Ballabuidhe 2008

Tuesday, August 5th

Race 1. Golden Mile Heat One. 700 Euro, 2 to qualify

Also Ran: Cole's Decision, Tusk 9T.O'Leary) -- 6/4jf, 4/1, 4/1. 3l, 6l

• Security took it up from Cole as they settled. Man looked the most dangerous but could not close

Race 2. Golden Mile Heat Two. 700 Euro, 2 to qualify

Also Ran: Midnight Mover (K.O'Connell), Bonkerstotallynuts (J.O'Donovan), Travis (Ml.Goggin) -- 6/4, 4/1, 4/1. CP Fantasy, 5/4 fav. 3l, 2l.

• Crown set a good pace with Sharpe in touch. CP took charge around half-way. Sharpe got closer powered clear as they entered the home straight.

Race 3. Golden Mile Heat Three. 700 Euro, 2 to qualify

Also Ran: Coalford Western (M.Goggin), Brywins Best Scoot (P.Forbes) -- 6/4 jf, 6/1, 6/1. 8l, 4l.

• Chief led from the start. Coalford Western broke at the start. Joseph went head to head with Chief around half-way but had to give best. Dragon's Glory also went well on the sticky surface.

Race 4. Improver / Intermediate. 600 Euro

Also Ran: Artefact (R.Cleary), Thomas Grey (P.Forbes) -- 5/1, 6/1, 3/1. 2 1/2l, 10l.

• Rhyd led them off after a false start. Mr. Security looked ominous but was uneasy on the going. Buachaill went well while Artefact also did not like things. Watch, on the other hand, loved it all. He should go one better next time.

Race 5. C/D Saddle. 500 Euro.

Also Ran: Coles Decision (M.O'Reilly), Free Spirit (C.O'Sullivan) -- 1/2fav, 4/1, 6/1. 1/2l, 1 1/2l

• Free Spirit was first to show, but Matty soon took over. Cole's Decision was prominent early on. Matty went wide on the turns to get better ground while Charvis stayed on the rail and stayed with Matty. A very good run from Charvis and also from Ayr Storm.

Race 6. Maiden/Novice. 600 Euro.

Also Ran: Teadies Dream (D.Hourigan), Gwyneths Pride (J.McSweeney), Marian Hall (W.McKetterick) -- 2/1, 6/1, 6/4fav. 15l, 3l

• Shock set the pace but soon gave a skip. She went head to head with Teadies Dream and had prevailed but then Louie arrived. He set sail for home while Shock and Cruiser fought it out behind him.

Race 7. A/B Saddle. 800 Euro.

Also Ran: Hello Fella (D.Quill), Travis (M.Goggin Jnr) -- 2/1, 5/1, 1/1 fav. 8l, 8l.

• It took a long time to get this started. When it did, Quest broke badly and Ambrose took it up. Quest got back pacing and went to the front. With about 4f to go, Sole loomed large. Heading for home, Quest quickened. It was a very good performance for Sole in what may have been his first saddle race. One to watch.

Race 8. Golden Mile. 1,000 Euro.

Also Ran: What a Man (M.O'Donovan), Crown Direct (K.Sheehy) -- 3/1, 6/4jf, 6/4 jf. 4l, 10l

• Crown Direct led them off, followed by What A Man. Getting into things, Sharpe took it up, and was chased by Lyons Joseph. On the backstraight for the last time, Sharpe and Chief had a brief head-to-head, in which Chief prevailed. Security seemed uneasy on the going and was not seen at his best.

Race 9. Doheny Stake - Open Maiden. 600 Euro.

Also Ran: Tonys Dream (R.Shanahan), Moorside Choice (P.Gilligan) -- 3/1, 1/1 fav, 6/4. 1 1/2l, 4l.

• Mr. Chapman was first to show when Tony's Dream broke at the start. Dream got back into it a couple of times but kept losing gait. Cam was lying handy and made his move when it mattered.

Monday, August 4th

• Only four harness races today. It was a pity that the Grand Prix final was a bit messy. The other races were good, with the PC final providing some excitement. Thankfully, it was all over before the rain started.

• Murphy's Irish Stout Grand Prix Final - 1. S. Quill's Stoneriggs Wizard (T. Murphy), 6/4; 2. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's Flashdance (M. Kelleher), 5/4 fav; 3. T. Murphy's Coalford Victory (R. Cleary), 10/1. 6 ran, 1L, 6l. Only 3 finished.
• Wiz quickly disposed of his handicap to take it up from Peak's Pretender. Vic slotted into second after a lap and a half (3 1/2 laps in all). About half-way, Peak slipped up, dislodged his driver and was loose. He may have inconvenienced Flash, who finally got into second on the back straight for the last time. Here, Dream's Place and Bon Camotion got entangled which put paid to the chances of either. But Wiz had nothing to do with any of these and deserved his three-in-a-row Grand Prix titles.

• Paddy Connolly Memorial Final - 1. R. Cleary's I'm Just Like Mum (Owner), 4/5 fav; 2. J. Burchill/D. O'Donoghue's Glenarn Harrier (D. Murphy), 5/1; 3. L.O'Regan's Brywins Charvis (T. Murphy), 8/1. 8 ran, 1 1/4l, 1/2l. 4th, Spanko's Boy
• Spanko set the pace with Disraeli Quest in close touch, but never managing to get on terms. Stoneriggs UK flattered briefly. Getting serious, Mum tried to reach the front but had to cede, for the moment. When she did get going, she swept by to take it up. Harrier found traffic problems, with the post coming too soon. Charvis went really well, while Quest and UK ran out of steam. Mister Hill and Sharpe made no impression.

