West Cork, IE – "Moll an og agus tiocfaidh siad" The old Irish Phrase "Praise the young and they will flourish" certainly seems to be be the theme down here in Cork when another of our younger drivers Chelsie O Driscoll stole the headlines at the annual Fishers Cross races on Sunday .
Having just got her licence to drive the 17 year old showed maturity way beyond her tender years when landing the the Grade F E & D pace .
I Told You So set the early fractions but went off stride allowing Heather Breeze to lead .All the while O Driscoll on Rhyds Dilemma was "laying in the short grass" and pounced with two furlongs to race and ran out win by a length
"Im over the moon its my first drive under rules and I drive the winner" said the delighted O Driscoll.
"Once in a lifetime you get one like him" the words of Tim Kelleher after "The Iron Horse" Meadowbranch Demon took the top grade pace .Kestrels Dot Sammy set a blistering early pace .Heading into the final quarter Supreme Sunshine hit the front and looked a winner but Meadowbranch Demon flew up the home straight to collar the leader and get the verdict by a short head,
" We bought him as a yearling and he has just simply been the best I ever owned and wears his heart on his sleeve a warrior who will not accept defeat. He will probably trail 60 yards in the Grand Prix in Ballabuidhe but we take our chances" added Kelleher one of the driving forces behind racing in the West Cork Region
Moorside Captain after his win in the opening Grade G & G1 Pace for another young driver John O Manony will take his place in the handicap at his home venue in Ballabuidhe . Country Cruiser tried to make all but had to give second best to Moorside Captain in the final eighth of the mile.
Hurry Up Abi added another win to her CV for the Manning Family from Limerick .
She was nver headed in a bloodless victory
The three runner Le Trot produced a great finish .Un Boss looked to have done enough leading all the way but was collared close home by Valiant Forgion with Mike Goggin in the bike
Next weekend sees the two day Ballabuidhe Festival taking place in Dunmanway with The Paddy Connolly Memorial and Murphys Western Beverages Grand Prix as the features .
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
Race One 1. MOORSIDE CAPTAIN J O Mahony 2. COUNTRY CRUISER J Manning Jnr 3. SUNNYSIDE UNIQUE P Hill TIME 2.07.2 DIST 1 1
Race Two 1. RHYDS DILEMMA C O Driscoll 2. HEATHER BREEZE S Jennings 3. RHYDS HEARTBEAT P Hill TIME 2.05.1 DIST 1 1
Race Three 1. HURRY UP ABI J Manning Jnr 2. THE HITMAN MGoggin Jnr 3. FAIRDAYS BRET A McCarthy TIME 2.04.2 DIST 4 1/2
Race Four 1. VALIANT FORGION M Goggin Jnr 2. UN BOSS J O Mahony 3.AUBADE A HELENE P Hill TIME 3.12.5 DIST 1/2 2
Race Five 1. MEADOWBRANCH DEMON L Kelleher 2. SUPREME SUNSHINE J Boyle 3. KESTRELS DOT SAMMY J O Mahony TIME 2.01 1 DIST SH 4