COORACLARE’s Seamus McMahon recorded a double victory in Galway with Paradise Honk and Lissatouk Pearl tasting successs in Galway.
Friday night’s Galway card the A1 graded eighth contest over 525 yards as its feature event on a night that saw owner Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare enjoy success on the double.
As the runners went to traps for the feature event, Breaghmore Joeys headed the market but it was the trap three runner Paradise Honk that came away best and led the field to the opening bend where the striped jacketed Lissatouk Robbie ran right round his rivals to take command entering the back straight. Striding out well down towards the halfway mark the Seamus McMahon of Cooraclare owned son of Deerjet Sydney and Lissatouk Peggy had all rivals on the stretch as he thundered towards the end of the back straight and maintaining a wide route between the final to bends he eased home six lengths clear of Portumna Amber in a time of 29.10.
This completed the kennel double which had been initiated in the A5 graded fifth contest where having been headed close home and hampered early doors on her two most recent outings at the track the Seamus McMahon owned Lissatouk Pearl returned to winning ways as she recorded her seventh career success by two lengths over Lakeside Tommy in 29.64. Away well in company Moyvoughly Amy on her inner and Hanover Bluebird towards the outer Lissatouk Pearl was headed by the former as they rounded the opening bend. Turning to run towards the halfway mark the front pair went three lengths clear but Lissatouk Pearl was back in front on the outer as she moved towards the rails at the third bend and from this point, the daughter of Ballymac Cashout and Lissatouk Dolly drew clear to win going away.
Having finished runner up in all his three trials, the Susan Garrahy of Moy owned Extra Margin never saw another rival as he made a most impressive winning debut scoring by six lengths from Inception and Bridgepark Flash in a smart 29.22. Very smartly into his stride the Gerry Holian trained son of Ballymac Cashout and Ougham Sky led Joeys Wildcat by three lengths taking the opening bend and this lead was more than doubled racing down the back straight. Tracking well the winner was home and hosed exiting the back straight as Inception stayed on well for second place behind Extra Margin who became the third winning member of his litter at Galway in the past week.
All six runners came away virtually as one for the S7 350 yards contest with Westside along the inner forest to break rank and lead the charge towards the opening bend in company with Clonfeigh Jetty towards the outside. Approaching the bend, Westside drifted off the rails slightly and this was enough to encourage the blue jacketed Asaka to try his luck along the inner. Reaching the crown of the home bend the Martin Griffin of Lissycasey owned Asaka struck the front and quickly assuring approaching the home bend the son of Grangeview Ten and Rockmount Mia drew clear to score by three lengths from Clonfeigh Jetty in 19.59.
Down Limerick way, all eyes on Saturday night were on the six second-round heats of the 1XBet Irish St. Leger 550 and it proved a special night indeed, as Ballymac Deniro produced a sensational track-record-breaking performance for Liam Dowling. While connections were dealt a major blow earlier in the week with the withdrawal of outright market leader Ballymac Setanta, the performance of Ballymac Deniro provided the perfect tonic as he dismantled his rivals to shave a length off the previous track record, held since 2019 by Jaytee Taylor. Aside from that phenomenal display, Graham Holland accounted for three of the six heat winners, including Irish Derby champion Bockos Gold, while Michael J. O’Donovan and Pat Buckley also got in on the act with one winner apiece.
