The opening day of the 2015 three-day Ballabuidhe Festival Sunday saw heats of the Paddy Connolly Memorial Handicap and heats of the Murphy’s/Western Beverages Grand Prix and despite heavy rain throughout the day, there was very competitive fare in testing conditions.
In the Connolly Memorial, one horse qualified from each of the five heats, with the fastest loser joining the winners in the Bank Holiday Monday showpiece.
In the opening heat, Pan Cam Drift tried to make all and was collared close to home by Vyrnwy Terror, who had finished second in the PJ Shanahan Memorial in Ballineen.
This was the second leg of a driving double for Seamus Quill, who drove IB Mohican for his father Finbarr, to a final win in the third heat.
Scorpion has proved a bit of an enigma in recent outings, giving the odd false step, but he got it right today reeling in long-time leader, Immortal Mojo, and the fast finishing Meadowland Tom in a blanket finish.
Just Cam, who broke his maiden in Drimoleague, won the next heat in only his second start in the handicap proper. Meadowbranch Rappos made the early running but with five furlongs to pace, Paidi McInerney sent this son of Judge Cam to the front and held on for a deserved victory with from “Rappos” and Hell Boy who came late to challenge.
The concluding heat went the way of Llywns Allstar. Mike O’Brien wasn’t hanging around here and ran his rivals ragged in the testing conditions and had it in safe keeping in a five length winning margin.
Up next were the heats of the Murphy’s/Western Beverages Grand Prix and the rain continued to pour down.
Cruise Howard, after two big handicap wins, was all the rage in heat one and looked to have done enough to win again, but Ringo Kid and David Brickley pounced with two furlongs remaining and went on to win by four lengths.
The second heat saw IB Maximus lead early and after shaking off the challenge of Mr Security, went for home but Red Mischief and Derry McCarthy ambushed him on the run in to land the odds by two lengths.
Only four went to post in the final heat and punters latched on to Kestrels Dot Sammy. Miraculous Return, a winner of the Golden Mile at the venue twelve months ago, made the running and the race slowed to a snail’s pace. It was obvious that a sprint finish was in store and so it did with Kieran Sheehy hitting the front in the final eighth, winning by a length and a half.
Racing continues tomorrow at 2.30 pm.
By Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink.com
RESULTS
Paddy Connolly Memorial (Heat One) Grade E & F
- J O Leary VYRNWY TERROR S Quill
- Kelleher Bros PAN CAM DRIFT M Kelleher
- N Forbes TYSON HOWARD Owner
DIST 1 1/2l 1/2l TIME 2.37 SP 6/4 4/5 3/1 6 Ran
(Heat Two) Grade E & F
- J O Mahony SCORPION T O Leary
- Eachway Racing Ltd IMMORTAL MOJO D O Reilly
- D McCarthy MEADOWLAND TOM Owner
DIST 6l 1/2l TIME 2.42 SP 3/1 3/1 4/5 6 Ran
(Heat Three) Grade E & F
- P McInerney JUST CAM Owner
- O Farrell/Healy MEADOWBRANCH RAPPOS M Kelleher
- M O Brien HELLBOY Owner
DIST 1/2l 1/2l TIME 2.42 SP 7/2 4/1 3/1 6 Ran
(Heat Four) Grade D
- Quill Bros IB MOHICAN S Quill
- McCarthy/Twomey MYROSS SON M O Reilly
- M Duggan ROKOCOKO Owner
DIST 6l 1/2l TIME 2.42 SP 3/1 5/2 4/1 6 Ran
(Heat Five) Grade D & E
- M O Brien LLYWNS ALLSTAR Owner
- M Duggan SKY SECURITY Owner
- Kelleher Bros MEADOWBRANCH KIKI M Kelleher
DIST 5l 1/2l TIME 2.41 SP 7/2 4/1 4/1 6 Ran
Murphys/Western Beverages Grand Prix (Heat One)
- Jennie Brickley RINGO KID D Brickley
- Caroline O Brien CRUISE HOWARD T O Leary
- A & M Hurley RHYDS HEARTBEAT D Murphy
DIST 4l 1l TIME 3.27 SP 5/2 EV 4/1 5 Ran
(Heat Two) Grade A & B)
- D O Sullivan RED MISCHIEF D McCarthy
- IB Racing IB MAXIMUS D Murphy
- S Jennings BEST TALENT K Connolly
DIST 2l 3l SP 4/5 3/1 5/2 4 Ran
(Heat Three) Grade A & A1
- K Sheehy KESTRELS DOT SAMMY Owner
- C & C Racing MIRACULUS RETURN J Cross
- Pete Hill HAIL SPARTACUS Patrick Hill
DIST 3l 3l SP 4/6 5/2 3/1