BY TIM KELLEHER
THE two-day Ballabuidhe Festival of Harness Racing drew bumper crowds to Droumleena Lawn in Dunmanway.
The Murphys Stout/Hurley & White Grand Prix and The Paddy Connolly Memorial Trot were the features on Sunday. In the grand prix, Get Me Out Of Here looked destined to land the big prize until Troy McCleer produced Newtown Major to lead turning for home, and collected the money for a second year running.
The Paddy Connolly Memorial Trot produced a classic renewal, as Helios De Lara took advantage of a mistake on the final corner by Comete Des Landes, and went on to win for Aiden Caffrey and Craig Pidgeon from Swords in Dublin. Sean Kane drove the winner.
The Free For All Trot, as scripted, was a battle between Graal Du Dollar and Duc D'Arry, with the former taking the spoils – Jamie Hurley was in the bike for the John O’Sullivan owned gelding. Also, the Free for All Pace went to Antrim-based Lawrence Stewart with Always Skye.
Mike O’Mahony from Schull drove two winners on the day. Firstly, he had Shut The Front Door in pole position to land the spoils for Bandon-based Liam Power in the Grade G1 & G2 Pace. Twenty minutes later, O’Mahony teamed up with the Pete Hill-owned Humour De Cosse to win the Grade F & E Trot.
Also, there was a win for Chris O’Reilly on Still Game, a welcome return to form after a promising debut in Lyre in June.
Sunday provided a driving double for Drimoleague-based Matthew O’Reilly, both for his father Tadhg. In the Grade C & B Pace, O’Reilly and Get Me Out Of Here won by six lengths. He had earlier steered Spartan Warrior to victory in the Grade F Pace.
‘It’s great to win a race here in Ballabuidhe but to get two winners is a great boost for us. Get Me Out Of Here has been a great servant for us and despite a few niggling problems he was spot on today,’ winning driver Matthew O’Reilly said.
Hippie Sisu, jointly owned by Enniskeane publican Angelo Hannon and the IB Stables in Baltimore, has been the bridesmaid on several occasions this season and got an overdue success in the Grade F Trot. Eoin Murphy was patient with the winner, hitting the front on the final corner to lead home Fandango de Nile.
Dublin-owned Newtown Major, with Troy McAleer in the bike, has had a love affair with the Dunmanway venue and he produced another top-drawer performance when landing the odds in the Grade E & D Pace.
One Cool Touch was another winner for the large Dublin contingent in attendance. Also, the Loughran Brothers from Louth made the long journey down a winning one when I Want You Back impressively won the Grade C & B trot.
Immodesto, who was unplaced in Lyre the previous week, bounced back to top form when landing the Grade E & D Trot, and gave Kenmare-based owner Finbarr Quill the win.
Pete Hill, from Leap, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the weekend and Hallow Way Road ensured a double celebration for Hill – the eight-year-old came off a 40-yard handicap to reel in Ilda Manchotte in the Grade D & B Trot. Patrick Hill drove the winner, who was bred by the Hill Family at their Hillside Farms base just outside Leap village.
