Fine treble for O’Neill in Longford

CHAMPION point-to-point rider, Barry O’Neill, struck back after a blank the previous week to score a treble at the Westmeath and Longford Hunt meeting at Corbeagh House in Longford on Sunday.

He won Division 2 of the four-year-old maiden in driving rain with Colin Bowe’s Monbeg Racing’s Killer Clown, seeing off Jimmy O’Rourke (Wexford) on Jonathan Fogarty’s (Cleariestown) Carry on the Magic and Pres, ridden by Rob James for Donnchadh Doyle.

O’Neill doubled up in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Destination Dylan for Shane Donohoe (Cavan), four lengths clear of Rob James on Ran Rite for David M. O’Brien, with Rocket Lad third for Kieran Roche (Adamstown) under James Walsh.

The Kiltealy man brought up his treble on Gordon Elliott’s Kruzlinin which was winning a third Open race of the season. O’Neill was beaten into second on David Christie’s Kadmer by his great rival, Derek O’Connor, in the Winner of Three, with James Walsh third on his dad’s No More Monkeys.

Rob James had a couple of seconds and a third, but he did hit the top spot in the opening Division 1 of the four-year-old maiden, on Donnchadh Doyle’s Buzz De Turcoing, with Simon Cavanagh third on John Paul Brennan’s Brandy Cross.

Jimmy O’Rourke came very close to a winner in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, failing by a short head on Paul Martin Pierce’s (Killurin) Airgead Suas to the Pa King-ridden Le Hachette.

The softening of the ground is allowing a lot more horses to run now, and the United Hunt meeting at Ballindenisk in Cork attracted 90 runners, though there was a small enough Wexford contingent.

Jamie Codd went down to ride two for Denis Murphy before then heading up the road to Fairyhouse where he won the bumper on Gordon Elliott’s Envoi Allen (see racing review).

It was worth it as Codd won Division 1 of the four-year-old maiden on the Murphy-owned and trained Overthetop, with Tiernan Power-Roche (Tomhaggard) third on Ashleigh Murphy’s Howya Hun. Codd was fourth in Division 2 on Whatsupwithyou with his other ride.

Richie Deegan and handler Aidan Fitzgerald made the long trip from Borris in Carlow pay off with a win in the five-year-old mares’ maiden with Rosfoyle, despite a last fence blunder, with Harley Dunne second on Michael Hourigan’s Oscar Bonnie.

Barry O’Neill is leading rider with 17, from Rob James and Derek O’Connor (14) and Jamie Codd (ten).

This Sunday, the Carlow Farmers race at Borris House, the Louth Hunt at Tattersalls, Fairyhouse, and the United Hunt at Boulta in Cork.