WEST CORK, Ireland – LLywns Allstar with Mike O Brien in the bike, was an upset winner of the 2017 Murphy /Heineken Coman Beverages Grand Prix at the second and final day of the Ballabuidhe Harness Racing Festival in Dunmanway Monday.
Sunnyside Kildare and Wellfield Ghost, both heat winners on Sunday, were the market principals in the six horse final.
LLywns Allstar led from the start, but was stalked by both Sunnyside Kildare and 2016 winner Hail Spartacus.
Only a couple of lengths separated the field for the opening two circuits.
Out on the final lap cruise, Howard and Wellfield Ghost began to move in on the leader, but LLywns Allstar was not for catching and in a blanket finish held on by a neck from Cruise Howard with Kestrels Dot Sammy a short head third .
It was a first classic success for the O'Brien Family from Schull and was very popular with the bumper bank holiday crowd.
Luke Kelleher captured his second big handicap of the Summer when giving Brywins Picasso a masterly drive in The Paddy Connolly Memorial Handicap.,
Saunders Jubilee and The Hitman were the early leaders. Going with four furlongs to pace the winner was edging closer.
Then turning for home, Kelleher gaver Brywins Picasso the office and he ran out an easy four length winner..Luke is only 15 years of age and added The Connolly to the George Deane Memorial which he won at this venue earlier this year .
There was a tremendous finish to the Le Trot race. Valliant Forgion seemed to have done enough but was collared closing for home by Va Reine Du Pont and the photo finish gave a dead heat between the two. .
Hurry Up Abi, a three-year-old by Kiki Colt, looks an exciting prospect when landing the G & G1 pace. John Manning never looked in any danger ann won by 12 lengths in the finish
Ccrin Du Bussire made it two on the bounce when coming home a distance in front of Ebene Des Brouets .Sean Kane was the winning driver.
Ballyhill Jimmy took the grade G Pace. Derry McCarthy sent the winner to the front with two furlongs to pace and won by three lengths from Meadowbranch Matt.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
THE MURPHY /HEINEKEN COMAN BEVERAGES GRAND PRIX
1st M O'Brien LLYWNS ALLSTAR Owner
2nd C O Brien CRUISE HOWARD T O'Leary
3rd K Sheehy KESTRELS DOT SAMMY Owner
1st O'Farrell / Kelleher BRYWINS PICASSO LKelleher
2nd J Hill THE HITMAN M Goggin Jnr
3rd S & T O'Reilly RINGO LADY T O'Reilly
1st J Manning HURRY UP ABI J Manning Jnr
2nd S Buckley SUNNYSIDE UNIQUE D Murphy
3rd D O'Sullivan BEST OF CLASS P Manning
1st W J Cooke BALLYHILL JIMMY D McCarthy
2nd O'Farrell / Healy MEADOWBRANCH MATT L Kelleher
3rd Cuigear Racing HILLSIDE MUSTANG K Sheehy
1st O'Mahony/Crowley/O'Brien ECRIN DE BUSSIERE S Kane
2nd P Manning EBENE DES BROUETS Owner
1st DEAD HEAT O'Sullivan/Goggin VALLIANT FORGION M Goggin Jnr
1st DEAD HEAT F Quill VA REINE DU PONT S Quill