Host of successes for Limerick racing connections

HAVING relinquished his long-held lead in the jockeys’ title race to Colin Keane over the weekend, Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee remained on the heels of the champion jockey with a winner at Roscommon on Monday evening.

Keane was successful on the Noel Meade-trained Moe Sedway at the meeting but that winner was matched by the Ballingarry star who took the earlier auction series race over the extended seven furlongs on Paddy Twomey’s Impact Warrior. 

A strong 5/4 favourite, she had a little in hand when beating 2/1 chance Goa Gajah, trained by Joseph O'Brien, by half a length. Lee and Twomey were also winners at York on Saturday where Treasure Trove ran out a 4/1 winner of the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes.

Kevin Prendergast sent out Mudamer to win the eight-furlong rated race at Killarney on Thursday evening. Chris Hayes took his time on the 13/2 chance and came through to head the Joseph O'Brien-trained 6/5 favourite Entropy inside the final furlong with Luke Comer’s Desert Wind emerging as the biggest threat, getting to within half a length of the winner at the line.

Meehall was a winner for Eric McNamara and Cathal Landers at Killarney on Friday. The 14/1 shot made virtually all the running and had loads in hand as he beat the Paul Gilligan-trained Zalika by two and a quarter lengths. The runner-up was ridden by the winning trainer’s son, Conor.

Among the winners on the final day of the Killarney festival on Saturday were trainer Eoin McCarthy and jockey Gary Noonan who landed the opportunity handicap hurdle with Shannon Gray.

Owned by Mark Quaid, the 4/1 favourite recorded her first success when holding off the late run of the Val O'Brien-trained Western Doyen by a head, building on good recent runs at Killarney last month and at Downpatrick at the beginning of August.

Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes teamed up with Baaeed’s trainer William Haggas to take the Group 3 Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan Stakes on Perfect News at Naas on Sunday. The 9/1 chance was one of a number of horses in contention inside the final furlong but she saw out the trip best of all to win by half a length from fellow raider Benefit, trained by Clive Cox.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Ballinrobe – Monday, August 22 (First Race 5pm)

Bellewstown – Tuesday, August 23 (First Race 4.40pm)

Bellewstown – Wednesday, August 24 (First Race 4.40pm)

Navan – Thursday, August 25 (First Race 1.50pm)

Tipperary – Friday, August 26 (First Race 4.15pm)

Down Royal – Friday, August 26 (First Race 4.40pm)

Curragh – Saturday, August 27 (First Race 1.20pm)