She is, of course, daughter of leading trainer Michael and his wife Anne, of the famed Lisaleen Stables on the outskirts of Adare.

At the same meeting, Andrew McNamara continued his rich vein of form when 25/1 shot Mr Joe Platinum, trained by John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, won the first division of the Three Mile Rennicks Signs Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old represented a fifth winner is as many days for McNamara, who is unquestionably enjoying another hugely rewarding season.

BALLINGARRY’S Annual Horse & Pony Meeting has been brought forward to Sunday next.

A very fine card has been arranged with the opening race at O’Gorman’s Filed in Glenwilliam timed for 1pm.

WHILE his dad Eric was out of luck on the same evening at Wexford, Emmett McNamara was in top form when piloting Coral Creek (13/2) to a very fine win at Down Royal, the first leg of a creditable weekend double for the young Rathkeale rider.

The claiming jockey got Patrick Prendergast’s Tis Might off the mark for the campaign with a cosy success in the Hacketts EBF Irish Cambridgeshire.

The 16-1 chance had not won since last June but settled nicely for McNamara and showed a willing response too at the business end of the race.

MAUREEN Danagher’s stable star Rathmore Castle (3/1) made a winning debut over fences in a Beginners Chase at Killarney.

The 3/1 favourite winner had a large slice of luck on his side, though, because Corrick Bridge had just hit the front, and was motoring nicely, only to topple over as Barry Geraghty attacked the penultimate obstacle.

Rathmore Castle was ridden out for an 11 length win by David Casey and is now earmarked for a winners of one in the coming weeks.

IN an era which still commands so much materialism, modern Ireland has very few genuine characters left but one of those was unquestionably TJ Mulcair of Askeaton, whose sudden parting at the weekend has left a genuine void in society.

Sport was his great love, none more so than horse racing, be it at point-to-point meetings in Askeaton, Ballysteen or, in particular, Lemonfield in Crecora, or foreign outings such as Liverpool’s Aintree or the National Hunt Festival in Cheltenham, TJ was to be found at all those haunts, in the betting arena and more so in the thick of the social happenings.

He was one of my vintage and whose company I gladly enjoyed on plenty of occassions, from Prestbury Park to the more ordinary setting of Powerstown Park in Clonmel for the National Coursing Finals, and indeed in very recent times at the snug bar with his many friends at Galway.

The upcoming two-day meeting at Ballybrit, and then the Harvest Festival at Listowel were to be his next excursions but now TJ will be forced to watch the action from a distance.

The sport of racing has lost a loyal and affectionate supporter in TJ Mulcair, and there is sure to be one great finale of his party piece ‘Danny Boy’ when the crowds gather to remember their friend at his burial today (Wednesday) at Kilmoylan Cemetery in Shanagolden following 12noon Requiem Mass at St. Mary’s Church in Askeaton.

To his mother Carmel, brothers John and Paul, extended family, other relatives and a wide circle of friends, the sympathy of sports followers is offered at TJ’s all too untimely calling to fresh pastures. It’s unlikely that we will see his likes again!

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment