The inaugural running of the Oakwood Stud Irish Three Year Old Grass Pacing Championship which will take place on the 20th and 21st August 2016 as part of The Red John O Donovan Memorial Weekend at Manch Raceway in West Cork has attracted an entry of 11 pacers (Five Fillies and Six Colts).
“We were hoping to get around ten entries as this is the first year of the event so I Suppose we have achieved our target “said Tim Kelleher one of the organisers .” Derek Delaney of Oakwood Stud and organiser of The Vincent Delaney Memorial rang me in December and threw the idea into my head about staging an aged classic race on grass in Cork .That set the wheels in motion and we came up with the three year old grass championship and with generous sponsorship from Derek and his brother James we pencilled in the event to compliment the Red John Memorial Day and now it has become a two day event ” added Kelleher.
11 regally bred pacers have been nominated for the event and here is a quick run through them firstly the fillies
- OAKWOOD DESTINY (Western Terror/Olympic Sign)
- LAKEVIEW PANAM (Cams Security/Meadowbranch Panam)
- CAMMIES CONQUEST (Arts Conquest/Cammies Arrow)
- WEST END DAKOTA (Kikicolt/Magical Bell)
- RIVER DANCE HANOVER (The Panderosa/Super Sonic Speed)
The six colts nominated
- MEADOWBRANCH ROMAN (Kikicolt/Meadowbranch Niche)
- BRYWINS MAGICAN (Share The Delight/Lifes Magic Girl)
- IB A MAGICAN (Arts Conquest/Jill and Jones)
- HILLSIDE AUERILIUS (Cams Security/Meadowbranch Katie)
- PAN CAM MYSTERY (Judge Cam/Stoneriggs Vanity)
- COALFORD BRUCE (Rogue Hall/Blackwell Minogue)
Only two of the eleven entries raced as two year olds .Meadowbranch Roman owned by Dubliner JP O Callaghan qualified for the 2015 Vincent Delaney Final and Oakwood Destiny who was second in the North Wales Horse Owners Association 2 year old fillies but suffered a minor injury and was left out to grass.
IB A Magican is a son of Jill And Jones a classic winner here in Cork and comes from the IB Stable Facility in Baltimore .Hillside Farms are represented by Hillside Aurelius who is a half brother of Hail Spartacus another free for aller in Cork .His sire Cams Security who stands at the Lakeview Stud less than a mile from Hillside is also the sire of Lakeview Panam and Lakeview Stud owner John Shanahan has Coalford Bruce in the line up .
Pan Cam Mystery comes from the same line as the great Stoneriggs Mystery and qualified on grass last season but was another left off to develop. C & C Racing from Co Clare have two in the mix River Dance Hanover and Cammies Conquest .
Thomas Bennett from Dublin has been a regular visitor to Cork for many years and West End Dakota is entered from the popular Crumlin Native .
Brywins Magican is trained in the UK by the formidable John Gill and adds an international spice to the field.
The next nomination is April 14th but the majority of owners have paid both fees and if the eleven pacers were to stand their ground on August 20th two heats will be held one for both fillies and colts with four from each heat going forward to Sundays final.
With The Vincent Delaney Memorial Weekend taking place the week previous (12th/13th &14th August) many overseas visitors will be able to make the trip to West Cork and take in a carnival of harness racing on turf .
The weekend is in memory of the late “Red “John O Donovan who died tragically in January 2015 and who was a dedicated member of the ITHRF and The Red John Flying Mile Handicap is the main event of the weekend with heats and final .
The PJI Engineering Miracle Mile Free For All ,The Le Trot Grand Criterium Grass Championship are also down for decision on the weekend with a full supporting program of racing on both days .
So pull out your calendar and pencil in August 20th & 21st for this weekend of top class harness racing .
Manch Raceway is located less than an hour from both Cork International Airport and Cork Ferry Port and is at the gateway to the famed Wild Atlantic Way
