The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Sunday SIS double for Ballyduff trainer Houlihan
CON Guiney, of Meelin, Co Cork, is well known for his exploits up the coursing field, but he can be a right good operator around the track as well, and he proved that in a big way at Sunday’s SIS meeting at the Oakview venue when his charge, Hillroad Apollo, clocked a fabulous 28.43 in winning the fourth race (A1 525).
Hillroad Apollo was the 5/2 favourite with the three bookmakers in attendance, Berkie Browne, and father and son, Broddy and Kieran Bourke. After leading off the first bend from a trap 5 draw, he wound up beating the strong-finishing Connies Table by two lengths.
It wasn’t just the best run of the night, it was the best run of the week. Before this, Hillroad Apollo would have been eligible for the Dowling A1 570 sweepstake which starts this Friday night, but it’s very much open class for him now.
The meeting also featured a quick-fire double for Ballyduff trainer, Chris Houlihan, who won the second race (A4 525) in 29.00 with Cashen Tatyana and immediately followed up by winning the third race (A3 525) in 29.13 with Cashen Maffeo, the respective prices being 7/4 (fav) and 9/4.
Winner of the eighth race in 28.82 was Lone Control, while the other winners were Garfineys Hero (29.15), Millridge Emma (29.23), Clohur Abigail (29.06) and Black
Secret (29.37).
Meanwhile last Saturday night, the fastest winner was Barnagrane James, which won the second race (ON3 525) in 28.93 (.10 slow) for Paudie O’Keeffe, of Charleville. This fellow was even-money favourite with the only bookmaker in attendance, Kieran Bourke, and he won by a length and a half from the locally-owned Be Ambitious.
Six spots behind Barnagrane James in the eighth race, on 28.99, was Lissycasey Roy, which won by two lengths from Feora Ella, and his owner, Jayne Donlon, of Listowel, also won the fifth race in 29.44 with a litter brother, Lissycasey Harry, which short-headed Caspian Bleu in a terrific finish. Both races were for A3 class.
Another Listowel owner, Patrick McCarthy, followed up Friday’s victory of Bonnie Lass by scoring with Bonnie Vic, which decisively won the third race (A9/ A10) in 29.71, while there was a run of 17.91 (.05) over the sprint distance (S4 325) by the Ger Reidy-trained Butlers Blake.
The Chris Houlihan-trained Cashen Dolphin enjoyed the huge winning margin of ten and a half lengths in winning the seventh race (A4 525) in 29.02, while the other winners were Ballyglen Model (18.94), Clorane Arthur (29.75), Gulleen Star (29.26) and Spirit Invincible (29.58).