Derry Project is chosen

Punters who follow the summer circuit will think it is their birthday at Ballinrobe today. After drowning in an average of four handicaps at every meeting, targeted at the lower grade performer, Ballinrobe has succeeded in drawing up a programme that contains two handicaps only and some imaginative support races, including the McHale Engineering Rated Race.

The conditions of this are more akin to what you might find on the Metropolitan circuit, but by confining it to horses with a rating of 65 or less, it has been saved from plunder by a lightly-raced class performer.

It has been a hit with trainers who forced a ballot, and I nap Kevin Manning's mount, Derry Project, to make it a hit with favourite backers. At Leopardstown, Derry Project, who had not previously reached the first six, now put up a battling show to run third to Royal South. There are plenty of rivals with chances on their rating, but Derry Project strikes me as the improver in the field.

The draw could determine the issue in the Stauntons Bar Ballinrobe Claiming Race, with Crown Point from stall 13 wearing down Magic Annemarie, who exits out of number 14.

Crown Point ran third to Rhine Valley in a six-furlong apprentice maiden at Naas, and the winner subsequently beat Magic Annemarie in a Down Royal handicap.

Kevin Prendergast, who won the first race here last night with his hurdler Our Weathercock, should be hard to beat in the first race this evening with Matanah.

She carries the colours of her breeder, Hamdan Al Maktoum, and is an early February first foal whose dam, Taghareed, was a smart two-year-old for her Newmarket trainer, Harry Thomson Jones. Matanah missed her break when making her debut over five furlongs at Bellewstown but ran on to such good effect that she lost out by only a head to The Flying Pig.

When a favourite in a maiden beats only one home in a field of 16, as was the case with Speed Hill at Tipperary behind Early Memory, one is justified in ignoring the effort.

That was over seven furlongs, and the best of her three runs to date was over today's distance of six furlongs when at the Curragh this time last year she finished a good third to Law Library and Photogenic.

Denis Brosnan, the chairman of the Irish Horseracing Authority, officially opened the new grandstand before racing at Ballinrobe, where there was also the added attraction of Hennessy Gold Cup winner Dorans Pride, a bumper winner at this track, on view in the parade ring.

Amateur rider Robbie Walsh (22) created the headlines in the opener when partnered his 10th winner, but his first over timber, when Our Weathercock came out best in a tight finish to the Corrib Natural Orange Juice Maiden Hurdle.

Kevin Prendergast's gelding was always travelling well but only scored by a short-head from Danaa Minni, who was given a strong drive by Adrian Maguire on the run-in.

Declan McDonogh recorded his fifth winner in the past eight days, and brought his tally for the season to 17, when Tinerana Law made all in the Smyths Toys Handicap.

Kevin McDonagh's Windy Project recorded his fourth handicap win of the campaign when holding the late surge of Omy Dancer by a head in the Corrib High Orange Juice Coranna Handicap. The local trainer will now head for the big festival at Ballybrit next week with his charge who will go for a seven-furlong handicap.