Crossabeg trainer Liz Doyle saved the local stables from a total whitewash of successes when Cairnhill (11/4 fav.) bolted home by 16 lengths under a strong ride from Taghmon jockey Sean O’Keeffe (20) in the Kehoe Farming Opportunity Handicap Hurdle on day two of the Wexford races today (Monday).
Liz Doyle had an interesting story to relate afterwards; “I won a bumper on her mother around here (Seepeeoh, October 2006). She was cracked and ran away with me. Doyen (the sire) has calmed down the genes a bit!
“It just worked out today. He enjoyed the ground and he enjoyed the drop back in trip today as well. His mother wasn’t a stayer. Unfortunately, I don’t have him entered on Friday, that’s my only regret. I’m very pleased. We made the running the last twice with him and it seems to be helping. He’ll go for another two-mile handicap somewhere now.”
The celebrations were short lived for young O’Keeffe who was a casualty in a three runner fall in the race that followed and was forced to stand down for the remainder of the meeting.
Ruby Walsh had an easy eight and a half lengths victory on Mister Blue Sky for Willie Mullins in the Nick O’Donnell Memorial Maiden Hurdle.
“I was impressed by him, he did it well and travelled really well. He jumped super for a first timer and handled the ease in the ground,” said Walsh afterwards and he added; “He is a nice horse and was professional.”
The M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase is the only Listed Race run at Bettyville Park and while only five runners faced the starter for the €25,000 prize there was an excfiting outcome with Peregrine Run (5/4 fav) coming home strongly by eight lengths in the hands of Roger Loughran for Monasterevin trainer Peter Fahy.
Fahy said afterwards; “I’m delighted he won and to be honest I was disappointed with his last two runs. It’s great for him to be back winning. He will be entered for the weekend at Down Royal and if the ground is quick and he comes out of this okay he might go up there for the second season novice. More than likely he’d be finished up for the season after that.”

Cap D’Aubois (Robbie Power) Dinaria Des Obeaux (Jack Kennedy) and Supreme Vinnie (Rachael Blackmore) take the field over a fence on the first circuit in the MW Hickey Memorial Chase at Wexford. Pic; WexfordToday.com

An interesting winner was Churchtown Glen in the Wexford Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Maiden Hurdle and is jointly owned by Jimmy Gordon and John Sinnott, who made the worthwhile trip from Cork.
Jimmy Gordon (87) is a native of Campile who joined Vincent O’Brien’s stables in 1949 and was the first groom to take horses by air from Ireland to Cheltenham in the early 1950s.
During the afternoon the Wexford Racecourse Suporters Club (Tim Nolan, Chairman, Jim Mernagh, Ronnie Scanlon and Martin McDonald) presented Willie Mullins with a momento to mark is 3,000 career winner which was at Wexford in June. Mullins was absent from the track and Ruby Walsh accepted on his behalf.
This was the last meeting of 2018 at Bettyville Park and action resumes on St Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 2019. The full list of fixtures for 2019 are as follows (e) donates evening fixture;
Sunday, March 17th.
Friday, April 5th (e).
Saturday, April 27th.
Wednesday, May 22nd.
Wednesday, June 5th.
Wednesday, June 19th (e).
Friday, July 5th (e).
Friday, July 26th (e).
Saturday, September 7th.
Sunday, October 27th.
Monday, October 28th (Bank Holiday).
The annual general meeting of Wexford Racecourse Supporters Club takes place in the Ivy Room at Wexford Racecourse on Friday, November 23rd at 8 pm. All are welcome to attend.