SHANAHOE REVIVAL A GREAT SUCCESS WITH DOUBLES FOR BOTH DANNY AND ROSSA! Shanahoe County Laois was the latest venue for horse and pony racing on Sunday last and what a success it was for the local committee there. To all involved well done as it was a top class meeting and a special word of thanks goes to Caroline Mills and Seamus Bergin for the hard work they put in to get this meeting back on the calendar. It was a lovely setting and the layout of this oval right handed track was excellent and was praised by everyone involved. To all the sponsors without who’s financial assistance it would not have been possible for the meeting to go ahead. Also to the land owner Lionel Foot your generosity in making this lovely setting available for the racing on the day was greatly appreciated by all those involved in any way. A big galloping right handed circuit of about five and half furlongs round was a fair test on all those involved and the rain fall made it more testing in the later horse races. In all over one hundred animals ran and there were some very close finishes which kept the judges busy with doubles on the day for Danny Sheehy and Rossa Ryan . Sheehy continues to be king of the pony classes and again showed great strength in plate for one so young to secure his double. Raynuso the new wonder pony in the 13.2 class continued his winning ways with a hard fought victory over six furlongs. Coming off the final bend on the short run to the finish line Danny had to cajole the jolly with a late run to get up on the last stride to see off the long time leader Cheeky Charlie and Evan Daly by a head with Twinkle and Killian Leonard third. In the six runner 14 hands over a mile Danny and the Black Wolf were the hot pots but again was made work very hard for victory. Keep it Real and Rossa Ryan joined in at the drop of the flags and made it a real test of pace where a ding dong battle was served up with Sheehy’s urgings in the plate securing the double by a length at the finish and Twinkle( Killian Loenard) third. This double now moves Danny onto the thirteen winner mark for the season. Ryan also completed a double here and is really coming of age at this game. A great reader of pace and fractions he has also got the ability not to panic when things don’t go according to plan. In the first divide of the 14.2 hands pony race over a mile and quarter on the locally owned jolly Waratah lost a lot of ground after a bad start. However, Ryan never panicked and made up the lost lengths on the second lap and at the bell went for home. It was a decisive move as passing the judge Jack Kennedy had got Penny Lane to within a half a length of the winner with Blazing Glory getting a great spin from D. Bowen to take third place. In the 15 hands over the same distance Ryan showed great tact on Jekyll and Hyde where the ground conditions had changed with the rain that fell. Here Ryan took the rail position from the off and judged the fractions exactly right to increase the pace as needed and went on to see off all challengers at the finish line with both Patsy Shine and Liam Gilligan and Drive on George and Jack Dinsmore locked in a great struggle for the second place. They could not be divided and a dead heat for the second spot was the judge’s verdict. This puts Ryan on the seven winner mark for the campaign so far. Keith Moriarty was also among the winners courtesy of Donnacha’s Delight in the second divide of the mile. Here eleven went to post and at the two furlong from home mark Keith used all his skill to get a two length lead and approaching the short run in off the final bend had the others running on for minor places. They went on to win well and see off the fast finishing Euro King (Jack Kennedy) with Fox’s (Evan Daly) third. The two mile Shanahoe Derby saw Sean Corby show yet again how gifted he is in the plate. In the eight runner field, on the jolly What’s the Craic, Corby never had a moments worry in securing his twelfth winner of the season so far. It was a question of timing in this race and one which Corby executed to perfection. Once he decided to take it up on the final lap the others were running for minor places. This pair stayed on really well to see off a good run by the Quiet Man ( Rossa Ryan) who took the second with Shoudda-Wudda-Cudda and Jack Kennedy doing its best work late on to take third place. Jack Kennedy showed yet again why he is such a special talent. In the first divide of the mile on Omega Kennedy took it up at the drop of the flags and increased the fractions on the second lap. This pair were never troubled going on to win a shade easily from Peroni under Sean Corby who made up a lot of late headway after a bad start to take second with the long time leader Top Secret and Oisin Orr third. He is now on the twenty eight winner mark so far and has a commanding lead in all the jockey titles he is contesting. He is a very talented pilot and with time and luck can go all the way to the top inside the rails. Killian Leonard increased his tally to two winners when giving a great display of tactical ability on Chubby Chandler in the open horse race over a mile and quarter. The light rain that fell during the day made the ground on the easy side of good. In the thirteen runner field they took it up at the bell and stayed on really well to see off and repel the late surge of It Takes Time and Jack Kennedy with the recent Nenagh winner Athea Jake( Tommy Quaid0 staying third. Finny Maguire added to his tally courtesy of Oscar Del A Hoya in the concluding open horse race over a mile and half. Thirteen went to post here and Maguire had this fellow up in the van from the off. Never more than a length from the pace once Finny asked Oscar to quicken at the bell, they went on to make every post a winning one with Megan’s Star under Jack Kennedy running on for the second with Who Do U Think and Rossa Ryan third. Finny is now on the five winner mark. Luke Bleahan made it four winners for the season so far on Take That in the second divide of the 14.2 hands pony race. At the off, they sailed into the lead and were never in trouble all the way around making every post a winning one routing a good field of nine runners with the minimum of fuss. They passed the judge eased down with One of The Boys( Danny Sheehy) second and Don’t Tell Tom (Rossa Ryan) and The Sprout (Evan Daly) dead heating for third place. Luke continues to show class beyond his years and is a very capable pilot. The three runner local race over six furlongs saw Jock Thompson and Lottie record their first success when running on gamely to see off Commanche and Dylan Coffey at the finish. It was unlucky for Eoin Ellis on his own pony Bobby who had lead for most of the way but parted company at the two furlong mark when mounting a renewed challenge. But happily both were none the worst for this departure.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:44:10 +0000
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