Five out of six on home soil
Wexford trainers dominate in clean sweep by local riders
WEXFORD TRAINERS won five of the six races and local riders made a clean sweep of it at the Killinick Harriers point-to-point meeting at Lingstown on Sunday which featured plenty of runners and good racing. It was a special day for Barry O’Neill from Ballindaggin who rode winners for four different trainers to extend his lead in the jockeys’ championship.
The organisers were delighted with the proceedings which went off like clockwork, and it was a suitable appetiser for all those looking forward to Cheltenham this week.
One of O’Neill’s wins was in the Casey Enterprises Open over the iconic Lingstown banks.
This was on board course specialist Treo Eile (Exit to Nowhere-Thistle Witch) for Shay and Elizabeth Slevin from Kiltrea, Caim, their third win at successive Lingstown meetings.
Second was Drawn N Drank for Cork duo, trainer Eugene O’Sullivan from Mallow and rider, Turlough O’Connor, with Harley Dunne (The Ballagh) third on Mia’s Milan for Hugh Doyle (Blackwater).
Barry O’Neill’s first winner was in the Gain Horsefeeds and Moortown Stud five-year-old mares’ maiden on debutant Maire Banrigh (King’s Theatre-La Marianne) for owner John Paul Murphy, giving Bunclody trainer Richard Black his first win of the season and the second of his career.
Harley Dunne was second on John A. Berry’s (Blackwater) Sunrise Lady, and third was Andrew Latta’s (Ballycarney) Carasy.
Barry also won the Slaney Foods five-year-old geldings’ maiden on the Colin Bowe-trained Minella Mischief (Kayf Tara-Glenmoss Tara) for John Nallen, who has so many horses under the ‘Minella’ banner. Rob James was second on Myoldman, trained in Kildare by Ross O’Sullivan, husband of Katie Walsh, and third was Buck Bravo for Ashleigh and Michael Murphy, Duncormick, under Gary Murphy of Ballycullane.
The Ballindaggin rider completed his four-timer in the concluding Ire Wel Pallets older maiden race on Real Warrior, trained in Kells, Co. Meath, by Gillian Callaghan
He had a length to spare over Circuit Court, ridden by Jamie Codd for his brother, William - a family steeped in Killinick Harriers and Lingstown - with Thyne for Ruda third for Kevin Cogley and Mark Clifford.
Jamie had begun the day on a high note when he combined with trainer Denis Murphy (Ballyboy, The Ballagh) to continue their dominance of this seaon’s four-year-old maiden races, this time with impressive debutant Mr. Whipped (Beneficial-Dyrick Daybreak) which will now be heading for the sales.
Second in the Tattersalls Ireland-sponsored race was Ger Fox on the Gordon Elliott trained Flawless Escape.
Ironically, Jamie has been riding lots of bumper winners for Elliott this season but he beat him by a length here.
Third was Herosandvillains, ridden by Rob James for Donnchadh Doyle.
The Rostoonstown Stud Winners of Two race was special for the Kennys from Ballydarragh, Craanford. Battle Anthem (Royal Anthem-Chika Boom) won for the third time, giving a second career win to James Kenny, for his dad Liam and the Orphan Girl Syndicate.
Young James coaxed a great jump out of the winner at the last.
Barry O’Neill was second this time on Barossa Pearl for Pat Coffey from Nenagh, and Shane O’Rourke (Foulksmills) was third on Lorcan and Inga Darcy’s Spud’s Trouble.
A good day’s racing served to confirm once again that point-topoint in Wexford is in very good health.