Codd in running after five-timer
IT WAS a great weekend for Jamie Codd with five winners for five different trainers over the two days to haul himself into contention in the riders’ title race despite losing a month to injury, but Barry O’Neill maintained his push for a third crown with two at a Wexford-dominated Tinahely fixture on Sunday to leave him nine ahead.
Codd won both five-year-old maidens at Armagh on Saturday, the geldings’ on Silver in Disguise for trainer Alan Ahern who made the long trip from Cork pay off, and the mares’ on Wheesht for Stuart Crawford. Rob James was second in the geldings’ on Donnchadh Doyle’s Go Whatever.
Codd completed his treble on Sizing Coal for Jim Dreaper in the Open race, well clear of Barry O’Neill on David Christie’s Winged Leader. The champion was pipped by a head in the opening Confined Hunt race on Our Bonus for Marshall Watson.
O’Neill struck first at the Bray Hunt meeting at Fairwood on Sunday in the four-year-old maiden on Linelee King, Colin Bowe’s son of Martaline; they were clear of Codd on Jonathan Fogarty’s (Cleariestown) Agent Rushour.
Codd took over for the next two before heading to Naas for the bumper. He won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Peter Flood’s (Meath) Enjoy D’Allen, clear of James Walsh on John Paul Brennan’s (Camolin) Ultimate Getaway and Rob James on Donnchadh Doyle’s Sonru.
Codd had his third quick win in succession on Gordon Elliott’s Kruzhlinin in the John Durkan Memorial Open, ahead of James and O’Neill on a couple of Jim Dreaper runners.
O’Neill’s second win came in the five-yearold mares’ maiden and also completed a double for Bowe with Subtle Quest, winning at last after five placed efforts. James Walsh was second on Kieran Roche’s (Adamstown) Sadhbh’s Delight, from Frilly Frock under Rob James, also for Bowe.
Local course specialist Loggan Lady took the Winner of Two under Barry Walsh (Gorey) for his dad, John. Mark Scallan (Cleariestown) was second on Brian Jordan’s (Rathangan) Spanish Leathers, ahead of Jamie Scallan (Tomhaggard) on Leo Doyle’s Barrells Buoy.
Tiernan Power-Roche rode his fourth winner of the season on Fleck Ivy, having his first run for Murrintown handler, Benny Walsh, in the novice riders’ older geldings’ maiden, completing a full house of six Wexford winners.
There was a minimal Wexford involvement in the Duhallow fixture down in Cork, but Jimmy O’Rourke from Clonard, Wexford, did get second in the five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden for Seán Thomas Doyle (Ballindaggin), just half a length behind Eugene O’Sullivan’s Getaway Totherock.
In the riders’ championship, Barry O’Neill is on 32, from Codd and Derek O’Connor (23), Rob James (19) and Luke Murphy from Inch (twelve). Colin Bowe has drawn level with Declan Queally (Waterford) in the trainers’ race on 18.
Next Saturday they race at Downpatrick, and on Sunday the Carlow Farmers race at Borris House and they also run at Bandon in Cork and Ballycahane in Limerick.