Conway Tiger roars to victory in feature race at Ballygurteen

CONWAY Tiger, who was second on the opening day in Drimoleague, went one better in a keenly-contested featured Grade A Trot at the Ballygurteen Road Trotting Races.

CONWAY Tiger, who was second on the opening day in Drimoleague, went one better in a keenly-contested featured Grade A Trot at the Ballygurteen Road Trotting Races.

Meadowbranch McCoy, who won the Grade B last day out, opted up to the top grade and was sent off favourite.

Veteran racer On the Run made the running for the opening mile but jockey Deirdre Goggin sent Conway Tiger to the front with Meadowbranch McCoy close in second, and that’s how it finished after a fierce battle.

This was the second leg of a double for Goggin who earlier gave Mountain Dew Lad an assured ride, reeling in leader Glan Morgan in the final two furlongs to follow up on their opening day win.

Racing opened with a facile victory for Don’t Push Me, who had too much firepower for his four rivals to make it two wins from two starts on tarmac.

The Grade B went the way of Cams Decision, who ran out a five-length winner from Lyons Stallone; the latter seems to be improving with each start.

Lakeview Walter made the long journey down from Limerick a four-length winning one, as jockey Mossie Ahern opened his account for the season.

The Grade D attracted the largest field of the day with eight runners facing the starter. On paper this looked a competitive contest but Myross Son ran out an easy winner.

On Sunday, January 25th, the action moves to Skibbereen for one of the biggest days on the calendar, the annual memorial day, with another six-race programme.

Results

Novice (Donal McCarthy Memorial Cup): 1. J O’Reilly, Don’t Push Me, owner; 2. D O’Callaghan, Material Sally, M O’Reilly; 3. J O’Mahony, Lailas Boy, M Goggin Jnr. Distance 10l SH; SP 2/5 5/1 5/1; five ran.

Grade E (William O’Donovan Memorial Cup): 1. N Forbes, Mountain Dew Lad, Deirdre Goggin; 2. J O’Mahony, Glan Morgan, T O’Leary; 3. K Connolly, Talented Man, M O’Reilly. Distance 8l 6l; SP 2/1 2/1 6/4; five ran.

Grade B (Sean McCarthy Memorial Cup): 1. Shanahan/Brickley, Cams Decision, D Brickley; 2. O’Reilly/O’Driscoll, Lyons Stallone, J O’Reilly; 3. M Ahern, Lakeside Dragon; owner. Distance 5l 2l; SP 4/5 3/1 4/1; six ran.

Grade E (Denis Dullea Memorial Cup): 1. J Manning, Lakeview Walter, M Ahern; 2. N Forbes, Toys 4 Boys, T O’Leary; 3. Eachway Racing Ltd, Immortal Mojo, J O’Reilly. Distance 4l 4l; SP 4/6 4/1 6/4; five ran.

Grade D (Jeremiah Keohane Memorial Cup): 1. McCarthy/Twomey, Myross Son, M O’Reilly; 2. M Healy, Red Jackpot, Deirdre Goggin; 3. O’Reilly/Hurley, Beauty’s Harmony, J O’Reilly. Distance 4l 2l; SP 6/4 5/1 3/1; eight ran.

Grade A (Paddy Keohane Memorial Cup): 1. Deirdre Goggin, Conway Tiger, owner; 2. Shanahan Bros, Meadowbranch McCoy, C Brickley; Deasy/Hurley/Keohane, On the Run, J O’Reilly. Distance 2l 6l; SP 2/1 4/5 7/2; five ran.