Winners continue to flow for Limerick racing connections

Shoot First and Melissa Murphy with Ballingarry trainer Charles Byrnes and winning jockey Ambrose McCurtin at Tipperary on Thursday Picture: Caroline Norris/Racing Post

SHANAGOLDEN jockey Chris Hayes and local trainer Luke Comer combined to win the second division of the eight-furlong handicap with Sod’s Law as the Bellewstown summer festival began on Thursday. In the trainer’s own colours, the well-backed 12/1 chance led late on to beat Michael Mulvany’s Take My Hand by half a length with the Tom McCourt-trained Philly’s Hope the same distance away in third place.

On the same evening, the Charles Byrnes-trained Shoot First ran out an easy winner of the two and a half-mile maiden hurdle at Tipperary. Owned by the Dubai Cowboys and ridden by Ambrose McCurtin, the six-year-old had loads in hand as he beat Tom Gibney’s Mr Saxobeat by three and a quarter lengths at odds of 11/2.

Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee rode winners for Kildare trainer Andrew Kinirons and Willie McCreery at Bellewstown on Friday. Mary Salome, owned and trained by Newbridge-based Kinirons, won the eight-furlong handicap at odds of 4/1 when making light of an unfavourable wide draw to score by half a length from the Keith Clarke-trained Tara Power.

Lee followed up straight away when winning the five-furlong maiden on the McCreery-trained Are We Dreaming. The 6/5 favourite led inside the final furlong and was well on top at the line when beating the Kevin Coleman-trained Shoebox King by a length and a quarter. Wesley Joyce gave county Offaly trainer Joseph Murray his second success when partnering Mass Gathering to a comfortable win in the five-furlong handicap.

The Lios Dearg Partnership-owned 8/1 chance raced clear of his rivals over a furlong from the finish to score by three and a half lengths from the Michael Mulvany-trained Kilonova. Castlemahon jockey Mark Enright took the session’s final as Rock On Pedro led late on to capture the 12-furlong handicap.

Trained by Eoin Doyle, the 25/1 shot headed the front-running Duleek Street in the shadow of the post to score by half a length in the colours of the Suir Valley Syndicate.

The in-form Lee brought his tally for the season to 49 winners with success for another Kildare-based trainer at Naas on Saturday. He won the seven-furlong conditions’ race on the Ken Condon-trained Warren Beach, the Roving Swan Partnership-owned three-year-old making much of the running to beat Ger Lyons’ Corporal Violette by four and a half lengths, a win that saw Lee end the week with a four-winner lead over Colin Keane in the jockeys’ championship.

Mark McDonagh was among winners at Bellewstown on Saturday evening where he teamed up County Kildare trainer Mark Fahey to take second division of the opportunity handicap hurdle on the six-year-old Inforapenny. The 11/4 favourite, owned and bred by Pat McCarthy, led after the final hurdle to beat the Paul Stafford-trained Well Joey by a length and a half.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Fairyhouse – Wednesday, July 6 (First Race 5.25pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, July 7 (First Race 5.30pm)

Limerick – Thursday, July 7 (First Race 5.15pm)

Kilbeggan – Friday, July 8 (First Race 5.20pm)

Cork – Friday, July 8 (First Race 5.05pm)

Navan – Saturday, July 9 (First Race 1.37pm)

Fairyhouse – Sunday, July 10 (First Race 1.55pm)

Sligo – Sunday, July 10 (First Race 1.35pm)