West Cork, IE – The picturesque Cornfield Oval in Manch was the setting for the second "Premium Meeting" of the year in West Cork and organizers were blessed with fantastic weather and the harness racing was of the highest quality.
The feature was The Red Mills Cornfield Oval Handicap. Four elimination heats (raced over 1 1/4 miles) sent two from each into the final. The scene was set in the opening heat for a day of thrills and spills.
A Kind Of Magic was sent to post a favorite and led his five rivals away from the start. With four furlongs to pace he was joined by IB A Magician and the pair battled it out to the line with IB Magician prevailing by two lengths.
There was another titantic battle in heat two. Armoured Bear drew pole position and led No Big deal for the opening 6 furlongs. Then Earnies Umpire joined the pair and we were set for another dramatic finish.
Armoured Bear with 76-year-old John Boyle in the bike looked to have done enough but Jamie Hurley got Earnies Umpire up in the final strides to win by half a length. The winner was a recent purchase for new owners James Hurley and Pat Carberry.
Hail Spartacus was all the rage in the third heat but Fairdays Bret came with a wet sail to deny stable companion Rhyds Dilemma by two lengths.
Rhyds Destiny the recent Grand Prix winner was the punters pick in the final heat and the veteran came off a twenty yard handicap to lead home King wills Arrival by two lengths.
So, on to the final and again A Kind Of Magic set a seering pace followed by IB A Magican. The pair were three lengths clear entering the final circuit and all the while the field were closing in in the final eighth of a mile
IB A Magician got the upper hand and ran out a four length winner from King Wills, who stayed on late to finish second with Fairdays Bret a half a length back in third .
There were jubilant scenes in the presentation area as winning owner/driver Wayne Mc Nevin from Lucan Co Dublin was carried shoulder high by his supporters.
"I only bought the horse in early August and he's won at Annaghmore and twice today. I'm thrilled and its great coming to Cork and winning at a fantastic meeting. Fair play to the organizers." McNevin said at the post race press briefing.
There was further glory for the final winner as Benny Camden who Mc Nevin also owns and is trained in West Cork took out the fifth heat of the All Ireland Pace series.
Fairdays western led the four horse field until the final lap. Then Benny Camden hit the front and was followed by Sarahs Gift .Again we witnessed another epic battle with Benny Camden just coming out on top by 3/4 length.
"He won the low Grade Final at The Red John Meeting in Lyre and has improved in leaps and bounds .i dont think we have seen the best of him just yet" were the words of winning driver Donal Murphy and he takes his place in the series final in Portmarnock in late September.
The All Ireland Trot series also had its final heat today .Brooklyn Trixie led Vigo De Bassiere early with Aubade a Helene in third .This remained the order on the final lap Aubade A Helene threw down her challenge and when "Vigo" went off stride her task was made easier but general consensus was she would have won either way.
Oisin Quill drove two winners on the day both on trotters .Firstly Ariane Des Tithais looked in danger with a lap to go but out sprinted Empereur Souverain to win by eight lengths.
The double was completed in the very next race when Vallanzanna won a race which had so may leaders had the crowd almost asking what had won .
Another novice driver Jamie Hurley also drove two winners. IB A Warrior despite been drawn number eight made light work of his seven rivals winning by 11 lengths was the second winner for Hurley who won earlier on Earnies Umpire.
Dynamite Brouets since joining the Co Meath based Moorside Stables has sen a rejuvenated career and took to the Oval well and waas five lengths clear of Destin De Larre at the finish.
by Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS ALL RACES RUN OVER 1 1/4 Miles UNLESS STATED
RACE ONE Heat One
1,IB A MAGICIAN W McNevin
2.A KIND OF MAGIC A Wallace
3.BEAT THE CLOCK J Richardson
DIST 2L 16L TIME 2.41.9
RACE TWO Heat Two
1. EARNIES UMPIRE J Hurley
2.ARMOURED BEAR J Boyle
3.NO BIG DEAL S Kane
DIST 1/2L 5L TIME 2.45.1
RACE THREE Heat Three
1.FAIRDAYS BRET A McCarthy
2.RHYDS DILEMMA C O Driscoll
3.HAIL SPARTACUS O Quill
DIST 2L 5L TIME 2.42.8
RACE FOUR Heat Four
1. RHYDS DESTINY T O Leary
2.KING WILLS ARRIVAL O Quill
3.SUPREME SUNSHINE J Boyle
DIST 2L 3L TIME 2.42.8
RACE FIVE
1.IB A WARRIOR J Hurley
2.MOORSIDE MYRA S Kane
3.MOORSIDE JOSEPH J O Mahony
DIST 11L 2L TIME 2.47.3
RACE SIX 1 1/2 Miles
1.DYNAMITE BROUETS S Kane
2.DESTIN DE LARRE F Quill Jnr
3.BELLA DESPANA L Kelleher
DIST 2L 2L TIME 3.27.4
RACE SEVEN 1 1/2 Miles
1.ARIANE DES TITHAIS O Quill
2.EMPEREUR SOUVERAIN D O Reilly
3.ANTINGO D Murphy
DIST 8L 3/4L TIME 3.23.3
RACE EIGHT 1 1/2 Miles
1.VALLANZANA O Quill
2.BRUTENOR P Hill
3.BATMAN DU RELAIS A Wallace
DIST 1 1/2L NK TIME 3.25.8
RACE NINE All Ireland Pace Series
1.BENNY CAMDEN D Murphy
2.SARAHS GIFT J Cowden
3.FAIRDAYS WESTERN A Walace
DIST 3/4L 12L TIME 2.44.1
RACE TEN All Ireland Trot Series 1 1/2 Miles
1. AUBADE A HELENE P Hill
2. BROOKLYN TRIXIE S Kane
3. VIGO DE BASSIERE D Murphy
DIST 3 1/2L 1L TIME 3.22.1
RACE ELEVEN The Red Mills Cornfield Oval Handicap Final
1.IB A MAGICIAN W McNevin
2.KING WILLS ARRIVAL O Quill
3.FAIRDAYS BRET A McCarthy
DIST 4L 1/2L TIME: 2:44.1