Central Track, Leap, 1st June 2009 (Monday)

A superb day's racing - no ifs, ands or buts. Great weather, good atmosphere, races run off on time. Good commentary, a few surprises, close finishes. Well done to Seamus Quill on his unusual double - he won the apprentices' race as well as Grade B. With him and the other beginners, the future is looking good....especially now that we have had our first helicopter at our races!

• Maidens - 1. P. O'Brien's Peterstone JJ (Owner), 3/1; 2. D. Hourigan's One Cool Cat (P. Kane jnr), 2/1; 3. B. Barry's Supreme Hall (J. McSweeney), 5/2. 6 ran, nk, 1L NR: Go Man Go
• JJ led from the start. He saw off all comers and deserved his win.

• Novice/Improver - 1. W. McKettrick's Marion Hall (Patrick Kane jnr), 4/1; 2. J. Morgan's He Could Be That Chap (W. McInerney), 2/5 fav; 3. J. O'Donovan's Mr. Security (Owner), 6/1. 6 ran, 2m.7secs NR: Seeking The Gold
• Chap very soon took over from Gynweth's Pride. Clover Scott broke stride. Heading for the last bend of the first circuit, Security was in front. With 2 to go, Marion was in second with Chap in close touch. On the line, Security was on the rail, Marion in the middle, and Chap on the outside. Clover Scott finished 4th.

• Consolation - 1. S. Foran's Shotgun Willy (Noreen McSweeney), 3/1; 2. M. O'Reilly's Calm Louis (T. O'Reilly), 4/5 fav; 3. K. O'Connell's Market Mover (Owner), 3/1. 5 ran, 7l, hd. 2m.5secs
• Willy seems to have got in when Peak's Pretender did not run. Red Ambro was in charge until the back straight for the last time. Mover took it up, while earlier, here on the first go around, Willy moved up on the inside. Headding for the last bend, Willy zoomed up and Louis arrived late.

• Handicap Final, class 000/019, P. J. Shanahan Cup) - 1. P. Hayes's Spanko's Boy (J. McSweeney), 3/2; 2. B. Newman's Jono's Bianca (D. Murphy), 2/1 fav; 3. J. Burchill/D. O'Donoghue's Glenarn Harrier (T. Murphy), 5/1. 8 ran, nk, nk. 2m.4secs
• Bianca was first to show but gave a slight skip just after the second turn. Hopping Rook powered up dramatically approaching the third turn but went badly off stride and was eventually pulled up. Bonkerstotallynuts was briefly in second. At halfway, Harrier was in second. Two from home, Spanko got level with Harrier and then went to the front. Bianca rallied but could not close. Lakeview Lobelle finished 4th. An exciting race.

• Trotters Only - 1. M. Goggin's Only Still (Owner), 4/1; 2. D. Rice's Officer Broline (P. Loughran), 1/1 fav; 3. J. Quinn's Raindancer Way (M. Loughran), 4/1. 6 ran, 5l, 8l. 2m.37secs
• Ebony Jane led them off but lost gait entering the straight of the 1.25 mile race. Only Still took it up and set sail for home. Ruben Launcher started badly and was eventually pulled up. Raindance gave chase to Only Still, but had to yield to the Officer. Zorro Launcher finished 4th in front of Ebony Jane.

• Grand Prix Preferential Handicap (Paddy Manning Memorial Cup) - 1. J. Burchill/D. O'Donoghue's Porterstown Jack (D. Murphy), 2/1; 2. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's Flashdance (M. Kelleher), 6/4 fav; 3. D. O'Reilly's Dragon's Glory (Owner), 10/1; 4. Patricia Carey's Destiny's Dream (G. Carey), 8/1. 9 ran, 2 1/2l, 7l. 3m.7secs NR: Swingman
• Coalford Western was quick away, followed by Kouros Boy who quickly lost stride, was slow to get back and was eventually pulled up. Destiny's Dream looked likely for a while, chasing Western. Flashdance also got closer. Jack began his move and entered the straight, to start the last four furlongs, was in front. Flashdance followed him, looked threatening but the winner seemed to have plenty in hand. Glory was also getting closer put in his best local performance to date.

• Grade B Saddle (John Shanahan Memorial Cup) - 1. Quill Bros's Bon Camotion (S. Quill), 3/1; 2. B. Newman's Casimir Fabio (Emma Kane), 5/1; 3. A. Hamilton's Matty O (J. O'Callaghan), 4/5 fav. 7 ran, 4l, 2l. 2m.2secs NR: Dragon's Glory
• Matty O set the pace. Fireball challenged but had to give best. Fabio then loomed, went head to head with Matty, who finally had to give best. Then came Camotion, who let the others get on with it, before landing his telling blow.

• Apprentices' Race: 1. Sable Decision (Seamus Quill); 2. CD's Boy (Shane Newman); 3. Ayr Storm (Emma Kane). 5 ran, 4l, 7l.

