Winners flow for Limerick racing connections

LIMERICK jockey Chris Hayes rode back-to-back winners at Gowran Park on Wednesday with both horses scoring by a neck. He took the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden on the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned Touching Clouds, trained by Dermot Weld.

The 6/4 favourite battled well to hold off Ken Condon’s Accomplished and thirty minutes later the judge called out the same verdict as the Edward Lynam-trained Marsa, owned by Marita Rogers and Sabina Power, landed the seven-furlong handicap at odds of 7/1. She too showed nice determination to win from 11/8 favourite Band Width.

Shanagolden jockey Hayes completed a second double in as many days at Clonmel on Thursday, this time riding both winners for Dermot Weld. The pair won two of the first three races on the card with 18/1 chance Silent Prayer taking the nine-furlong fillies’ maiden in the colours of Sue Magnier with Sefafina, in the trainer’s own colours, landing the three-year-old handicap over the same distance at odds of 8/1. Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee kept his nose in front in the jockeys’ title race with success on the

Michael O’Meara-trained Roman Bull in the nine-furlong maiden at Clonmel on Thursday. The 9/4 chance led passing the two-furlong pole and scored by a length and a half from the Joseph O'Brien-trained 11/8 favourite Six Feet Apart. With Colin Keane also bagging a winner, Lee headed home with a 72-71 lead of his County Meath rival.

Both Lee and Keane rode doubles at Down Royal on Friday evening. The championship leader and Willie McCreery got punters off to a great start at Down Royal on Friday evening where they won the opening two races with a couple of well-backed favourites.

The opening five-furlong fillies’ maiden for two-year-olds went to 11/10 chance Ocean Jewel which led after halfway and had plenty in hand as she beat Edward Lynam’s Bonny Power by four lengths. In contrast, 2/1 favourite Sceolan only led in the final stride as she took the maiden over the same distance by a nose from the Lynam-trained Gobi Star in the McCreery’s own colours.

Horse Racing Ireland’s CEO Suzanne Eade was among those offering their condolences to the family and friends of Jack de Bromhead who passed away on Saturday. She said, “Like everybody in the horse racing and pony racing community, I want to offer my deepest condolences to his parents Henry and Heather, his sisters Mia and Georgia and extended family, on the tragic loss of their beloved Jack.

Jack may have been only 13 but he was already incredibly popular in the racing community. His family and friends, his pony racing colleagues and all those who lives he touched are in our thoughts today during this numbing, devastating tragedy. Horse Racing Ireland’s equuip department through the Industry Assistance Programme will assist in offering counselling for Jack’s pony racing colleagues and friends. May he rest in peace.”

Earlier that afternoon at Wexford, Ballingarry trainer Charles Byrnes and amateur rider Anthony Bustin had won the mares’ maiden hurdle over three miles with Killoughteen. Part-owned with Paul McKiernan and Aisling McCarthy by the winning rider, the 3/1 joint-favourite was a first racecourse winner for Bustin as he came home two and a half-lengths clear of Paul Nolan’s Dot Cotton.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Galway – Monday, September 5 (First Race 4.40pm)

Galway – Tuesday, September 6 (First Race 4.05pm)

Cork – Wednesday, September 7 (First Race 4.05pm)

Laytown – Thursday, September 8 (First Race 4.50pm)

Ballinrobe – Friday, September 9 (First Race 3.50pm)

Leopardstown – Saturday, September 10 (First Race 1.30pm)

Curragh – Sunday, September 11 (First Race 1.15pm)