WEST CORK, Ireland – Poster girl Deirdre Goggin rode a double at her local track when road trotting made a welcome return to Goleen on the tip of the Mizen peninsula after a hiatus of six years on Sunday.
The road, which stretches along the Dauch Causeway, is a setting of real beauty with the tide from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, nestling in under the Causeway Bridge at the Northern side of the course .
The meeting of the"Big Two" of road trotting Rhyds Ponder and Maitha Buachaill reads 4 to 0 to the latter before today and he had to take a 20 yard handicap for those wins.
Goggin set Rhtds Ponder alight from the start and led through the opening two turns. Heading to the third turn the advantage was five lengths to Meadow Branch Kiki with Maitha Buachaill back in fourth.
Approaching the final turn, Goggin on Rhyds Ponder, began to turn the screws on her rivals and flew off the last turn and was not for catching with trotter Tactician Du Lys snatching second from Maitha Buachaill. After dismounting her horse Goggin was carried shoulder high into the presentation area by the partisan local crowd.
Earlier the huge local crowd roared Deirdre home on Saunders Paris in the Grade C. This looked a tough one to call with Rhyds Artist also well touted in the betting ring, but Saunders Paris made light work of her rivals careering away to win her fifth of the season by six lengths.
"Home is always the place to win and Paris is owned by my father Micheal and I am so proud to win here," said the modest Goggin after the race.
Jamie Hurley still the leads the jockeys championship after recording a double Sunday.
IB Tweedy in the grade E was sent to post at prohibitive odds and was never in danger giving owners "The One For The Road Syndicate" their fourth win of the year.
John Woodland made the four hour journey from Limerick with Coalford Hardy a winning one. Jamie Hurley was on board to lead from the start and despite the late intentions of Big Jim held on by three lengths. This was the first winner for owner trainer Woodland, who is based in Limerick City. Jamie hurley now stands on ten winners one ahead of Deirdre Goggin on nine .
Racing opened with an a win for Rock On Jo Jo on his tarmac debut. Matthew O Reilly allowed Van Helsing and Shanes Income battle it out early and sent Jo Jo to the front after the final turn to win by four lengths.
Old Chapel in Bandon is the next meeting on Sunday 26th March with the All Ireland Championships which were cancelled last week re scheduled for Sunday April 2nd.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
NOVICE The Lobster Pot Bar Cup
1. M O'Reilly ROCK ON JO JO Owner
2. McCarthy/ Daly SHANES INCOME A McCarthy
3. M O'Brien VAN HELSING P O Brien
GRADE E The Fastnet Bar Cup
1. One For The Road Syn IB TWEEDY J Hurley
2. P Kane RETURN OF THE MAC M O'Reilly
3. G O Callaghan TROOPERS HARMONY M Goggin Jnr
GRADE D The O Mearas Bar Cup
1. J Woodland COALFORD HARDY J Hurley
2. G Kane BIG JIM T O'Leary
3. G Cooke WESTERN BEACH D Goggin
GRADE C The Twins Memorial Cup
1. M Goggin SAUNDERS PARIS Deirdre Goggin
2. P Manning SPRINGHILL JAZZ D Brickley
3. R Joyce BEAUTYS HARMONY M O'Reilly
THE CAUSEWAY CLASSIC GRADE A & B The Frank & Anna Goggin Memorial Cup
1. N Forbes RHYDS PONDER Deirdre Goggin
2. G Kane TACTICIAN DU LYS T O'Leary
3. Hegarty/ Hurley MAITHA BUACHAILL J Hurley