Lots of drama at Bettyville
placings - very good news for the Wexford trainer and his owners, The Cool Boy Partnership. Dooly has been doing quite well since he set up in Courtnacuddy in 2013 with his wife Jennifer, having gained early experience with the Coolmore operation here in Ireland and in the United States.
Wexford connections were to the fore in the final two-mile mares’ bumper also, with the regular point-to-point pairing of trainer Colin Bowe from Kiltealy and rider Barry O’Neill from Ballindaggin having an all-the-way success at 3/1 on Golden Flowerpower, owned by Margaret Kavanagh.
It was a well-judged front-running ride by O’Neill to score by a comfortable eight lengths from Declan Queally on Tom Hogan’s Cant Wait, well backed in from 4/1 to 9/4 favourite.
Race two, the three-mile maiden hurdle, also produced a Wexford success for jockey Seán Flanagan from Palace East on trainer Noel Meade’s Red Giant, backed in from 6/1 to 5/2 favourite.
He had replaced Liz Doyle’s Emma Beag, ridden by Brian O’Connell, at the top of the betting and the punters got it right.
Having briefly looked in trouble in the back straight, Flanagan shook up Red Giant and he asserted up the finishing hill to win impressively by eight lengths from Doyle’s horse.
The punters got it right in the first race also, the 188BET two and a half mile maiden hurdle, with Robbie Power winning on wellbacked even-money favourite, Bright Tomorrow, trained by Jessica Harrington. Cradle Mountain (2/1) was second, ridden by Jodie McGarvey for Joseph O’Brien, son of Aidan. Man of Conquest, owned by Jim Bolger’s wife, Jackie, was third at 33/1.
It was a big night for seven-pound claimer Katie O’Farrell from Kilkenny who won the two and a quarter miles handicap hurdle on her mother’s Star of Angels for Shark Hanlon.
Among those she beat was her brother, Conor, well back on Jacksey’s Well. Second was Ted (33/1), ridden by Brian O’Connell for Tinahely’s Philip Rothwell, and third was Teacher’s Pet (7/1) under Luke Dempsey.
In the mares’ beginners’ chase, Mark Bolger made all on My Betty (7/1), trained by Peter Croke from Glenealy in Wicklow.
He won from Gordon Elliott’s Isabella Liberty (2/1), ridden by Luke Dempsey, and Thanks for Tea (16/1) under Brian Hayes. The disappointment here was heavily-backed favourite, Queen Alphabet (11/10); Davy Russell’s only ride of the night was fourth.
Lily the Lioness (7/2 favourite) was a good winner of the €16,500 handicap chase, under Brian O’Connell for Garret James Power from Windgap, Kilkenny, from Wither Hills (12/1) under Robbie Colgan, and Liberty’s Gift (8/1), ridden by Patrick Corbett.
The drama here was at the second-last fence in front of the stand when Colm Murphy’s Mister Hotelier (7/1) was still in contention under young Niall Prendergast when he ducked left approaching the fence and crashed out through the wing.
It was nasty looking, but jockey and horse were okay.
The next meeting at Wexford is scheduled for Friday evening, July 1. THE SOUTH-EAST skittle league which is made up of eight Senior and six Junior teams has seen round one completed in the last week.
In the Senior games, the St. Leonards team and Frank Jordan’s of Rathangan are on equal points of 23. These two teams have made it to the final every year since the league began.
St. Leonards made the breakthrough last year and won for the first time. Only three points divides the next four teams at this stage in the games, namely Taylorstown, Clonmines, Doyle’s of Carrig-on-Bannow and Tallaught.
The final round is set to be an interesting and hard-fought battle between these four to reach the semi-finals. The top two teams (St. Leonards and Rathangan) should make it to this semi-final while only two more can join them.
Last year’s Junior winners, Power’s, who moved to the Senior grade, are on ten points followed by Saltmills on nine.
In the Junior section, Micko’s ‘A’ are on top with 20 points, followed by last year’s runner-up Mary Jo’s on 19.
Morrissey’s are on 15 with Colfer’s and Gusserane on twelve each. Micko’s ‘B’ are at the bottom on six points.
The individual challenge for skittler of the year is already in progress with many taking a keen interest. Can Mick Carty hold onto his title and make it three-in-a-row?
He has a hard task ahead as there are many talented skittlers eager to take the title this year.