Exciting Abbeyfeale jockey celebrates biggest win of his career on the track

ABBEYFEALE jockey Paddy Harnett notched up the biggest success of his career when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap on the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Happy Pharoah on the opening day of Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Owned by Frank Lynch, the 9/1 chance led inside the final furlong to pip Aidan O'Brien’s 9/2 shot Light As Air by a head, his third win over 13 furlongs at Leopardstown this season.

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Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee made a winning return to action when sharing two winners with Paddy Twomey at Galway on Tuesday. Back in the saddle after a near eight-week absence through injury, Lee landed the eight-furlong rated race with the Ballylinch Stud-owned Iowa City which got up in the closing stages to pip Gerry Keane’s front-running 5/4 favourite Genuine Article by three-parts of a length.

Better was to come as he and Twomey took the 12-furlong Listed race with the Moyglare Stud-owned La Isla Mujeres. A well-supported 9/4 favourite, she led at halfway and asserted in the straight to beat the Jessica Harrington-trained 22/1 chance Bonnie Moon by three and a half lengths.

Moyross jockey Wesley Joyce partnered the Michael Mulvany-trained 40/1 chance Electric Beauty to an easy a three-length win in the eight-furlong handicap. The Clearys Syndicate-owned three-year-old led over a furlong from home to beat Johnny Murtagh’s 9/4 favourite Rizal in fine style.

Jessica O’Gorman rode her second winner in four days as she partnered the Edward and Patrick Harty-trained six-year-old Rain to land the 12-furlong apprentice handicap.

The well-supported 7/2 favourite was in front at the two-furlong pole and the partnership battled well to deny the Ciaran Murphy-trained 17/2 chance Steps In The Sand by a nose.

Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes wrapped up the meeting when landing the Sean Cleary Memorial Fillies Maiden on the Dermot Weld-trained Sharanga. The 5/4 favourite led early in the straight and pulled away to beat Emmet Mullins’ 100/30 chance Dream On Baby by three and three-parts of a length.

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee added to their Galway winners as Black Caviar Gold took the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden at Cork on Wednesday afternoon. The 100/30 chance led over two furlongs out to beat the O’Brien-trained 7/1 shot River Ara by three lengths.

Upcoming Fixtures

Punchestown – Tuesday, September 16 (First race 1.48pm)

Naas – Thursday, September 18 (First race 2.07pm)

Dundalk – Friday, September 19 (First race 5.25pm)

Downpatrick – Friday, September 19 (First race 2.11pm)

Navan – Saturday, September 20 (First race 2pm)

Gowran Park – Saturday, September 20 (First race 2.16pm)

Listowel – Sunday, September 21 (First race 2.28pm)