• Three-Year-Olds - Amy O'Reilly/Tony Enright's Ships Cruiser (Amy O'Reilly), 4/1; 2. Duggan Bros's Sky Security (D. Murphy), 4/1; 3. J. Shanahan/A. Hayes's Lakeview Lobell (Noreen McSweeney), 1/3 fav . 6 ran, 2 1/2l, 6l. 4th, Rhyds Mystery.
• Cruiser led from the start, which it now seems he likes to do. Lobell challenged briefly but was Sky who loomed. Still, this one simply could not close.

• Maidens - 1. Deirdre Goggin's Teadies Best (M. Goggin), 2/1; 2. D. Delany's Oakwood Regal (K. Sheehy), 6/1; 3. P. Hill's Hillside Hi-Ho (P. Hill), 4/5 fav. 7 ran, 9l, 2l. 4th, Wilsboro Gold
• Best led from the start. He was followed by Regal, who never improved on her position. Early on, Hi-Ho, Maldini and Rosette each broke stride. Rosette got going again and was in third for a while. Hi-Ho did too, but too late to catch the leader.

Sunday, August 3rd

• This was a very good day, all round. The sun blazed down, there was a nice buzz around the place, and the racing was exciting. The dog show was a huge success. I'm sure there were not a million dogs there, and the same amount of spectators looking at them, but it seemed like it! Everyone was also talking about how great it was at Dundalk, how we all enjoyed it, and are looking forward to next Sunday.

• Paddy Connolly Memorial Handicap

• Heat 1 - 1. P, Hayes's Spanko's Boy (P. O'Driscoll), 1/1 fav; 2. G. & S.Kane's Stoneriggs UK (K. Sheehy), 5/1; 3. MTC Racing's Free Spirit (J. Mc Sweeney), 3/1. 6 ran, 1/2l, 1/2l. 4th, Lakeview Security
• Boy led them off and bowled along in front. UK set off in pursuit, followed by Spirit. And that's the way they stayed.

• Heat 2 - 1. Caroline Salter's Disraeli Quest (A. Hamilton), 2/1; 2. J. Burchill/D. O'Donoghue's Glenarn Harrier (D. Murphy), 1/1fav; 3. JCB Syndicate's Crown Direct (K. Sheehy), 4/1. 6 ran, 1/2l, 6l. 4th, What A Man
• Quest was first to show, followed by Red. Harrier broke as they had the first lap (of 3) nearly completed.He quickly got back pacing. Red was still in contention but going into the last, Harrier was back in 2nd. Red flattened, Harrier could not get on terms with Quest, while Crown raced well enough.

• Heat 3 - 1. R. Cleary's I'm Just Like Mum (R. Cleary), 1/3 fav; 2. L. O'Regan's Brywins Charvis (D. Murphy), 3/1; 3. P. Hill's Hillside Dream (P. Hill), 4/1. 6 ran, 4l, 7l. 4th Ayr Storm
• Charvis led until going into the last. Heading for the first bend in that, Mum went into overdrive and took it up. In the first lap, heading for the second-last bend, Quail, who was in a challenging position, went off stride, unusual for him. He got back into it, but eventually faded.

• Heat 4 - 1. D. Delany's Mister Hill (K. Sheehy), 2/1 fav; 2. Dunmanway Racing Club's Sharpe (Noreen McSweeney), 9/4; 3. H. Bennett's Magical Sole (D. Murphy), 5/2. 5 ran, 1/4l, 1/2l. 4th, Bonkerstotally nuts
• Mister led from the start. Bonkers was in early contention but Sharpe soon moved up into second and gave chase. On the back straight for the last time, Ayr Strike looked poised to challenge, but lost gait. Sharpe could not close while Sole ran well enough. Looks like he could feature in the future.
• The first two home in each race qualifies for the Paddy Connolly Memorial Handicap Final today.

• Grand Prix,

• Heat 1 - Denise McDonald's Peak's Pretender (K. Sheehy), 6/1; 2. T. Murphy's Coalford Victory (Owner), 4/1; 3. Dunmanway Racing Club's Springfield Chief (J. McSweeney), 1/2 fav. 6 ran, 1/2l, 1/2l. 4th, Coalford Western
• CP's Fantasy played catch-me-if-you-can from flagfall. He opened up the distance, with Western in hot pursuit. They continued like that, until heading for the last bend (Grand Prix heats were 3 1/2 laps). Pretender got closer and saw off Western. Chief was getting closer but so was Victory. CP ran out of steam and Pretender took it up.

• Heat 2 - 1. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's Flashdance (M. Kelleher), 1/2 fav; 3. Breda Shanahan's Dream's Place (J. Shanahan), 4/1; 3. Patricia Carey's Destiny's Dream (G. Carey), 5/1. 6 ran, 1/2l, 5l. 4th, Papa Joe
• Papa Joe led until half-way around the last. Dream's Place, who had tracked him, then went to the front. Home Ambrose was also up with the leaders for most. Heading for the last bend, Dream was in second but then Flash began to move. And move he did, settling things in the final strides.

• Heat 3 - 1. Quill Bros's Bon Camotion (D. Murphy), 1/1; 2. S. Quill's Stoneriggs Wizard (T. Murphy), 4/5 fav; 3. J. Shanahan's Harmony P (J. Shanahan), 6/1. 5 ran, 2l, 10l. 4th, Zidane
• Bon led from the start. Harmony was quick to follow. Dragon's Glory broke badly early on and never really got back into it. Harmony gave a skip as they headed for the second circuit. On the backstraight for the second-last time, Wiz arrived and saw off Harmony. They continued like that to the line, with Zidane leaving his challenge late.
• The first two home in each heat qualify for the Murphy's Irish Stout Grand Prix Final today.