First win of the season for Pierce

THE point-to-point action continued with the Muskerry Foxhounds meeting at Aghabullogue in Cork on Sunday, and there were a couple of Wexford-trained and -ridden winners.

Michael Goff from Clondaw, Ferns, had his fourth winner of the season, in the colours of his wife, Caitríona, when stable jockey, Shane Fitzgerald, steered home the impressive Clondaw Ace (Flemensfirth-Peace Time Beauty) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. This one was a faller when going well a week earlier and will now head for the sales.

They made a bold bid in the opening five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden too, but Megaboost was held off by Derek O’Connor on Robert Tyner’s Bay Ambition.

Paul Pierce from the Blackhall Stud, Killurin, had his first winner of the season in the sixyear-old plus mares’ maiden with his father Andrew’s Alsa Mix (Al Namix-Lady Tsana), and the six-years-old grey made a very impressive debut to score by ten lengths under Jimmy O’Rourke (Glenville, Wexford).

The closest champion rider Barry O’Neill came to a winner was second in the concluding older geldings’ maiden on Francis Kavanagh’s Keel Over, trained by Cormac Doyle at Ballindaggin, brother of Donnchadh and Seán Thomas.

They were five lengths behind Cork’s Johnny Hurley on Emerald Chieftan.

The first local meeting of the new year takes place at Fairwood, Tinahely, on Sunday when Shillelagh and District Hunt get the action under way at 12.30 p.m.

They stage races for five- and six-year-old mare and gelding maidens, the open event, the winner of one for five-year-old plus, and seven-year-old plus mares’ and geldings’ maidens.

They also run at Killeagh in east Cork on Sunday.