EOIN Murphy and Micheal O'Mahony both drove two winners each at The Cornfield Oval at Manch on Saturday afternoon.
Murphy is retained by IB Stables in Baltimore and his two winners came from that yard. In the top-grade trot Hestia Malex went for glory early and led the opening lap. On the final circuit he was coming back to the field with two furlongs to trot. Turning for home he was still four lengths in front but was running out of gas and Murphy produced Comete Des Landes in the final 100 yards to head the leader and win by a length and a half. The winner was following up from his victory in the Richard Phelan Memorial final the previous weekend.
Murphy used different tactics in the top-grade pace where he sent IB Paddington to the front from the start, dropped anchor in front and quickened in the final quarter of a mile to lead home Getmeoutofhere by two lengths.
Micheal O’Mahony from Schull also secured a brace of winners. In the Grade F & E trot, High Speed Efbe led early from Inspire Me. It remained the same down the back straight with Empereur Souverain, with O’Mahony in the seat, getting closer. When the front runners both went off stride this allowed Empereur Souverain to move clear and he duly obliged by ten lengths from Hippie Sisu. Niall Forbes, originally from Drimoleague but now based in Leap, owns and trains the winner.
O’Mahony completed his double in the very next race with Christy Brown for another Schull native, Liam O’Brien. The winner set all the right fractions up front and despite a late rally by Ayr Harbour, he was a length and a half clear at the finish.
‘This is his fourth win from six starts this year and I don't think we have got to the bottom of him yet,’ remarked winner trainer Conor Hurley from Reenascreena.
Pan Cam Dynasty gave Macroom driver Luke Kelleher an armchair drive in the Grade G1 & G2 Pace. Kelleher set this son of Foreclosure alight from the gate to lead Benny the Legend. He was always in control and recorded the fastest time of the day in his length and a half win.
Speederosa broke his maiden tag in the opening Grade G Pace for the Limerick/ Clare-based John Cross and Pat Crawford. The Cornfield Oval in Manch is a very unique venue with the back straight of the track bordered by a glowing crop of barley and the venue for racing again next Saturday, 27th, with a 2.30pm start time.
