WEST CORK, Ireland – A double on the day for David Brickley, Saunders Paris and Maitha Buachaill maintain their unbeaten run and Hillside Mustang made it two wins on the bounce were the headlines from the annual Skibbereen Memorial Day on Sunday.
Brickley kicked off his brace of winners with a hard fought win on The Red Rebel in the opening Novice pace .This one had a length to spare over Van Helsing.
The double was completed in the very next race the Grade C.
Here Brickley set the pace on Meadow Branch Kiki who he owns jointly with John Shanahan. Coming off the final turn he had a four length advantage and despite a late rally from Springhill jazz this son of Kikicolt held on to win by a length with Beautys Harmony a further two lengths back in third.
Saunders Paris has been a revelation in her debut season on the tarmac and the fine run continued in the Grade D.
Gadgie Pan and Young Deano disputed the running for the opening mile .Approaching the final turn Deirdre Goggin eased this daughter of Play With A Full Deck to the front and went on to win by four lengths.
Old rivals Rhyds Ponder and Maitha Buachill crossed swords once again in the Grade A .
The scoreline read 3 – 0 to Buachill from their the
e previous meetings and he had to give a twenty yard handicap to his five rivals.
Rhyds Ponder set all the early fractions from trotter Tactician Du Lys .Maitha Buachill remained in touch .Turning for home Rhyds Ponder looked as if he might upset the favourite.
In a titanic battle to the line both horses gave their all with Maitha Buachaill just getting up on the line for a half a length victory with Tactician Du Lys four lengths back in third.
Hillside Mustang followed up on his Ballygurteen victory with another impressive performance in the Grade E. This son of Harmony P led from the start to beat IB Tweedy who was having his first outing since being upgraded from the Novice Grade. Jason O Reilly rode the winner for the Cuigear Racing Syndicate and steps up to grade D next time.
Our next meeting takes place in Dunmanway on Sunday 12th February.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
NOVICE (PAT HURLEY MEMORIAL CUP)
1. D O Callaghan THE RED REBEL D Brickley
2. M O Brien VAN HELSING P O Brien
GRADE E (THE PADDY AND JASON KANE MEMORIAL CUP)
1. Cuigear Racing HILLSIDE MUSTANG J O Reilly
2. On For The Road Syn IB TWEEDY J Hurley
3. G O Callaghan TROOPERS HARMONY M Goggin Jnr
GRADE D (THE JOE & MARTIN BENNETT MEMORIAL CUP)
1. M Goggin SAUNDERS PARIS Deirdre Goggin
2. D Brickley YOUNG DEANO Owner
3 .C Brickley MILLERS BOY Owner
GRADE C (THE GERARD COLLINS MEMORIAL CUP)
1. Brickley/Shanahan MEADOWBRANCH KIKI D Brickley
2. P Manning SPRINGHILL JAZ Deirdre Goggin
3. R Joyce BEAUTYS HARMONY M O Reilly
GRADE A & B COMBINED (THE TIM COOPER KELLEHER MEMORIAL)
1. Hegarty / Hurley MAITHA BUACHILL J Hurley
2. N Forbes RHYDS PONDER Deirdre Goggin
3. G Kane TACTICIAN DU LYS T O Leary