Caheragh. August 17th 2008.

The weather can be said to have spoiled play. The going wasn't too bad, but attendance was poor, as could be expected. The committee did everything it could but the rain gods just defeated it. The races were good, with one unfortunate exception, as will be seen below.

• All-Ireland Harness Championship, Heat 1 - 1. F. Quill's Tom's The Man (D. Murphy), 5/4; 2. S. Quill's Stoneriggs Wizard (T. Murphy), 4/5 fav; 3. R. Cleary's I'm Just Like Mum (Owner), 2/1. MMS Syndicate's Papa Joe (K. Sheehy), 3/1. 6 ran, nk, 1L. 2m.16.6 NR: Coalford Victory
• This was between Tom and Wiz with Tom getting up at the last moment.

• Heat 2 - 1. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's Flashdance (M. Kelleher), 4/5 fav; 2. Dunmanway Racing Club's Springfield Chief (J. McSweeney), 4/1; 3. Quill Bros's Bon Camotion (D. Murphy), 6/4; J. Shanahan's Harmony P (P. Kane, jr), 5/1. 6 ran, 3l, 1l. 2m.14.8 NR: CD's Boy, Zidane
• Flash led from the start in this with Chief in close touch. Heats don't run true to form when there are four to qualify.

• Improver/Intermediate (Michael Keohane Memorial Cup) - 1. W. McInerney's Calm Louis (Owner), 1/1 fav; 2. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's Rhyds Mystery (M. Kelleher), 3/1; 3. P. Hayes's Watch Me Now Boys (P. O'Driscoll), 5/1. 6 ran, 121l, 2l. 2m.18secs NR: Stan The Man, Artefact
• Watch broke at the start but Louis was going to lead anyway and nothing came near him. Mystery was slow enough to get into it and Watch went well enough after to take 3rd.

• Maidens, Div. 1 (Jim Kingston Memorial Cup) - 1. D. Delaney's Oakwood Regal (K. Sheehy), 2/1; 2. D. Shanahan's Tony's Dream (R. Shanahan), 4/6 fav; 3. S. Buckley's Cam's Rosette (T. Murphy), 4/1. 5 ran, 1 1/2l, 2l. 2m.29secs NR: Maldini, Tim's Surprise
• Regal led from the start. Dream was uneasy on the going but got up in the later stages to get on terms. Rosette broke just after the start.

• Class 000/010 - 1. Caroline Salter's Disraeli Quest (A. Hamilton), 4/5 fav; 2. M. & P. Hennessy's Little Spike (J. McSweeney), 5/1; 3. JCB Syndicate's Crown Direct (K. Sheehy), 6/1. 6 ran, 6l, 5l. 2m.20.7secs NR: Spanko's Boy, I'm For Real
• Quest took it up from Red Armbro after about 2f. Armbro was still in contention until 2f from home. Spike began to move but could not join issue. Crown Direct ran well enough.

• Grade C & D Saddle - 1. A. Hamilton's Matty O (J. O'Callaghan), 1/3 fav; 2. C. O'Sullivan's Travis (M. Goggin, jr), 6/1; 3. Quill Bros's Sable Decision (S. Quill), 3/1. 6 ran, 6l, 2l. 2m.14.7
• Matty led from the start, although he looked uneasy at first. Travis tried hard, as did Sable, but Matty had plenty in hand and on the straight quickened.

• Maidens, Div. 2 (Committee Cup) - 1. C & C Syndicate's City Shock (J. Cross), 3/1; 2. S. Jennings/M. Herlihy's Oakwood Diamond (A. Russell), 1/3 fav; 3. Deirdre Hill's Sea Wave (D. Cremin), 2/1. 5 ran, 2l, 6l. 2m.30.8 NR: Hillsided Hi-Ho
• Diamond looked the winner here until the the business end. He broke then and Shock got up the inside. Diamond fought back, got in front but Shock also would not give in. Ringo Kid broke at the start and again a little later.

• Three-Year-Old Sire Stakes (Diarmuid Dineen Memorial Cup) - 1. Amy O'Reilly/T. Enright's Ship's Cruiser (Amy O'Reilly), 2/1; 2. Duggan Bros's Sky Security (D. Murphy), 2/1; 3. J. Shanahan/A. Hayes's Lakeview Lobell (P. Kane, jr), 4/5 fav. 5 ran, 4l, 2l. 2m.26.6
• Cruiser led from the start. Supreme Hall was prominent early on but seemed to flatten or something. Sky went head-to-head with Cruiser around half-way but had to give best. Lobell never really improved on his position.

• Class 010/023 (Donie O'Neill Memorial Cup) - 1. Dunmanway Racing Club's Sharpe (Noreen McSweeney), 2/1; 2. H. Bennett's Magical Sole (D. Murphy), 5/1; 3. Belmont Stables' Ynys Cernyw (M. Loughran), 5/1. 8 ran, 6l, 1l. 2m.22secs
• Bonkerstotallynuts was first to show; Stoneriggs Quail soon took it up. Ayr Strike had powered up behind him by half-way. Strike was in front on the backstraight for the last time. Sharpe then made his move while Sole seemed to leave it late.

• Maiden/Novice (Black Forest Cup) - 1. G. Carey's The Biscuit (P. Kane, jr), 1/3 fav; 2. C. Caverley's Hard Times (K. O'Connell), 4/1; 3, Ulrike Hermann/J. O'Brien's Ithon Exchange (J. O'Brien), 4/1. 4 ran, 12l, 1L. 2m.26.8 NR: Teadies Dream, Cheeky Chappy, Cam's Decision
• Hard led them off while Ithon X broke at the start. Before the last turn on the first circuit, Biscuit was in front and there he stayed. That's more like it.

• All-Ireland Harness Championship Final & Jug Of Punch Qualifier (John Cronin Memorial Cup)- 1. Dunmanway Racing Club's Springfield Chief (J. McSweeney), 8/1; 2. Quill Bros's Bon Camotion (K. Sheehy), 8/1; 3. J. Shanahan's Harmony P (P. Kane, jr), 8/1; 4. R. Cleary's I'm Just Like Mum (Owner), 6/1. 7 ran, 7l, 12l. Stoneriggs Wizard (T. Murphy) and Flashdance (M. Kelleher), 1st and 2nd past the post, were disqualified for interference. NR: Papa Joe
• Really, a description of this race does not mean much. But here goes. They started out, (the race being 10f, and the course being a half-mile), Wiz led right away, and by the time the 2f were up, Flash was in front. Mum and Tom were in close attendance. Entering the last lap, it was Flash, Wiz, Tom and Chief. On the backstraight for the last time, Tom was blown out of it. Wiz overhauled Flash in the closing stages on the straight.

• Novice & E: 1. C. O'Leary/N. Hurley's The Buachaill (M. Goggin, jr), 2/1; 2. J. Shanahan's Lakeview Security (J. O'Reilly), 2/5 fav; 3. D. Shanahan's Tony's Dream (P. Shanahan). 4/1.3 ran, 2l, dist.
• The Buachaill led from the start, Security never got on terms, and Dream hated the going.