A fitting tribute to late Willie
THERE was a large gathering of family, friends and former colleagues at Dundalk Stadium on Friday night to remember with love and respect the late Willie Buckley, a popular and greatly-valued member of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s Security Team who tragically passed away whilst working at Dundalk on March 1st last year.
There were smiles amongst the tears as Willie was recalled, and thunderous applause went up in tribute to him from the crowd gathered by the winner’s enclosure.
A further tribute came with the participating jockeys assembling for pre-race pictures with Willie’s family and friends on the track’s presentation podium.
It was then somewhat fitting that a horse trained by Michael Halford won the Willie Buckley Memorial Maiden as members of Michael’s family had lived in the same street as Willie when he was a child. It was also fitting that the horse in question, Kerandi, who is owned by His Highness The Aga Khan, looks talented.
In the hands of Ronan Whelan, the well-supported 9/4 second-favourite kept on well in the closing stages of the mile contest to win by half-a-length from another newcomer, the Andy Slattery-trained Kushkame, with yet another debutant, Fifth Fleet, a Joseph O’Brientrained son of 2015 American Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, showing good promise in third.
Ronan went on to complete a double – from his only two rides on the card - when Plum Perfect (5/4fav) gained reward for consistency when comfortably landing the Floodlit Fridays Continue At Dundalk Stadium Maiden for Tracey Collins.
As a grand-daughter of Chelsea Rose, a Group 1-winner that has produced four winners, including the 2018 English St Leger winner Kew Gardens, Plum Perfect, who is owned and was bred by Mrs AJ (Frances) Donnelly (as was Chelsea Rose), has a lovely pedigree so her win adds substantially to her value as a broodmare.
Also landing a double on the card was Donagh O’Connor. Firstly, the John McConnell-trained Happaugue (5/6fav) followed up his course-and-distance win of January 3rd and justified short odds in the Crowne Plaza Dundalk Race & Stay Apprentice Handicap, and then Kinch (3/1joint-fav) rallied gamely in the jockey’s hands to get up virtually on the winning line in the Love Your Mum At The Races 20th and 21st March Handicap to win by a head.
Winning trained Johnny Levins said: “I’m absolutely delighted for (owner) Jonny Hayes (who plays Scottish Premiership football for champions Celtic), who has been supporting the yard for the last eight or nine months. To reward the owners is brilliant, and Donagh gave him a brilliant ride.”
“He’s a right horse. He has a lot of class and natural ability,” said winning trainer Denis Hogan after Sceptical continued his impressive rise up the ratings in running away with the card’s opening race, the View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Handicap in the hands of apprentice rider Joey Sheridan.
The winning distance was 6.5 lengths for a horse that owner James McAuley picked up for £2,800 last August and is now heading for the hugely-valuable All Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park on April 10th.
There were plenty of claims submitted for the Ger Lyons-trained Corvus Glaive (7/1), who, ridden by Billy Lee and fitted with blinkers for the first time, ran out a three-length winner of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race. Owned and bred by Ronnie Boland, the winner is bound for France, having been acquired for new owner David Haddrell.
Ironically, Ger’s stable jockey Colin Keane was on board the runner-up, Eglish, who was sent off as the 4/6 favourite for the seven-furlong contest.
Racing for trainer Noel Kelly for the second time, and over tonight’s trip of 12 furlongs for the first time, Sayesse (14/1), just got the better of a good tussle with five-time Dundalk winner, Jon Ess, and Cautious Approach, who won on her first try at tonight’s trip last Friday at Dundalk, to land the Craic At The Track 13th and 14th March Handicap in the hands of Joe Doyle for owners the Hasson Syndicate.
LightningStrikesAgain
The card’s finale saw the John Feane-trained Lightning Charlie (12/1) get up in the shadow of the post to defy the game Billyfairplay (11/4fav) by a short head in the Winter Series Awards Day 4th April Handicap.
Up until last Friday, Billyfairplay had been trained by John, but is now with Denis Hogan. He won a claimer that night when owned by Dundalk Bay Sea Foods Limited, who, along with Darren Sheridan, also just happen to be the owners of Lightning Charlie.
Lightning Charlie had also won on his first run for the owners, also at Dundalk, on January 31st so you could say that lightning has struck twice at Dundalk.
Dundalk will race again on Friday March 13th when an eight race card will begin at 5:15pm.
The Stadium gates will be opening earlier than usual because it is Cheltenham Gold Cup day at the Cheltenham Festival, with that race being staged at 3:30pm.
Get to Dundalk before the Gold Cup is run and you will gain free admission to the Stadium and, also, receive a free pint of Bulmers (their makers, Magners, sponsor the Cheltenham Gold Cup) and a burger. The Bar One Racing oncourse betting shop will be open from 1pm on the day.