Aubade A Helene.Patrick Hill gave this six year old an inspired drive patintly waiting until the last furlong of the contest before swooping to collar Best Of Burious with Vocan Erem vack in third .
There were two saddle races on the day and both went to the lady jockeys .
Shelley Brickley won on Swift Sunshine in the low grade while Mary Rose Shanahan denied Brickley a double when steering home Rhyds Destiny in the high grade division .
Despite the poor weather conditions the crowds came out to honor the late Red John O'Donovan .
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
RED JOHN MEMORIAL HANDICAP FINAL
1.S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE D Murphy
2. T Forbes GADGIE PAN J Manning Jnr
3. J Hill THE HITMAN K Sheehy
DIST 1l 1l TIME 2.43.9 9 Ran
OAKWOOD STUD IRISH THREE YEAR OLD GRASS PACING CHAMPIONSHIP
1. IB Stables IB A MAGICAN D Murphy
2. J Hurley LAKEVIEW PANAM P Kane Jnr
3.J P O Callaghan MEADOWBRANCH ROMAN B Roche
DIST 3l 1l TIME 2.46.5 6 Ran
LETROT GOLD DIVISION
1. P Hill AUDABE A HELENE Owner
2. Meadowbranch Stables BEST OF BURIOUS N Ryan
3. P Kane VOLCAN EREM P Kane Jnr
DIST 2l 1/2l TIME 3.55.5 * Ran
LETROT SILVER DIVISION
1. P Kane ROHAN DES THIRONS P Kane Jnr
2. G Murdock VIKING DU LAYON A Wallace
3. S Kane SAXO DU MARONCOURT
DIST SH SH TIME 3.57.9 9 Ran
GRADE G PACE
1. D Murphy ALERT CODE Owner
2. A Cuffe ALL EYES ON YOU S Kane
3.O Farrell/Healy MEADOWBRANCH MATT M Kelleher
DIST 3l 3l TIME 2.51.1 5 Ran
LOW GRADE SADDLE
1. F Brickley SWIFT SUNSHINE Shelley Brickley
2. McCarthy/Twomey MYROSS SON S Twomey
3. Quill Bros KING WILLS ARRIVAL O Quill
DIST 3l 4l TIME 2.51.0 4 Ran
HIGH GRADE SADDLE
1. Shanahan /Mycock RHYDS DESTINY Mary Rose Shanahan
2. F Brickley RINGO STAR Shelley Brickley
3. DHK Racing RHYDS TRIXTER R Manning
DIST 3l 4l TIME 2.48.7 4 Ran
GRADE G1 PACE
1. J Manning SAUNDERS JUBILEE Owner
2. Kelleher Bros PANAM COLT M Kelleher
3. L O Reagan JONOS COLT K Sheehy
DIST 8l 10l TIME 2.27.3 6 Ran