O’Neill lands the final two races
FOUR OF the six races at the Shillelagh and District Hunt meeting were run off in soft conditions at Fairwood, Tinahely, on Sunday, with champion Barry O’Neill leaving it late to strike with a double in the final two.
Donnchadh Doyle sent out the well-backed winner of the five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden, with Robin Des Theatre (Robin Des Champs) making all under local rider, J.J. Walsh, for the Monbeg Syndicate. He had one and a half lengths to spare over Lawlor’s Choice, trained locally by Philip Rothwell.
The geldings’ maiden went north via Colin McKeever’s Folcano, followed by O’Neill on Colin Bowe’s Kilbeg King, and J.J. Walsh on Kieran Roche’s (Adamstown) Ruinous.
O’Neill was second again in the Open on David Christie’s Marinero, behind Shark Hanlon’s Mighty Stowaway.
Michael Goff kept up his great run with Nelson’s Rock (Mount Nelson) scoring in the Winner of One in the colours of his wife, Caitríona, his fifth win of the season. The horse had won at the same track in October. Kevin Corrigan (Blackwater) did the steering.
Jordan Gainford was second on Colin Bowe’s Oscar Bonnie, and third was Singing Banjo for the Walshs from Ballyday, Gorey.
Barry O’Neill got on the board in the older mares’ maiden with Kopolov, trained by
Wexford native and former Cheltenham star, Conor O’Dwyer, and he doubled up in the concluding older geldings’ maiden on Handy Headon for owner-trainer, Paddy Quinlan.
Bernadette Murphy (Blackwater) was third with Anothergoldenboy under Simon Cavanagh.
A slip of the keyboard last week meant I docked Barry a winner or two, but he is top of the table with 19, six ahead of Jamie Codd with Rob James third on eleven.
Unusually, there was no Wexford winner at Aghabullogue in Cork. Rob James was second on Donnchadh Doyle’s Straight Swap in the five-year-old geldings, and he was third on Andrew Latta’s Doubleubee in the Winner of One.
There is a new Wexford fixture on Sunday next, with the Ballinagore Hunt racing at Ballycrystal, Kiltealy. There are two five-year and six-year-old maidens, a winner of two, and a five-year-old confined maiden. Racing starts 12.30 p.m. Good luck to Secretary Rose Cummins and all concerned. They also race at Killeagh in Cork.