BY TIM KELLEHER
JUST over a month after giving birth to her baby daughter, Charlie Flanagan was back in the sulky and gave a master-class winning drive on Immodesto in the first Cork leg of the IHRA National Apprentice Trot series at Lyre on Saturday afternoon.
Flanagan and Immodesto made their move in the last two furlongs, and in the final 100 yards got up on the line to deny Hippie Sisu by a length with Humour De Cosse back in third. The winner is owned by Finbarr Quill from Kenmare.
‘Rosemary Elizabeth was born in early May and is named after Oisin's (her partner) late mother and my own mother. This is her first-ever time at the races and I'm delighted she was here to cheer me on,’ Flanagan beamed after her winner.
Charlie Flanagan with her partner Oisin Quill and baby Rosemary after winning the apprentice trot with Immodesto.
Donal Murphy from Baltimore, who in recent times has handed over the driving duties at the IB Stables to his nephew Eoin, donned his famous green and white colours that made him champion driver on several occasions and showed all of the old sparkle when driving two winners on the day.
In the Grade G & G1 pace, Murphy produced IB Espresso with an impeccable-timed run to win by a head. Murphy completed his double in the concluding Grade D C & B pace – Teddy Camden was all the rage in the betting and was in front after half a lap from the early leader IB Felicity, but Murphy and IB Paddington timed their run to grab victory by a neck from Biggins. The handicapper must have been happy with two lengths separating the first four home.
‘I'm kind of taking a back seat with the driving as Eoin is our first choice but I was happy to step in for the ‘spare’ drives,’ Murphy said, as modest as ever.
Nephew Eoin Murphy was not to be out done by his uncle and steered Comete Des Landes to his fourth win of the season. All three – IB Espresso, IB Paddington and Comete Des Landes – are trained by Tadhg Murphy.
Get Me Out Of Here was reunited with his usual partner Matthew O’Reilly and made light work of his rivals, running them ragged to win by 12 lengths to follow up on his previous win two weeks ago. Also, Brutenor for Pete Hill was another to impress in the Grade F E & D Trot. Given the office early by driver Patrick Hill he never looked in any danger beating Irish Good Dream by two lengths. Racing continues on Saturday.
