O’Neill best in all-Wexford finish POINT-TO-POINT

THE FIRST local fixture of the new point-to-point season was the Shillelagh and District meeting at Fairwood, Tinahely, on Sunday, and there were a couple Wexford successes.

There was an all-Wexford finish to the five-year-old plus mares’ maiden, with victory going to champion jockey Barry O’Neill aboard Castafiore Park (Walk in the Park-Nadiejda), a rare enough Paul Nolan runner between the flags. She was a snug winner on her first outing.

Second was Jamie Codd on his wife’s Agent Memphis, trained by his brother, William, at Mayglass, and third was Rob James on Colin Bowe’s In Arrears.

James had his first winner of the season in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, making all on Shantaluze (Shantou-Nut Touluze), having his first run for Richard Black who trains at Ballinapark, Bunclody. This one is now for sale.

James was second in the opening four-year-old maiden on Donnchadh Doyle’s Sporting Press, being caught at the end by Timmy Hyde’s Whisperinthebreeze.

Local Wicklow trainer, J.J. Walsh, scored in the mares’ winner of one with well-supported Dino’s Benefit, owned and ridden by John Edward Walsh. They held off Senator’s Glory, ridden by Shane Fitzgerald for Michael Goff, Clondaw, Ferns.

There was a clearcut Borris, Co. Carlow, success in the concluding six-year-old geldings’ maiden with Streets of Milan, trained by Aidan Fitzgerald and ridden by Richie Deegan.

They also raced at Rathcannon, Co. Limerick, on Sunday but Wexford interest was limited this early in the season. Best effort was by the Murphy family from Inch - their Bloodstream was second in the mares’ open for novice riders, ridden by Luke John for his parents, John and Miriam.

Eleven times champion rider, Derek O’Connor, had a treble and will be keen to regain his crown after handing it to Barry O’Neill and Jamie Codd for the past two injury-hit years.

The meeting at Maralin, Co. Down, on Saturday was postponed. There are three meetings this weekend, at Portrush in the north and Lisronagh, Tipperary, on Saturday, and at Dowth Hall, Co. Meath, on Sunday.