WEST CORK, Ireland – Harness racing returned to the Showgrounds in Bandon after a thirty year lapse for The Old Chapel Meeting which saw a presentation made to Stella McGrath a local girl who was badly injured in a fall in a thoroghbred race last November but ison the road to recovery .
It has certainly been a great weekend for Sinead O'Reilly .Firstly her Soocrate Du Noyer won in Portmarnock on Saturday and today Ringo Lady who she owns with husband Timmy, kept the ball rolling in the Grade F & E Pace. The race turned into a battle between Timmy O'Reilly on Ringo Lady and his brother Chris on last weeks winner Lyons Stallone .
Brotherly love went out the window in this and Ringo Lady eventually getting the upper hand by half a length.
"There are no prisoners taken out there even if my younger brother is involved" said O'Reilly after the race.
Cousins Luke Kelleher on Meadowbranch Matt and Patrick Hill on Hillside Aurelius couldnt be separated in the opening Grade G & G1 Pace.
Matt led from the start and saw off the early intentions of I told You So .Heading out on the final circuit Hillside Aurelius loomed large and both drivers were all out at the finish and after a photo finish a dead heat was the judges call.
There was local success in the Grade F & E Pace. Mr Security and Hell Boy were to the fore for the opening two laps and with two furlongs to pace veteran Mr Security had gone two lengths clear but Alert Code and Jason O Reilly were tracking the leader and swooped in the home straight to pull five lengths clear at the finish.
The winner is owned by Richard Joyce a member of the Old Chapel committee .
Tarnao Josselyn has been a model of consistency all season and racked up another win in the Le Trot French Trotters race.
Cupidon De Breteil led for most of the race but was reeled in by "TJ" going out on the final circuit and was an easy three length winner .
Racing concluded with a win for Meadowbranch Demon in the Grade C B & A Pace.
Rhyds Destiny made the running from Sunnyside Kildare . Out on the final lap Mike Kelleher produced "Demon" and the pair were not for catching and sent punters home happy as he was favourite in the betting ring .
With The Barney Joyce Memorial weekend in Portmarnock next weekend there is no loacl action but on Sunday 23rd July The "Cornfield Oval" in Manch is the venue for the annual Ballineen Races
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
GRADE G & G1 PACE The Brian Wilson Cup (1 Mile 350 yards)
1st P Hill HILLSIDE AURELIUS Owner & O'Farrell
2nd Healy MEADOWBRANCH MATT L Keleher
1st S & T O'Reilly RINGO LADY T O'Reilly
2nd C O'Reilly LYONS STALLONE Owner
3rd J Hurley LAKEVIEW PANAM J Hurley
1st R Joyce ALERT CODE M O'Reilly
2nd M O'Donovan MR SECURITY Owner
3rd M O'Brien HELL BOY Owner
1st M O'Brien LLYWNS ALLSTAR Owner
2nd D McCarthy RHYDS DILEMMA Owner
3rd C O'Reilly RHYDS PANACHE Owner
1st F Quill TARNAO JOSSELYN S Quill
2nd J Shanahan CUPIDON DE BRETEIL M Kelleher
3r J O'Mahony UN BOSS J O'Mahony
1st Kelleher Bros MEADOWBRANCH DEMON M KelleherShanahan
2nd M Cock RHYDS DESTINY T O'Leary
3rd S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE T Murphy