The Autumn programme of the 2014/15 Point to Point season kicked into gear at Tinahely on Sunday with the Shillelagh and District Hunt meeting at Fairwood Park.
As always at this Co Wicklow venue every effort was made to ensure that everyone, including horse and jockey were accommodated as much as possible.
With the ground being described as Good to Firm, the watering of the track with in excess of 100,000 gallons of water was much needed. But that said some horses just prefer quicker ground and they didn’t do any complaining here!
With an entry of just 60 horses the 65% declaration saw 39 face the starters flag with the star of the turn being Barry O’Neill , who recorded a nice treble at the South Wicklow venue.
The Open Lightweight run over 3 miles saw 6 of the 10 entries declared with The Hollinwell making the trip from Co Cork going off the hot favourite.
Last seasons champion horse was reunited with the Trainer, Eugene O’Sullivan’s son Eoin but they were overturned by Barry O’Neill on John Brennan’s ,Need To Know.
With Paul Power setting a sedate enough pace on Vincent Halley’s Valentino’s Choice, O’Neill kept Need To Know in close proximity towards the front.
Jumping well, the 6 year old Definite Article gelding took up the running on the turn out of the back straight and easily held the challenge of O’Sullivan and The Hollinwell who came out of the tightly packed field.
Co Wexford based , Brennan who was in Loughrea saddling a horse at the Galway Blazers meeting was represented by his brother Darragh who commented ” There is not a lot to say really, he will mix it between Open Lightweight and Hunter Chases with the objective to qualify and race in the Cheltenham Foxhunters next spring”
O ‘Neill started his day off well in glorious sunshine at the track when taking the 4 year old maiden on Gingili for Colin Bowe. With two runs under his belt at Toomebridge and most recently at Castletown Geoghegan this son of Beat All duelled with You Say What initially and in the end Tiger Sam before running out a good winner.
Racing in the name of Colin Bowes head lad Brendan Walsh, Bowe commented ” It was expected, he ran well the last day and we said we would run him again but make more use of him”
This might well have been a good race as Noel Meades runner Tiger Sam had Nina Carberry in the saddle and they don’t normally turn up in this part of the world just for the sunshine.
Bowe , based in Kiltealy , Co Wexford has started his season brightly and he recorded a nice double here when taking the very next race the 5 year old geldings maiden with Black Jack Rover and Barry O’Neill.
With Monbeg River and Sparkalark setting the early pace, O ‘Neill kept the 5 year son of Vinnie Roe in mid division before tackling Sparkalark. Owned and bred by London based Co Roscommon man John Gibbons this was a very good debut with Bowe adding ” Thats it for Point to Points, he will be sold or be tried in a bumper”
Richard O’Keeffe missed seeing his homebred 9 year old
mare Rainbow Sally take the Mares Winners Of One as the Taghmon, Co Wexford man was in Czechoslovakia for the world renowned Pardubice Steeplechase. This 4 runner race saw Ciaran Murphy’s Scarlet Feather try to lead all the way, but her effort petered out as Gary Murphy got a great run out of O’Keeffes mare to come through and win by a couple of lengths.
In his absence his sister Muriel indicated afterwards “She will be tried in a Mares Winners of Two , she likes this ground and may revert to the track in the future”
The Mares maiden saw another field of 7 runners face the starter with Kilsheelin , Co Tipperary based Eric Larkin saddling his first point to point winner in close on 14 years.
With his last winner on the race track being 10 years ago he might be tempted to renew his licence following the win of Teaspoon under Harley Dunne.
The 6 year old Tel Quel mare was last with under a circuit to run as Kates Cross and Dulcemara set the pace.
But the whole complexion of the race changed three out as West Legend took much closer order.
But none of them could cope with Dunne and Teaspoon as they ran out 8 length winners.
Larkin, an army man based in Kilkenny who not only trained and owned the horse he also bred the winner indicated afterwards ” That wasn’t a surprise , she works well and had a pallet operation done, but likes the top of the ground. I rushed her a bit last season as I was away with the Army”
John Walsh from nearby Ballyday, Co Wexford went into the final race on the card double handed with Lule Kyle and Street King ridden by his sons Aaron and Barry.
He didn’t quite have the first two home but his son Aaron gave the 6 year old Hellissio gelding Lule Kyle a great ride to lead most near all the way and win by 15 lengths.
Walsh , who has 7 horses in training took charge of this Noel Dempsey owned horse at the end of last season and built on the promise to win here.
With the sun shining brightly for the whole afternoon this part of the world was like having a little piece of paradise on your doorstep, its a shame more people didn’t experience it!

Recent Comments