Locals dominate at Ballinaboola
DESPITE THE many counter-attractions, the Wexford Hunt point-to-point at Ballinaboola was very well supported on Sunday, with Barry O’Neill recording a double on a card dominated by Wexford connections.
The first four-year-old maiden of the year, sponsored by Arctic Tack Stud, went to Colin Bowe and Milestone with the Stowaway mare, Tell me something girl, ridden by O’ Neill.
The path was eased somewhat when two leading contenders fell at the second last.
The same combination won this race last year with Envoi Allen, which was promptly sold on for £400,000, and has since won three bumpers.
O’Neill completed his double in the Ballywalter Farms Winner of Three with Winged Leader, brought down from Fermanagh by David Christie, from Jimmy O’Rourke on Bernadette Murphy’s (Blackwater) Ballinasilla and Vital Island, ridden by Gary Murphy for Richard O’Keeffe (Taghmon).
There was a father and son success in the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham five-year-old geldings’ maiden, with James Kenny from Craanford scoring on Rapid Raider, handled by dad, Liam, and owned by Gavan Kinch.
He was five lengths ahead of Jamie Codd on Enjoy D’Allen, with Jamie Scallan third of 14 on Seán Doyle’s Freedelivery.
The Gain five- and six-years-old mares’ maiden was a Wexford clean sweep. The Three Wizards won it under John O’Neill, for John Paul and Marie Brennan, Camolin.
Second was Thats The Truth for Jamie Scallan and Seán Doyle, and third was Subtle Quest for O’Neill and Bowe.
After three successive falls, this was the big day for Spanish Leather as he won the Nitrofert six-year-old geldings’ maiden for handler Brian Jordan (Rathangan) and rider Mark Scallan (Cleariestown). Gary Murphy was second on Kilrane Road for Olivia Byrne and owner Michael Bates.
The concluding Horse and Hound Hotel older horses’ maiden for novice riders went for export, with Evan Dwan winning it for well-known track trainer, Tony Martin, ahead of Tiernan Power-Roche on Eoin McDonagh’s (Cahir) Mister Flemington.
This was not the end of the action as there was a special race confined to Wexford Hunt members that attracted eleven runners and great local interest. Winner was huntsman, Johnny Howard, from Ferns, ahead of P.J. Shannon from Newbawn and international horseman, Jason Higgins.
There was not a great deal of Wexford involvement in the other two meetings. At Carrigtwohill in Cork, Luke Murphy (Inch) is riding regularly for Colin Motherway and he had a win in the mares; winner of two on Flickering Light, as well as a couple of seconds.
At Belharbour in Clare, the long trip paid off for Rob James as he scored in some style in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Cormac Doyle’s In Too Deep for the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership.
On Saturday they race at Kirkistown, Co. Down, and on Sunday at Askeaton in Limerick, at Tallow in west Waterford, and at the Ward Union meeting at Oldtown in north Dublin.