Tinahely wins for Jack and Luke

WEXFORD CONNECTIONS dominated the Wicklow Hunt point-to-point at Fairwood, Tinahely, on Sunday, and it was a special day for first-time winner, young Jack Hendrick from Woodtown, Mayglass, and for Luke Murphy from Inch who had a double.

Hendrick’s initial success came on Monbeg’s Cormac Doyle-trained Would You Bypass in the mares’ maiden by twelve lengths, and it was a good show as the horse had been far from foot-perfect previously.

Luke Murphy was a clear winner on the Ellen Doyle (Baltimore Stables, Coolgarrow)-trained On My Wish List in the fouryear-old maiden, a second win of the season for both. Jamie Codd was second on Denis Murphy’s Flaming Glory, with Simon Cavanagh third on John Brennan’s Brady Cross.

Luke Murphy doubled up in the Winner of Two on Ballinasilla, trained by Bernadette Murphy (Blackwater, sister of Denis) from the local Tinahely horse, No More Monkeys, and Daryl Deacon’s Coach Road under Jamie Codd.

John and Marie Brennan from Camolin got on the board for the season in the older geldings’ maiden with No Hidden Charges ridden by Tinahely’s James Walsh, from Donnchadh Doyle’s Reallyradical, under Rob James.

Champion Barry O’Neill extended his lead when scoring by a distance in the three-runner Open race on Gordon Elliott’s Kruzhlinin, owned by Camilla Sharples, Elliott’s travelling head lass.

Wexford involvement in the Golden Vale Hunt meeting near Thurles was very limited but it was a good day for young Cian Cullinan from Craan, Gorey, who won his second-ever race in the older mares’ maiden on Peter Croke’s (Glenealy) Humps and Bumps.

Next Sunday they race at Lingstown, near Tomhaggard, and they start at 12 noon with a four-year-old maiden, followed by two fiveyear-old maidens, the open over the famous Banks course, the winner of two, and the concluding older horses’ maiden.

They race at Rathcannon in Limerick also, and on Saturday at Kirkistown, Co. Down.

Wexford dominates the 2018 Horse Racing Ireland Awards for point-to-point with three of the four nominees – champion rider Barry O’Neill and champion trainer Colin Bowe are joined by Donnchadh Doyle who was second in the trainers’ table and had eight winners in one famous weekend in the spring. Champion lady rider, Liz Lalor from Clonmel, completes the line-up.