WEST CORK, Ireland – In a year when the younger generation of our sport have excelled, Anthony McCarthy joined the list of up and coming stars when landing the final of The Willie Bradfield Memorial Classic on Fairdays Bret at the Ballineen Races held at the famous "Cornfield Oval" in Manch on Sunday .
Three elimination heats were ran with three to qualify from each to the grand final.
Heat one saw a titanic battle between Hillside Aurelius and Lakeview Panam. Both fought it out to the line with "Aurelius holding off by a head with Springhill Doyle only half a length third.
Heat two went the way of Alert Code who followed up on his win in Bandon to lead home Fairdays Bret with The Hitman just holding on for third to book his place in the final.
Heat three produced one of the best finishes ever at the famous grass oval with six horses crossing the line at the finish with Camden Corleone holding off long time leader Rhyds Hearbeat by a neck with Hail Spartacus only a short head back in third .This gave Matt O'Reilly a driving double as he also drove Alert Code.
In the final 9 pacers went to post with Alert Code the punters choice .
Lakeview Panam renewed her battle with Hillside Aurelius, setting a break neck pace up front. They went :29 seconds to the quarter and 1:00 to the half mile pole .
Hitting the three quarter pole, Lakeview had poached a three length lead, but now the posse beagan to close. Turning for home Anthony McCarthy produced Fairdays Bret through a wall of horses to win by a length from The Hitman with Hail Spartacus (off a 30 yard trail) a half a length behind. The meets handicapper must have been pleased with his work with only eight lengths between first and last.
The winner is owned by Derry McCarthy (no relation of the winning driver) from Drimoleague .
IB Coyote winner of the 2016 VDM fillies division for two year olds had a facile win in the Grade G & G1 pace
This daughter of Share The Delight and Jill & Jones is co owned by USA owner Bill Donovan, the main sponsor of the upcoming Red John Memorial Weekend.
Meadowbranch Demon, fresh from winning in the FFA Pace at the Barney Joyce weekend, continued his rich vein of form holding off Cruise Howard by half a length in the top grade pace. It was an emotional win for the Kelleher family as they collected the trophy in memory of their late parents Tim and Hannah.
Sean Kane made the six hour round trip from his base in County Meath for the drive on Ecrin De Bussieres in the three-year-old Le Trot race and landed the odds with consumate ease, beating Extase Des Epines by six lengths .
In the Le Trot All Aged race, Cupido De Breteil made all the running to hold off Silvao Bello by two lengths. The winner will now be aimed at The Maven Trotting derby at Lyre on Red John Memorial weekend.
The Under Saddle Race went the way of King Wills Arrival with Oisin Quill in the plate .He saw off the early challenges of both Brywins Picasso and Sunnyside Kildare to record a two length winning margin .
Racing next week moves to a new venue at Fishers Cross with a 2 30 start time at the venue which is located near Owenahincha Beach.
By Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
The Willie Bradfield Memorial Classic
Heat One
1st P Hill HILLSIDE AURELIUS Owner
2nd J Hurley LAKEVIEW PANAM Jamie Hurley
3rd S O'Reilly SPRINGHILL DOYLE M O Reilly
1st O'Reilly/Hurley CAMDEN CORLEONE M O'Reilly
2nd A & M Hurley RHYDS HEARTBEAT D Murphy
3rd P Hill HAIL SPARTACUS L Kelleher
1st D McCarthy FAIRDAYS BRET A McCarthy
2nd J Hill THE HITMAN K SheehyP Hill HAIL SPARTACUS L Kelleher
1st B Donovan/ IB Stables IB COYOTE D Murphy
2nd O'Farrell/Healy MEADOWBRANCH MATT L Kelleher
3rd L O'Reagan I TOLD YOU SO M Goggin Jnr
1st O'Mahony/Crowley/O'Brien ECRIN DE BUSSIERES S Kane
2nd Kelleher Bros EXTASE DES EPINES M Kelleher
3rd P Manning EBENE DES BROUETS Owner
1st J Shanahan CUPIDON DE BRETEIL M Kelleher
2nd Inishford Syn SILVANO BELLO D Murphy
3rd O'Sullivan/Goggin VAILLANT FORGION M Goggin Jnr
1st Kelleher Bros MEADOWBRANCH DEMON L Kelleher
2nd C O'Brien CRUISE HOWARD T O'Leary
3rd K Sheehy KESTRELS DOT SAMMY Owner
1st F Quill KING WILLS ARRIVAL O Quill
2nd S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE E Murphy
3rd O'Farrell/ Kelleher BRYWINS PICASSO L Kelleher