BY TIM KELLEHER
MIKE O’Mahony from Schull was the leading driver on the day, driving a brace of winners at Lyre.
In the Grade G & G1 Pace, Oakwood Dezzie was the punters’ choice. Totally Riley led the opening half-mile from Still Game. On the back straight with two furlongs to pace, O’Mahony produced Day Tripper to burst clear and went on to win by eight lengths on his Irish debut, from Still Game with Oakwood Dezzie finishing a length further back in third. The winner is owned by Mike Healy from Dunmanway and trained by Conor Hurley in Reenascreena. A funny twist is that Day Tripper was bred in Wales by Will Evans whose daughter Kayleigh is the partner of the winning driver.
O’Mahony completed his brace on Sexxy Socks for Leap-based owner Micheal O’Donovan. Down By Crecora was looking for his third win of the season and led early doors. Again, it was a sensible pace in the conditions and in a sprint finish Sexxy Socks joined issue and ran out a four-length winner. It was a poignant success for O’Donovan as his mother Patsy was buried early in the week.
Duc D’Arry returned to winning ways for Drimoleague native Denis O’Reilly in the Grade D & C Trot. Humour De Cosse was the early leader, but O’Reilly was not hanging about and took up the running on the second lap of three which saw the start of a massive thunderstorm with viewing limited for spectators and drivers alike. Not the weather nor his five rivals were not going to stop the 12-year-old from recording a 13-length victory.
‘He was a bit off-form the last few weeks but gave me a great feeling warming-up, so I knew we were in business today,’ O’Reilly said.
Destin De Larre has been a great servant for the Quill family from Kenmare and notched up another win in the ultra-competitive Grade F & E Trot, winning by a length from Hippie Sisu.
John Boyle from Doneraile had two runners in the top-grade pace and the 83-year-old donned his race colours, coming out of ‘semi-retirement’ to land the spoils on Streams of Whiskey, with his grandson Robbie Maguire on IB Felicity, who finished second.
Graal Du Dollar was all the rage despite a 40-yard handicap in the concluding Grade B & A Trot, but Fairplay Briolais, driven by Dan O’Mahony, ran away from the field, giving Comete Des Landes a 20-length beating. The winner is owned by Jeremiah O’Mahony from Dunmanway.
Racing moves to Dunmanway on Sunday, 22nd, for the George Deane Memorial Day at the Ballabiudhe track.
