Thrilling Herbertstown family success at Gowran Park

THE four-year-old Hemight won the second division of the eight-furlong handicap for Herbertstown trainer Pat O’Donnell and his daughter Sylvia at Gowran Park on Wednesday evening last.

Talented jockey Sylvia O'Donnell was riding her third winner in the race.

A 14/1 chance in the colours of the Hemight Syndicate, the four-year-old led early inside the final furlong to beat the dick Donohoe-trained Bucky Larson by a length and three-parts.

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Elsewhere, at Gowran Park on Wednesday evening last, Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes shared a 15/2 winner with Dermot Weld at the Co Kilkenny venue where the three-year-old Darzina scored a narrow success in the fillies and mares’ maiden. She led over a furlong out to beat Joseph O'Brien’s 8/11 favourite Tswalu by three-parts of a length. 

Meanwhile, Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee landed the final winner at the Curragh on Bank Holiday Monday when he partnered the 50/1 chance Prime Sign to take the six-furlong handicap.

Trained by Andy Oliver, the Trevor Dalzell-owned four-year-old led at the furlong-pole and battled well to see off Michael Mulvaney’s 7/1 chance Velvet Skies by half a length.

Chris Hayes teamed up with trainer William Haggas to win the Listed Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes on First Instinct at Cork on Tuesday. It was tight at the finish with the 4/1 chance holding off 33/1 shot Town And Country, ridden for Henry de Bromhead by Billy Lee, by a head with Johnny Murtagh’s 33/1 chance Songhai half a length away in third place with the Ger Lyons-trained 11/8 favourite Babouche, the same margin back in fourth.

Having narrowly lost out with 5/6 favourite Rogue Legend in the opening contest, Lee and Paddy Twomey had earlier won the six-furlong maiden for three-year-olds with City Of Memphis. In the colours of the Zinlo Syndicate, the 8/13 favourite was thoroughly impressive on her debut as she came through to score by two and three-parts of a length from the Gavin Cromwell-trained 11/1 chance Bonus Time. Lee and de Bromhead then took the 12-furlong Cork Derby Handicap with the Chris Jones-owned Ascending.

At odds of 100/30, the six-year-old led early in the straight and was all out at the line to hold off Jessica Harrington’s 11/1 chance Satin by a neck, with Chris Hayes a shorthead away in third place on the Ado McGuinness-trained Razdan, another 11/1 chance.

The Ballingarry father and son team of Charles and Philip Byrnes took the two-mile three-furlong maiden hurdle with Youlita at Downpatrick on Friday evening. A very well-supported 8/15 favourite, the six-year-old led at the final hurdle to beat Ian Donoghue’s 9/2 chance Sea Of Doubt by a length and a half.

Pat Flynn sent out the four-year-old Surpass And Shine to win the five-furlong handicap at Naas on Saturday. Ridden by Ballingarry's Billy Lee, the gambled-on 9/2 joint-favourite made most of the running and came out best in a four-way photo as he beat the Jenniefer Lynch-trained Irish Rumour, the other joint-favourite, by a head, with My Girl Sioux the same distance away in third place and Sarahmae a nose away in fourth.

Chris Hayes was on the mark again as Temperance took the near six-furlong handicap. Trained in County Wexford by Katie McGivern and owned by her husband Thomas Hore, the 5/1 chance headed Ger Lyons’ front-running 7/4 favourite Jorge Alvares close to the finish to score by half a length.

Upcoming Fixtures

Killarney – Tuesday, May 13 (First race 5.20pm)

Sligo – Tuesday, May 13 (First race 5.30pm)

Tipperary – Wednesday, May 14 (First race 5.10pm)

Clonmel – Thursday, May 15 (First race 5.10pm)

Kilbeggan – Friday, May 16 (First race 4.50pm)

Leopardstown – Friday, May 16 (First race 5.05pm)

Navan – Saturday, May 17 (First race 1.20pm)

Wexford – Saturday, May 17 (First race 2.15pm)

Naas – Sunday, May 18 (First race 1.30pm)