BY TIM KELLEHER
SCHULL’S Mike O’Mahony and Troy McAleer from Dublin both drove two winners at the Old Chapel Memorial Day at Lyre.
The harness racing season in Cork has had a subdued start but the crowds turned out for the first of the big days in Lyre. Memorial Cups honouring deceased members of the Old Chapel Bandon Committee, a bastion for road racing, were on offer.
Mike O’Mahony has forged a great partnership with the Conor Hurley-trained Christy Brown and made it three wins in a row in The Mick Twomey and Donie Barry Memorial. Dimajio was away early and led to the final quarter. Anglesey Hall then took it up turning for home but in the blink of an eye Christy Brown hit the front and was eased down to a two-length winning score.
With Eoin Murphy on holidays O’Mahony came in for the ‘spare drive’ on IB Paddington in the PJ Collins Memorial. Last week's winner, Someone's Fantasy, tried to stretch the field and led for most of the journey but IB Paddington made his move in the final 100 yards to win by a modest length.
McAleer kicked off his brace in the opener with Lady Lou in The Brian Wilson Memorial. He completed his brace in the concluding John D Crowley Memorial with Newtown Major.
Inspire Me has, at times, been frustrating but when on her best behaviour is talented. Kieran O’Driscoll gave her the lead early and despite the best efforts of race favourite Comete Des Landes, Inspire Me got her day in the sun. The winner is owned by John and Vincent Healy from Dunmanway and TJ O’Farrell from Togher.
Dan O’Mahony, another Dunmanway native recently returned from Australia, drove his first winner on home soil, leading all the way with High Speed Efbe in the Paddy Desmond and Jerry O’Mahony Cup. Out and gone, he never saw another rival; he led home Hippie Sisu by three lengths.
The Deceased Members Cup for top grade trotters produced one of the best finishes of the day – Duc D'Arry held on by a neck to win from Graal Du Dollar, who won in Dunmanway.
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Drimoleague’s Fionn O’Reilly, a nephew of Denis O’Reilly and the son of Chris and Helen, was in the news this week. After his parents were on holiday in the USA last year they arranged for Fionn to go to John McDermott in Goshen, New Jersey for the summer. O’Reilly has been ‘jogging’ horses in Goshen Raceway and on Saturday got a taste of the famous Meadowlands Raceway In New Jersey. No doubt he will get his chance to drive in a race at The ‘Big M’.
