Banna Man wins for Tralee owner at Galway Races
She's Our Mark, centre, with Danny Grant on board, on their way to winning the Meld Stakes from second place Lord Admiral, left, with Mick Kinane and third place Casual Conquest, right, with Pat Smullen at Leopardstown Racecourse two weeks ago. She's... Credit: PICTURE: SPORTSFILE
Wednesday August 04 2010
BANNA Man, owned by well known businessman James O'Shea from Tralee, and brilliantly ridden by Tralee jockey Bryan Cooper, was a most impressive winner of the featured € 45,000 Connaught Tribune handicap chase, over 2ml 1f, at Galway races on Sunday.
Nicely supported from 10/1 to 8s, the consistent bottom weight, which was racing 6 pounds out of the handicap proper, had earlier in the week finished fourth, to dual Galway winner Killeshan earlier in the week, was confidently ridden, by the hughly talented Farmers Bridge Tralee apprentice.
Travelling well and jumping for fun, he only got into contention racing downhill to the final two fences in the dip, which he jumped superbly, and starting the long punishing uphill climb to the finish, appeared full of running, and sauntered home at at his ease, without really knowing he was in a race, such was the easy drive he received from the saddle.
It was also rich compensation for Bryan, who was cruelly denied in the final 100 yards on his father's Total Excitement the previous afternoon in the 2ml handicap.
Dingle races on Friday THE annual three-day Dingle Races, commence at Ballintaggart Racecourse Dingle, on Friday evening at 4pm, continue on Saturday at 2pm and conclude on Sunday at 2pm.
The feature event on Sunday, is the famous Dingle Derby Open Horse race over 2 miles.
Thousands of visitors, from all over the world will attend, over the weekend, in addition to top class competitive racing, with runners coming from England and Wales and from all parts of Ireland.
- Pat Griffin
