WEST CORK, Ireland – Champion jockey Deirdre Goggin and "Cools Hands" Timmy O'Leary rode two winners each while Maithi Buachaill took the featured Grade A & B Pace following up on his win in Drimoleague .Those were the headlines from the annual New Years Day road trotting fixture at Durrus before a near record holiday crowd.
The sun shone but temperatures never rose above 6 C, but close finishes kept the huge attendance on their toes all day long.
2016 champion jockey Deirdre Goggin kicked off her brace of winners in the Grade D on GADGIE PAN who disappointed in Drimoleague but today that prior run was forgotten as Goggin saw off last weeks winner BEAUTYS HARMONY by three lengths with WELLFIELD DAMIAN a further two lengths third .
SAUNDERS PARIS has been a top class lady on the turf and has taken to the tarmac in the same fashion and made it two wins from two starts for the Goggin clan from Goleen. The nearest track to Goleen heading West would be Yonkers Raceway in the USA. This was the second winner on the day for Deirdre.
"Cool Hands" Timmy O'Leary, who stood himself down at Drimoleague with flu certainly hit form this afternoon with a brace of winners for his retained Jer O'Mahony Stable.
In the opening Novice Pace FAME EARNED opened his account. This son of Earned Income and Fame Again ran green on his debut last week but was a different prospect today, seeing off ON THE OTHER SIDE and THE RED REBEL in a blanket finish. The winner is owned again by Jer O'Mahony and Caroline O'Brien from Dunmanway.
TACTICIAN DU LYS another O'Mahony stabled runner is an imposing French bred trotter and once again was too good for his pacing rivals CAMDEN CORLEONE and LAKEVIEW WALTER in the grade C. O'Leary over took "Corleone" with three furlongs to race and next time steps up to the Grade B (which is four furlongs further) but he looks blessed with stamina in abundance and may continue his winning run.
The top Grade A & B really set the pulses racing for the large attendance. Commentator Brendan Goggin set a great pre race atmospehere and the race lived up to that billing .
RYDS PONDER as is usual set a quick pace through the opening twelve furlongs .Victory beckoned for the leader but Jamie Hurley was waiting patiently on MAITHI BUACHAILL (the Irish for thats the man) taking up the running with three furlongs remaining and winning by three lengths.
Speaking in a post race interview Hurley was full of praise for the winner who is owned by his father James along with Ger Hegarty, "He's a gent to train and all going well he go to Ballingurteen in two weeks and we take our chances!" added Hurley.
The next meeting takes place at Ballingurteen Sunday 15th Jan at 2pm.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
GRADE A & B (The Timmy Daly & Cottage Table Cups)
1. Hurley / Hegarty MAITHI BUACHILL J Hurley
2. N Forbes RHYDS PONDER Deirdre Goggin
3. N Forbes MOUNTAIN DEW LAD J O'Reilly
GRADE C (The P J Barry Memorial Cup)
1. G Kane TACTICIAN DU LYS T O'Leary
2. Hurley / O Reilly CAMDEN CORLEONE J O'Reilly
3. R Joyce LAKEVIEW WALTER M O'Reilly
GRADE D (The John O Sullivan Memorial Cup)
1. N Forbes GADGIE PAN Deirdre Goggin
2. R Joyce BEAUTYS HARMONY M O'Reilly
3. H Bennett WELLFIELD DAMIAN M Maloney
GRADE E (The Charles Cremin & Jack Connolly Memorial Cup)
1. M Goggin SAUNDERS PARIS Deirdre Goggin
2. D Brickley YOUNG DEANO Owner
3. Cuigear Racing HILLSIDE MUSTANG J O'Reilly
NOVICE (Jan Goregrimes Memorial Cup)
1. O Mahony / O Brien FAME EARNED T O Leary
2. D McCarthy ON THE OTHER SIDE A McCarthy
3. D O Callaghan THE RED REBEL D Brickley