Codd’s treble is the highlight

A treble by Jamie Codd was the highlight of a Wexford dominated card at Tattersalls Farm,

Fairyhouse, on Sunday where Rob James maintained his title challenge with a double. There was an amazing 130 runners on the nine-race card, with three divides. The recent rain has eased the ground at last and has resulted in a surge of runners.

Codd’s treble came for three different trainers – in Div of the four-year-old geldings maiden he had just three parts of a length to spare on the Cian Hughes trained Chantry House, ahead of Finny Maguire on Liz Doyle’s Envol Pierji; he had a length to spare on Laughing Trix in the five-year-old mares’ maiden for local Meath man, Dermot McLoughlin, ahead of Jimmy O’Rourke on Airgead Suas for Paul Pierce (Killurin), and he won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Jim Dreaper’s Presenting Europe.

Codd then headed to Punchestown where he came second on an Elliott favourite in the bumper.

Rob James won the Winners of One on four years old Madiba Passion for Monbeg and Donnchadh Doyle, and he completed his double in Division 1 of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden on the impressive Silver Hallmark for Pat Doyle, Holycross. Both winners are now headed for the sales.

Division 2 of the four-year-old mares’ maiden was an impressive Wexford success – Mark Scallan (Cleariestown) rode The Cull Bank to a four length win, trained by Brian Jordan (Rathangan) and owned by William Bates (Kilmore Quay).

The Carlow Farmers meeting at Borris House had nearly 70 runners in the seven races and there was a strong showing by Wexford connections. Young Inch rider, Luke Murphy, rode a big double in both legs of the divided four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

He won Div. 1 by a distance on the Ellen Doyle trained Lucky flight for the Baltimore Stable, Coolgarrow, and Division 2 by three lengths on Denis Murphy’s Vinnie’s Getaway, though this one was a bit lucky as two fancied leaders came down at the last two fences.

There was lots of grief in the four-year-old mares’ maiden but Sean Doyle’s Outonpatrol, a daughter of Stowaway, survived to score under Jamies ‘Paddy’ Scallan, Tomhaggard, with Luke Murphy second on Bernadette Murphy’s (Blackwater) Mrs. Davies.

There was an Enniscorthy success in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, with Aaron Sinnott winning a thriller on the Robert McCabe (Corbally) trained Proper Ticket, beating the champion, Barry O’Neill, by a head on the favourite, Be My Dream for James Finn, Nenagh.

O’Neill did have a winner in the five-yearold geldings’ maiden on Definite Warrior for James Kinsella, Rathdrum, well clear of Kevin Corrigan on Liam Casey’s (Clonmel) Victory Echo. 19-year-old Corrigan, from Blackwater, got compensation in the six-year and older maiden when steering home Philip Rothwell’s (Tinahely) Ask Harry, from Luke Murphy on the Liam Kenny (Craanford) trained Ted.

There was a small Wexford contingent at Boulta in Cork but they made an impact on the important four-year-old maidens.

Ellen Doyle completed an across-the-card double in Division 1 of the geldings’ race as young Barry Stone (Cleariestown) scored on debutant, On The Short List, a son of Robin Des Champs.

Colin Bowe was just foiled in the mares’ race, finishing second with Streets of Fire under James Kenny, behind Con O’Keeffe’s (Waterford) Kilbarry Lilly.

The final meeting of the autumn programme takes place on Sunday with the re-arranged West Waterford Hunt card at Boulta, Ballynoe. Racing resumes with the Duhallow Hunt at Dromahane, Mallow, on December 30.