BY BRIAN HENNESSY
Co Waterford’s Francis Connors captured the 2013 Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League title on Saturday last, as Banteer Gymkhana hosted the final round of the series.
The record winning National Grand Prix League champion has been in incredibly consistent form throughout the season and despite being pushed all the way by league runner up Seamus Hayes, Connors ended the campaign with a comfortable winning margin.
The Kill Co Waterford native took maximum points with wins at Middleton, Newcastle West, and Limerick Show’s while at each of the other eleven rounds of the 2013 Connolly’s RED MILLS sponsored series, Connors was seldom outside the top three places.
Despite the fact that his current string of horses are all quite young by Grand Prix standards, Francis managed them brilliantly with Hilda Anthony’s Uskerety Diamond Lady, Bobby Flynn’s Hyperion and the S&L Farms owned Bullit all contributing to his league success.
Speaking after collecting the winner’s trophy and cheque for €3,000 Connors said, “I am really delighted to win the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League this year, it would have been great to do a bit better in the final leg here at Banteer but that’s just the way it goes. It has been a great league and I would just like to thanks the sponsors and organizers and also to the owners of all the horses who I was lucky enough to ride during the year. I am looking forward already to next year’s Munster Grand Prix league, I have another few nice young horses coming along who will hopefully make the step up”.
Tipperary’s Seamus Hayes who had won the league in 2012, had the consolation of picking up €1,000 for finishing as runner up, while his Heartbreaker gelding Twister was undoubtedly the star horse of the year winning no less than five Grand Prix’s during the season.
Speaking afterwards Gareth Connolly of Connolly’s RED MILLS said, “We are delighted with how the league went, I think there have been seven different winners of Grand Prix rounds during the year and each and every round has been well supported”
EDDIE MOLONEY WINS LEAGUE FINAL ROUND AT BANTEER
While Francis Connors collected the overall league winner’s prize, victory in the final leg of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League went to Kilkenny’s Eddie Moloney. The former Irish National Champion had made the journey from Leinster to compete in several rounds of the Munster series and was in superb form at Banteer Gymkhana which was being held at the Cork Showgrounds in Curragheen.
Under blue skies and warm sunshine, ten of the thirty-one starters made it through to the jump-off, with Eddie Moloney double handed in taking on the James Tarrant designed course.
Moloney was first to go in round two with the 13 year old gelding Argent Van De Zuuthoeve and a very fast clear in 44.87 seconds set a target which proved unbeatable for those who followed.
In fact double clear rounds were hard to come by with just three combinations managing the task, Lisa O Sullivan from Bandon Co Cork giving the home crowd plenty to cheer when taking runner up spot after a brilliant performance with Castlequaid Diamond (49.17). Dungarvan’s Peter Moloney has been in consistently good form throughout the year finishing in third place at Banteer with Ribanbelle Tame(50.24), a result which also saw him finish in third place overall in the league standings.
Eddie Moloney managed to beat his own time with Chatsworth Dan(44.40) but a fence on the floor saw them finish in fourth, while Tadhg Beecher and Loughnatusa Blakeney Crannagh, who had won the opening round of the series at Ballylawn back in May, also finished with four faults (46.61) to take fifth.
Tipperary’s Darragh Ryan did manage to post the fastest round of the jump-off with Miss Souri (42.05) but two fences on the floor saw them finish in sixth place, just ahead of another young rider Tom Foley, who slotted into seventh spot with Paddys Fly after collecting eight faults in a time of 44.26.
Newly crowned Connolly’s RED MILLS Munster Grand Prix League champion Francis Connors completed the prize winning places finishing in eighth place with Uskerety Diamond Lady after also picking up eight faults in round two.
TADHG BEECHER WINS MUNSTER ‘GREYHOUND NIGHT’ 1.1OM LEAGUE
There was another Co Waterford winner in the Munster ‘Greyhound Night’ 1.10m novice horse league as Tallow’s Tadhg Beecher was crowned champion, collecting €1,000. Beecher took the winners red rosette at his home round of the league at Tallow Gymkhana while he finished in runner up spot at Balinamona and Glanane.
Tipperary’s Lorraine Younge collected €500 when finishing as league runner up following wins at West Clare and Newcastle West.
CONNOLLY’S RED MILLS MUNSTER GRAND PRIX LEAGUE
FINAL LEG – BANTEER GYMKHANA AT CORK SHOW GROUNDS
SATURDAY 14/09/2013
RESULT
1ST Eddie Moloney/Argent Van De Zuuthoeve C/C 44.87
2ND Lisa O Sullivan/Castlequaid Diamond C/C 49.17
3RD Peter Moloney/ Ribanbelle Tame C/C 50.24
4TH Eddie Moloney/Chatsworth Dan C/4 44.40
5TH Tadhg Beecher/Loughnatusa Blakeney Crannagh C/4 46.61
6TH Darragh Ryan/Miss Souri C/8 42.05
7TH Tom Foley/Paddy Fly C/8 44.26
8TH Francis Connors/ Uskerety Diamond Lady C/8 51.99
31 Starters 10 into jump-off
CONNOLLY’S RED MILLS MUNSTER GRAND PRIX LEAGUE – Final league standings
1st Francis Connors 98 points
2nd Seamus Hayes 75
3rd Peter Moloney 64
4th Liam O Meara 38
5th Tadhg Beecher 31
6th Gemma Phelan 23