Central Track, Leap, 31st May 2009 (Sunday)

Lovely weather, with a couple of cracking races. Kids seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Good commentary from Jason Kane. It seems that the qualifiers (in order) for the final tomorrow are: Jono's Bianca; Bonkerstotallynuts; Ayr Storm; Lakeview Lobelle; Glenarn Harrier (only 2 out of this heat to qualify); Hopping Rook; Spanko's Boy; Damota Warrior. Consolation: Red Ambro; Calm Louis; Midnight Mover; Stoneriggs Quail; Ayr Strike; Peak's Pretander.

• Maidens - 1. L. McInerney's Glenarn Maria (J. McSweeney), 1/1jf; 2. J. Caffrey's Dragomatic (Owner), 1/1jf; 3. Noreen McSweeney/Mary Forbes' The Punisher (D. McCarthy), 6/1. NR: Glenarn Flyer. 7 ran, 2l, 3l. 2m.8secs
• Maria led from the start. Sands Cam Ocean tried to get on terms but couldn't. Dragomatic looked threatening in the closing stages. A decent run from The Punisher.

• Class 000/003 - 1. B. Newman's Jono's Bianca (D. Murphy), 6/4; 2. J. O'Donovan's Bonkerstotallynuts (Owner), 6/1; 3. M. McDonald's Ayr Storm (K. Sheehy), 6/1.4th Red Ambro, 4/1 8 ran, 1/2l, 1/2l. 2m.7secs
• Red was first away with Calm Louis in close contention until he lost gait in the early stages. Around half-way, Louis was back in contention while Bianca was in touch. On the back straight for the last time, Bonkers was in 2nd behind Red. But Bianca looked ready to pounce and she did to good effect. Ayr "stormed" with a good late run on the homestretch.

• Class 004/010 - 1. A. Hayes/J. Shanahan's Lakeview Lobelle (J. Shanahan), 1/2 fav; 2. J. Burchill/D. O'Donoghue's Glenarn Harrier (D. Murphy), 5/4; 3. K. O'Connell's Midnight Mover (Owner), 4/1. 4th, Stoneriggs Quail, 4/1. 4 ran, nk, 3l. 2m.04secs NR: What A Man, Bytheway, Rockaround, Springhill Horizon
• Mover held the call with Stoneriggs Quail in hot pursuit. Lobelle got closer and forged clear heading for the last bend. Then Harrier made his move.

• Class 011/014 - 1. P. Kane's Hopping Rook (P. Kane jnr), 6/4 jf; 2. P. Hayes's Spanko's Boy (J. McSweeney), 6/4 jf; 3. D. Ssheridan's Damota's Warrior (P. Hill), 4/1. 4th, Ayr Strike, 6/1 7 ran, nk, 1/2l. 2m.05secs
• Warrior held sway briefly until Rook came from last to first in the early stages. Ayr Strike was in 2nd at halfway and moved to challenge but could not close. Spanko seemed to encounter traffic problems but powered up when he found daylight on the homestraight.

• Improver/Intermediate - D. Behan's Talavary Dream (J. Caffrey), 1/1 fav; 2. P. Hayes's Watch Me Now Boys (J. McSweeney), 5/1; 3. F. Brickley's Ringo Star (Owner), 2/1. 4th, Vyrnwy David, 5/1. 6 ran, 2l, 1/2l. 2m.7secs
• Dream led from the start (of the race proper); Watch having been marginally ahead at flagfall. Vyrnwy David looked a danger, but lost gait when in third. Stan The Man found an opening on the inside as they headed for the second last bend, but broke and seemed to get caught in I'm A Joy.

• Novice - 1. M. O'Reilly's Cam's Rapido (T. O'Reilly), 1/2 fav; 2. Duggan Bros's Sky Security (D. Murphy), 5/2; 3. Quill Bros's Cam Decision (T. Murphy), 5/1.4th, Hurricane Henry, 2/1. 5 ran, 5l, 2l. 2m.6secs
• Rapido was just as impressive in this as in maidens last week. He led from the start in this (the first was a false start). Sands Musical was briefly in contention (in second) before Hurricane Henry displaced him. On the back straight, Musical went off stride. Sky was getting closer, ran well, but the winner was in no danger.

• Grade C & D Saddle (Trail Blazer Cup) - 1. Kelleher Bros/J. Power's The Fireball (Lucy Kelleher), 1/3 fav; 2. A. Hamilton's Harrier Decision (J. Goggin), 4/1; 3. Quill Bros's Sable Decision, 6/4. 4th, Ayr Storm, 5/1. 6 ran, 7l, 6l.NRL Calm Louis
• Fireball always looked all over the winner, leading from the start, and was unpushed and untouched. Behind him, Harrier tried hard and had his own little tussle with Sable Decision. Not bad for the winner's young jockey - three wins and one second out of four rides.