Codd wins at two venues in one day

JAMIE CODD had success at two venues on Sunday, scoring a double at the Co. Roscommon Hunt meeting and then dashing to Naas to win the bumper for Gordon Elliott on odds-on favourite Brelade.

Barry O’Neill had a double at Grennan, Co. Kilkenny, to keep up the pressure on top of the riders’ table.

Codd won the opening four-year-old maiden at Rockfield, Roscommon, in good style on the very impressive Poli Roi (Poliglote-Belle Du Roi), trained at The Ballagh by Denis Murphy, and doubled up in the Winner of One on Sizingdowntherhine for the powerful Jim Dreaper/Alan Potts combination.

At Grennan, near Thomastown, Barry O’Neill kept up his flying start to the season with a very comfortable double on two hot favourites - Talkischeap (Getaway-Carrogmoorna Oak) romping home in the winner of two for Donnchadh Doyle and the Monbeg Syndicate, and on his old friend Valmy Baie, trained by David Christie.

Harley Dunne (The Ballagh) was a snug winner of the five- and six-year-old geldings’ maiden aboard Battle Anthem (Royal Anthem-Chika Boom) for Liam Kenny of Craanford, and the Orphan Girl syndicate. This was an all-Wexford finish as Jimmy O’Rourke was second on Bricks and Beams for Denis Murphy, and Luke Murphy from Inch was third on Colin Bowe’s Robert de Bruce.

‘Paddy’ Scallan (Tomhaggard) gave a good ride to Special Prep in the four-year-old maiden before being pipped by John Halley’s Mon Palois. Special Prep should soon be a winner.

Details of the Meath and Tara Hunts meeting in Dowth on Sunday week were omitted last week due to my error and I give the Wexford details here for the record.

Blackwater-based John A. Berry completed a double, complementing his Wexford track win with success in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Bordeaux Bill (Craigsteel-Laura Croft), under a fine ride from Shane Fitzgerald.

Barn Braq (Great Palm-Barn Native) followed up on his third a week earlier to give owner, breeder and trainer Denis Moore from Grange, Kilmore, his first for the season in the older geldings’ maiden, under Gary Murphy from Ballycullane.

Barry O’Neill won the older mares’ maiden with a clear win on Midnight Walk for Nenaghbased Pat Coffey.

The Wexford Hunt stages the first truly local meeting of the season at Ballinaboola on Sunday, with the action starting at 12 noon with the four-year-old maiden.

There will also be racing on a new course at Corbeagh House, Moatfarrell, Co. Longford, and on Saturday at Loughbrickland, Co. Down.