The racing season continued with the fourth race from Fermoy in County Cork. Birds were released in light southerly winds on Saturday 7th May at 11.30am. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine this week was recorded by Danny Dixon who timed his yearling blue cock at 15.28pm for the 208 miles fly to the lofts in the Dunloy to record 1535. The sire of the winner is Martin Graham's "Denman" 1st Open INFC Yearling national from Sennen Cove when paired to a daughter of Dixie Chic Danny's Penzance YB National winner. Seven-time National winner Alan Darragh was next best on 1530 and took the top seven positions in the club. Alan's 2-year-old chequer hen won 2nd club & 9th Combine a fortnight ago from Roscrea. Ahoghill winners for the third week on the trot were Young McManus & Sons who had the top 5 in the club with the winner doing 1522. Paddy & William's two-year-old chequer pied Lambrecht hen is a granddaughter of "Superman". Next best, and also best in the town was Keith Kernohan from Ballykeel on 1520 with a yearling blue pied Vermeerbergen - Wilms hen. Other winners included Johnston Eagleson & Sons on 1519 with the top eight positions in Ballymena & Dist. Their winning blue chequer yearling hen topped both the Combine & Section from Gowran Park last season in the young birds, John & Mark Milliken had the top 2 in Rasharkin on 1515, Sam Murphy the Kells winner on 1505, Stewart Bros with the top 2 in Randalstown on 1480 and Marcus Morrow best in Broughshane for the fourth week in a row on 1462. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Fermoy 64/1750
D Dixon Rasharkin 1535, D Dixon Rasharkin 1530, A Darragh Cullybackey 1530, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1522, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1521, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1520, D Dixon Rasharkin 1520, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1519, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1517, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1515, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1515, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1512, S Crawford Associate 1511, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1510, D Craig Associate 1510, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1509, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1508, A Darragh Cullybackey 1508, A Darragh Cullybackey 1508, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1506, S Murphy Kells 1505, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1504, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1504, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1502, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1502, A Darragh Cullybackey 1500, A Darragh Cullybackey 1500, A Darragh Cullybackey 1498, A Darragh Cullybackey 1498, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1497, S Murphy Kells 1497, S Crawford Kells 1497, S Murphy Kells 1497, C Moore Ahoghill 1497, S Crawford Associate 1497, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1496, S Murphy Kells 1496, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1496, C Moore Ahoghill 1496, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1494
Champions League Group Stage
Points gathered in the top 20 of the MA Combine in the first six old bird races.
Top 2 in each group go through to last 16 - Fermoy week 4 of 6
Group (1) J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 19, D Craig Associate 6, A Pervis Broughshane 0, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 0
Group (2) J Eagleson & Son Ballymena 76, Surgenor Bros Kells 23, C Moore Ahoghill 2, C Kennedy Broughshane 0
Group (3) F Barkley Rasharkin 42, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 9, D Houston & Son Broughshane 0, R Service & Son Ballymena 0
Group (4) J & M Milliken Rasharkin 64, A Darragh Cullybackey 63, A Shiels Ahoghill 0, T & M Morrow Broughshane 0
Group (5) T Whyte Rasharkin 80, R H Clements Associate 0, J Miller Randalstown 0, H Turkington Kells 0
Group (6) S Murphy Kells 59, G Gibson Cullybackey 20, J Rock Associate 9, N Percy & Son Randalstown 0
Group (7) Blair & Rankin Ballymena 9, J & J Greer Cullybackey 4, Stewart Bros Randalstown 0, H Boyd Kells 0
Group (8) D Dixon Rasharkin 96, S Crawford Associate 59, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 14, R Alexander Ballymena 0
Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Fancier of the Year - Week 4 Fermoy Top 10
Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 154, D Dixon Rasharkin 96, T Whyte Rasharkin 80, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 76, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 64, A Darragh Cullybackey 63, S Crawford Associate 59, S Murphy Kells 59, F Barkley Rasharkin 42, Surgenor Bros Kells 23.
Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Fermoy
Cullybackey HPS – A Darragh 1530, 1508, 1508, 1500, 1500, 1498, 1498, G Gibson 1488.
Ahoghill Flying Club 9/331 – Young McManus & Sons 1522, 1521, 1520, 1510, 1509, Mr & Mrs Robinson 1506. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club – A Shiels 1452, 1439.
Harryville HPS – K & K Kernohan 1520, S Crawford 1511, D Craig 1510, K & K Kernohan 1504, Johnston & Richards 1503, S Crawford 1497, 1497, D Magill 1493.
Ballymena & District HPS 8/219 – J Eagleson & Sons 1519, 1517, 1515, 1508, 1504, 1502, 1502, 1497, Blair & Rankin 1496, J Eagleson & Sons 1496. Johnston Eagleson & Sons have the top eight in the club and their third win of the season. Their winning yearling blue chequer hen sitting on eggs topped the Combine and Section B from Gowran Park as a young bird last season. The sire is Van Den Bulck and was purchased from Trevor Simpson of York and is a grandson of both "Kittel" and "Best Kittel" while the Lambrecht dam and her nestmate were purchased in a kit of 6 from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin in 2020. The dam won the club last week from Gowran Park and her nestmate has won 2 x 1st clubs including 3rd Combine Fermoy. Sire of the dam is a son of Jackie's good 38 cock paired to a sister of his famous 02 hen.
Rasharkin & District – J & M Milliken 1515, 1512, 1488, W McFetridge 1486, R J & W J Reid 1484, J & M Milliken 1483, 1477, T Whyte 1471. The Members of Rasharkin & District would like to pass our condolences and sympathies to our club Secretary Jackie Steele on the sad loss of his brother in-law Ricky McNeil and a racing partner for several years. Gone too soon. Norman Bradley PO.
Kells & District – S Murphy 1505, B Swann & Son 1498, 1498, S Murphy 1497, 1497, 1496, 1490, 1487. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – B Swann & Son 1498, S Murphy 1473, A Barkley & Son 1459, B Swann & Son 1452, Gregg Bros 1445.
Randalstown HPS 8/175 – Stewart Bros 1480, 1475, Houston Bros 1473, Stewart Bros 1465, W & W Gilbert 1444, Houston Bros 1441, N Percy & Son 1435, 1435. Stewart Bros won their third race of the season with the same 2-year-old Louis Thijs chequer hen that won last week. That's 3 x 1st Club for this hen including winning Talbenny last season, good steady bird this.
Broughshane & District – T & M Morrow 1462, 1462, D Houston & Son 1445, C Kennedy 1418, D Houston & Son 1396, C Kennedy 1395, A Purvis 1395, 1389.
Danny Dixon holding first and second winners in the Mid Antrim Combine. Winning bird is a son of Martin Graham’s (Den Man), winner of the Yearling National from Penzance when paired to a daughter of Dixie Chic, also in the photo is his granddaughter, Elsie Mc Mullan.