Luke scores first career double POINT-TO-POINT
SUNDAY WAS a memorable day for 20-yearold Luke Murphy from Inch when he added to his single career win so far with a great double at Midleton in Cork.
It was even sweeter that he rode Bloodstream (Scorpion-Gala Festival) to victory in the mares’ winner of two for his parents, trainer John and owner Miriam.
Luke’s other winner was Kings Dolly in the five-year-old plus mares’ maiden for former Wexford resident, Colin Motherway.
Jimmy O’Rourke (Ballycogley) was second on Don’t Act Up for Denis Murphy in the Winner of Two race, with Singing Banjo third for the Walshes from Ballyday, Gorey.
At Nenagh, Richard O’Keeffe from Newtown, Taghmon, sent out his first winner for a couple of years, with Gary Murphy (Ballycullane) riding out a terrific finish on Free Range (Subtle Power-Tullyspark Rose) to win the older geldings’ maiden, to the delight of owner Paddy McDonald (Forth Mountain).
At Tyrella, Co. Down, on Saturday there were a couple of Wexford successes. Donnchadh Doyle confirmed he is getting into his stride with a win in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with an impressive Asking Questions (Ask-Just Sara), under Rob James. Shane Fitzgerald was third on Michael Goff’s Fenlons Court.
Barry O’Neill had a win aboard Ar Fheabhas Ar Fad for Pat Coffey, having had a couple of placings in other races. Harley Dunne was second on Liam Kenny’s Battle Anthem in the Winner of Two.
Barry O’Neill, on 24 winners for the season, had to be content with a couple of places here but he and Derek O’Connor (on 14) had one win each for the weekend, with Jamie Codd (on 20) having a blank.
The Wexford Hunt is racing next Sunday at Ballinaboola, starting at 1 p.m., sharing the day with the West Waterford Hunt at Tallow and the Ward Union at Oldtown, Co. Meath. The Ballinaboola programme includes maidens for four-year-old and five-year-old geldings, five- and six-year-old mares, sixyear-old geldings, seven-year-old for novice riders and a race for Winners of Three.
The point-to-point and racing world was shocked at the weekend by the death of promising and popular young jockey, John (JJ) O’Connor, in a road accident near Mallow in Co. Cork.
One of his six winners last year was for trainer, Kieran Roche, Adamstown. Much sympathy is extended to his family and his many friends.