WEST CORK, Ireland – The elimination heats of the Paddy Connolly Memorial Handicap and The Murphy/Heineken Coman Beverages Grand Prix were the feature on the opening day of the 2017 Ballabuidhe Harness Racing Festival.
Despite poor weather conditions there was top class fare on offer at this famous venue.
John Manning Jnr took the top driving honors steering two winners from the five on the card.
Saunders Jubilee opened the Limerick mans account in the third heat of the Connolly Handicap. .At times he has proved a bit of an enigma, but today saw him put in a flawless performance leading from the start and running out an easy five length winner with The Hitman taking the second spot for the final tomorrow.
The second leg of his double came in the the top grade heat of the "Grand Prix".
This time Manning was on board the striking grey, Wellfield Ghost, and again the winner was sent to the front after the start, and this time there was a yawning seven lengths back to the runner up Cruise Howard who just edged out Kestrels Dot Sammy for second.
Luke Kelleher has been a sensation this season and the fifteen year old oozed confidence on Brywins Picasso in heat two of the Connolly.
Once the gate had pulled away Kelleher sent "Picasso" to the front and he never looked in any sort of danger leading home by six lengths .The teenager will have "to sleep" on his driving preference in the final as earlier Panam Colt another drive for Kelleher qualified.
In the opening heat we were set for a great finish as IB Coyote, Lakeview Panam and Panam Colt were all in contention. Then at the second to last corner, IB Coyote made a slip and came down (thankfully fine after the tumble) leaving Lakeview Panam to win by a length.
Sunnyside Kildare and Hail Spartacus (the 2016 winner) went to battle early in the second heat of the Grand Prix and it was only in the final 100 yards that Donal Murphy got the better of the tussle winning by a length.
With a better weather forecast for finals day Monday, we can look forward to two opening looking classic finals
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS (No times Available due to technical fault)
PADDY CONNOLLY MEMORIAL
HEAT ONE
1st J Hurley LAKEVIEW PANAM J Hurley
2nd Kelleher Bros PANAM COLT L Kelleher
3rd L O'Reagan I TOLD YOU SO M Goggin Jnr
1st O'Farrell/Kelleher BRYWINS PICASSO L Kelleher
2nd S & T O'Reilly RINGO LADY T O'Reilly
3rd M O'Donovan MR SECURITY Owner
1st M Shanahan SAUNDERS JUBILEE J Manning Jnr
2nd J Hill THE HITMAN M Goggin Jnr
3r D McCarthy FAIRDAYS BRET A McCarthy
1st S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE D Murphy
2nd P Hill HAIL SPARTACUS L Kelleher
3rd M O'Brien LLYWNS ALLSTAR Owner