The 2019 West Cork harness Racing season opened at the "Blue Flag" Inchadoney Beach on Sunday at it was veteran pacer Meadowbranch Demon who stole the headlines at this most beautiful of venues.
Rhyds Dilemma and Coalford Bruce led out the gate with Coalford Bruce leading after the first quarter .Sunnyside Kildare led at halfway and held that lead to the final turn .All the while Meadowbranch Demon was moving nearer and took up the running in the final eighth of a mile to lead home the fast finishing Rhyds Panache by four lengths,
" He might be 13 years young but is loving his racing and has been a great servant " commented winning driver Luke Kelleher .
Empereur Souverain drew pole position in the trot and was never headed .This five year old had been one of the leading four year old trotters last year and was unlucky in defeat last week in Portmarnock but Denis O Reilly had an armchair drive and his length and a half winning margin could have been more and plenty more winning days are in store.
IB Notorious who broke his maiden in Tir Prince at the end of last season took the low grade pace. This three year old son of Hasty Hall came home 12 lengths clear of Brywins One Off . winning driver Donal Murphy is part owner of the colt with Bill Donovan from Florida who is the main sponsor of the Red John Memorial Festival which takes place in Lyre On June 15th & 16th
"He will head for the Three Year Grass Championship in Lyre and is staked up for all the major three year old races both at home in the UK" said Murphy .
Oisin Quill has struck up a good partnership with Vallanzana and the pair were seen to good effect in the high grade trot .
Since his stable move to the Quills in Kenmare he had "paid The Bills" .Sixteen year old Oisin is one of the future stars of the sport .
Brywins Starship according to owner MiKe Healy"Takes time to come into form" but driver Richard Kingston a nephew of the owner had him in top shape coming of the back to win the Mid grade Pace.
"He is staked up in the Red John and he suprised me today"
A large team of volunteers were on hand to erect and dismantle the track on the beach which drivers described as the best ever.
Next Sunday the action moves to The Cornfield Oval in Manch.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
RACE ONE
- IB NOTORIOUS D Murphy
- BRYWINS ONE OFF M Goggin Jnr
- JUST A PROMISE P McInerney TIME 2.18.6 DIST 12L 4L
RACE TWO
- EMPEREUR SOURVERAIN D O Reilly
- BRASSILA MATCH S Kane
- SILVANO BELLO D Murphy TIME 3.42.2 DIST 1 1/2L 3 1/2L
RACE THREE
- BRYWINS STARSHIP R Kingston
- SPRINGHILL DOYLE C O Reilly
- WESTERN DREAMER S KANE TIME 2.16.1 4 1/2L 4L
RACE FOUR
- VALLANZANNA O Quill
- ANTIGO D Murphy
- DESTINE DE LARRE S Quill TIME 3.25 1L 3/4L
RACE FIVE
- MEADOWBRANCH DEMON L Kelleher
- RHYDS PANACHE C O Reilly
- COALFORD BRUCE T O Leary TIME 2.15.4 DIST 4L 1/2L