The first session of the two-day Punchestown meeting took place on Wednesday of last week and 20-year-old Sean Houlihan from Dungarvan will certainly treasure fond memories of the occasion for he partnered his initial winner on Irish soil aboard Petuna in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Flat Race. The...
Author: Neil O Donnell
Premature end to Rally Acropolis ends Breen’s Championships hopes
Premature end to Rally Acropolis ends Breen’s Championships hopes
After a dream start to his European Rally Championship hopes earlier in the year, Peugeot Rally Academy driver Craig Breen was denied any chance of claiming the coveted 2015 title this weekend in an unexpected way. Since his three successive victories in the first half of the season the Peugeot 208T16 driver has been...
Shantou flies home at Sligo
Shantou flies home at Sligo
Kiltealy, Co Wexford handler Colin Bowe has his team in cracking order at present and he struck with Shantou Flyer in the closing Foley’s Bar & Off Licence Chase at Sligo on Wednesday of last week. Sent off the 9/10 favourite to beat his three opponents, Shantou Flyer disputed the lead from the fifth fence until...
Ballychorus on song at Ballinrobe
Ballychorus on song at Ballinrobe
The final Ballinrobe meeting of 2015 took place at the popular Co Mayo track on Tuesday of last week and Goresbridge handler Mag Mullins seems to have a genuine top-class mare on her hands in Ballychorus who landed the Eamon Sheridan Plant Hire & Ground Works Chase. The King’s Theatre-sired Ballychorus made all...
Rogue Angel wins Listowel Feature
Rogue Angel wins Listowel Feature
The Listowel festival occupied centre stage last week and Waterford city-born jockey David Casey brought down the curtain on his 20-year riding career at the north Co Kerry track on Wednesday by steering Willie Mullins’ long odds-on shot Long Day to a resounding success in the Ballygarry House Hotel Novice Hurdle....
Super Sizing impresses on seasonal debut
Super Sizing impresses on seasonal debut
Gowran’s Saturday meeting was all about one horse namely Sizing Europe for Henry de Bromhead’s star charge made a stylish winning return to action in the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase over two and a half miles. Sizing Europe always travelled with aplomb for Andrew Lynch and he took the measure of the front running...
Listowel review
Listowel review
There was just one place to be last week and that was the seven-day racing festival at Listowel which commenced on Sunday September 15th. There was a local-trained winner almost instantly as Clonmel hotelier John Nallen struck with the well-supported Minella For Value in the Cheestrings Beginners Chase over two and a...
Local success continues around the country
Local success continues around the country
It seems that locally-trained horses are winning practically left, right and centre at present and Mooncoin-based handler Eoin Doyle kept his many supporters happy by sending out the admirable Days Ahead to collect the Goresbridge Handicap over a mile and a half at Gowran Park’s all-flat card on Wednesday of last...
Winning ways continue for trainer Pat Flynn
Winning ways continue for trainer Pat Flynn
Trainer Pat Flynn is firing in winners with ever-increasing regularity and the Ballingarra Stables operator continued his stellar season at Bellewstown on Wednesday by sending out Summer Isles to collect the Lougher Stables Handicap with Danny Grant. Owned by Flynn’s long-standing patron Patrick Sweeney, Summer...
Four great days at Tramore
Four great days at Tramore
All roads led to Tramore last weekend for the Graun Hill venue’s four-day August festival and proceedings kicked off on Thursday with a mixed card. Local handlers fared extremely well over the four days and Pat Flynn, having suffered an earlier reverse with the second-placed Storm Away in the opening Brennans...
Doyle’s purple patch continues at Gowran
Doyle’s purple patch continues at Gowran
There was a distinctively Kilkenny GAA feel to last Tuesday’s all national hunt card at Gowran Park.This is so as the race titles featured several Kilkenny GAA stalwarts such as Brian Cody, JJ Delaney, Henry Shefflin etc. Local Mooncoin-based handler Eoin Doyle is experiencing a stellar season and he continued his...
Aintree Grade 1 triumph for De Bromhead
Aintree Grade 1 triumph for De Bromhead
After a plethora of racing over the Easter period, the domestic scene returned to normal late last week and local Knockeen-based handler Henry de Bromhead once again underlined the rude health that he presently has his string in by sending out Lord Ben to win the Templemore Beginners Chase over two and a quarter...