It’s been a busy week for Waterford Racing Club. The club had a huge turnout for the popular Bobby Power Memorial, hosted by our neighbours in Carrick on St Patrick’s day. It was a productive day for the club with Robin Kelly and Daniel Merriman both making it into the prizes in 6th and 8th places respectively.

The main event however was the Des Hanlon Memorial in Co. Carlow. At one hundred miles long with not a flat road in sight this is arguably the toughest and most prestigious race on the Irish domestic calendar as evidenced by an enormous turnout of more than 500 riders. Robin Kelly, normally a sprinter rather than a climber had his work was cut out for him if he was to maintain his extraordinary run of finishing in the prizes in every single elite race that he has finished in 2015 so far. However we are very proud to report that Robin’s record remains intact following an incredible race where following a brutal war of attrition he was beaten only by two specialist climbers who were riding in the professional ranks last year to take the third and final podium place.

Meanwhile, it was a historic day for our newly formed ladies racing team. Martina Cronin and Emma Walsh were our representatives and they weren’t there to make up the numbers. Emma was one of the main protagonists on the day and created the breakaway that would eventually contest the prize placings before eventually finishing in 6th place to score our first ever prizes and points in ladies racing. Well done Emma.

Double for Elliott and Condon at Downpatrick

Davy Condon shared two winners with trainer Gordon Elliott at Downpatrick on Sunday where their haul included success in the featured Ulster Grand National. The pair combined to win the big one with Riverside City who got up in the closing stages to deny the locally-trained Man With Van and the winner will go for a similar race at the Punchestown Festival. Condon and Elliott had earlier won the rated hurdle with Knight’s Parade who was adding to his win in the charity race at the Cheltenham Festival. The race was marred by the injury suffered to Barry Geraghty who suffered a hairline fracture of his left leg in a fall from Sailors Warn. Brothers Ger and Anthony Fox fought out the finish to the 2m5f handicap chase with Ger winning out on the Pater Kavanagh-trained Town Pond. Also over fences, Lord Fingal made all the running to win the hunters’ chase for trainer Jim Dreaper and the seven-year-old was giving Steven Clements his second winner in as many days. The Ted Walsh-trained Salsa Sensation ran out the easy winner of the opening maiden hurdle giving Ruby Walsh a winner on his only ride of the day. Another father and son combination to enjoy a winner were Adrian and Finny Maguire who won the bumper with Celldomfed. The Mark McNiff-trained Feel The Air ran out a good winner of the 2m2f handicap hurdle under 3lbs claimer Derek Fox.

Upcoming Fixtures

Cork – Thursday 26th March (First Race 3.00)

Dundalk – Friday 27th March (First Race 6.05)

Navan – Saturday 28th March (First Race 2.15)

Curragh – Sunday 29th March (First Race2.10)

Limerick – Sunday 29th March (First Race 2.25)

Town Clock Is Certainly Not Slow

Not for the first time in Kilcohan Park the Track Bookmakers Getting Out 525 provided the fastest winner on view with the James Coogan owned and Sean Dooley trained Town Clock the 1/1favourite making every post a winning one in a cracking 28.46.Coming away from trap three as if his life depended on it Town Clock had the opposition on the rack from the start. To be fair to the runner up Kiltrea Roisin she ran a smasher on her return to race action but Town Clock was not slowing down up front eventually hitting the winning line with three and a half lengths to spare over ‘Kiltrea’.