Racing up and running again
Good crowd in Enniscorthy
RACING RESUMED in Enniscorthy on Thursday, and there was a good crowd for the opening night.
The first unraced stake of the year will start on Monday, February 27.
February 9 results - race one, Welcome To Enniscorthy A7/A8 525: 1, Kilcotty Bill (owner, William Heffernan, Co. Wexford), 29.55; 2, Rubys Hill, 29.72.
Kilcotty overcame the trap six draw as he showed a nice turn of speed to take over from early-paced leader Ruby Hill by the third bend before going on to score nicely.
Race two, Unrecorded Trials Wednesday and Friday A6/A7 525: 1, Rowestown Becky (owner, Maurice Redmond, Barntown), 29.68; 2, Piercestown Lee, 29.89.
Rowestown Becky got away well and was always in control to run out a snug winner.
Race three, www.igb.ie A5 525: 1, Vinegarhill Side (owner, Pat Hyland, Enniscorthy), 29.31; 2, Enchante, 29.38.
Vinegarhill broke very well and showed fine early pace, leading all the way to hold Enchante.
Race four, Intertrack Betting A5 525: 1, Ballycowen Ann (owner, Kevin O’Gorman, Sleedagh), 29.75; 2, Strictly Pet, 29.76.
There was a very close run finish to this race as the winner made up good ground to just get the verdict from Strictly who was also finishing very fast.
Race five, The Show Grounds A4 525: 1, Zee Circus (owners, The Dog That Bought A Horse syndicate, Enniscorthy), 29.79; 2, Ashwood Rose, 29.80.
This race also had to have the camera called for as Zee and Ashwood flashed over the line locked in battle. The verdict went to Zee by the minimum distance.
Race six, The Trackside Diner A4 525: 1, Elusive Star (owners, Phil Ryan and Eugene Gleeson, Co. Carlow), 29.53; 2, Bring Him Home, 29.70.
Elusive came through at the third bend to run on and score a very snug win.
Race seven, Try A Trio A3 525: 1, Tree Tops Beauty (owner, Brendan McDonald, Ballymurn), 29.24; 2, Ballarue Olive, 29.31.
Olive showed very good early gears to lead up and looked the likely winner for most of the way. However, Tree Tops put in a decisive finishing burst to get home by a length to record her seventh race win.
Race eight, The Track Bar A1/ A2 525: 1, Piercestown Moll (owner, Seamus Whelan, Piercestown), 29.36; 2, Dipton Chase, 29.37.
This was the race of the night with only three-quarters of a length separating the first four home. Piercestown put in a superbly-timed late finish to snatch the money right on the line from leader Dipton, with Millands Bob only a short head away in third.
Race nine, February A4 575: 1, Babbie Helen (owner, Brendan Frayne, Wexford town), 32.04; 2, Archaton Fly, 32.09.
Babbie led and did well to clear the first bend before going away for an easy win.
Around the tracks there was success at Shelbourne Park on Thursday for Castlebridge owner Eugene Dempsey as his Skyview Flash scored his eleventh race win when taking the S1/2 sprint in a useful 19.09.
His Skyview Lark also ran a very good race when runner-up in her semi of the A3/4 stake, and takes her place in the final on Thursday night.
The Jacqueline McCann-trained Kerrydale Bertie ran a fine race, only just failing to catch hot favourite Clares Angel as in another few strides he was well up in the final of the A4/5 stake
At Waterford on Saturday night the in-form Tagalong dogs owned by Dermot Flynn (Enniscorthy) enjoyed a fine first and last race double when his Tagalong Róisín led everywhere to score by two lengths in 29.29 in race one, and then the giant Tagalong Hawkeye scored his tenth race win when going to the lead by the third bend and scoring in 29.13 in race ten.
In race two owner John Roche (Barntown) also had a good win when his Kingsmill Flow came from off the pace to get up in the shadow of the post to score by the minimum distance in a time of 29.40.
Trainer Nick Turner also got a win in race five when Silver Star led and ran on well to break her duck at the fifth time of asking in a time of 29.89. Darren Spinks and Brett Kennedy are the lucky owners.