Horgan Cup goes to Cuine Edge in Abbeydorney

CUINE Edge (Mafi Magic/ Beautys Grace) was a worthy winner of the Horgan Cup at the Abbeydorney Meeting held in Lixnaw last weekend. The wily veteran, who began his career with a win in a Duffer Stake at the same meeting back in ’16, held off the challenge of the fancied Slan Abhaile in the final course.

Owned by Jermiah Dennehy from Tralee, Cuine Edge was best priced 3/1 with eight remaining in the hunt at the quarter-final stage. Having easily accounted for Glin Syn Bond by three lengths, the winner went straight through to the deciding course following the withdrawal of Mystery leader. Slan Abhaile enjoyed a similar route as his opponent Fun Bobby was also an absentee from the penultimate round. Slan Abhaile was the favourite going to slips for the deciding course; however he played second fiddle throughout the buckle to the winner who stayed on gamely from halfway to record a one-length success.

While all eyes were on the reigning Oaks winner Ballymac Enya in the All Age Bitch event, it was kennel companion Ballymac Meena who grabbed the headlines by bagging the points. The Liam Dowling owned runner really stamped her authority on the Stake when coming through a terrific battle against the Dan Brassil trained Southofhere in the penultimate round. Having made the early running, Ballymac Meena found herself behind on the rising ground. However she showed extreme resilience to challenge her rival late on and finished much the stronger to record a one- length success.

The daughter of Ballymac Best and Ballymac Adelpha was the well fancied 1/4 favourite in the final against Misty All In and the stylish fawn showed her class throughout the buckle to record a threelength success.

Special Rambler (Adios Alonso/ Snap And Chat) was an exciting winner of the Derby Trial Stake and enters the Classic market at 16/1. Owned by Denis Holly, the April whelp dominated the early rounds of the competition and was a clear 2/5 favourite by the semi-final stage.

The Kevin Barry trained runner progressed to the final by easily accounting for Big Jim by three lengths having led throughout. He needed to be at his best in the final however as the Paudie Lyons trained Iniesta pushed him to the limit in a thrilling finale. Indeed Lyons’s charge was first to show leaving slip but Special Rambler took up the running passing halfway. Iniesta came back to challenge the winner late on however he could never get on terms and went down by a length.

Crafty Kazoo (Crafty Pedro/Crafty Pinero) swooped late to deny the Patsy Joy owned Nearly Over Now to claim the Oaks ticket. The latter was smartly away from slips to open an early advantage but the winner loomed large as the pair climbed the testing incline. The winner finished much the better and pulled out a half length advantage which proved decisive by the opening turn.

Owned and trained by the Divilly Family

Syndicate from Claregalway, the May whelp earns an introductory price of 20/1 for this season’s Oaks.

The Local Stake was won by the fast finishing Fire Height Sean (Tyrur Big Mike/ Redzer Ruby) who produced a big run from halfway to deny the early leader Mountain Hilside by a length. The winner is owned by Brendan Maunsell.

The action switches to Newcastlewest next weekend with the local club running a joint meeting with its neighbouring club, Rathkeale. The action gets underway at 11am on Friday with the opening day of the Rathkeale meeting.

Photo by David O’Sullivan Mary and Jermiah Dennehy receiving the cup from David Power and the Horgan family, sponsor of the cup, after Jermiah’s dog, Cuine Edge, won the Derby Trial Stakes at Lixnaw coursing last Sunday.