IT was cold and windy at Taylorstown, near Poyntzpass, on Saturday for the annual Newry Point-to-Point races.
It proved to a good meeting for Wexford with Barry O’Neil, Jamie Codd and Colin Bowe all recording doubles and also for the Doyle brothers, Donnchadh and Sean.
O’Neil’s brace saw him record his 53rd winner of the season, while Codd was chalking up his 30th success in the All-Ireland riders’ table.
Codd’s double puts him on the 14 winner mark in the Northern Ireland Riders’ Regional title race, three ahead of Noel McParlan and Rob James.
O’Neil and Bowe got off the mark for the day in the Derrylecka Bedding Centre maiden race for five year-old geldings, the second race of the day.
Here, the partnership scored with Cremant, winning in good style from Codd on McGarry, owned by Christine McKnight and trained by her husband, Neil, at Loughbrickland. Third was Snowpiercer, ridden by James O’Rourke in place of Rob James.
The duo then went on to win the third race, the Seven Stars maiden race for five year-old and upwards mares, with Alice O’Byrne coming home seven lengths clear of Codd on Raddle and Hum. The consistent Moylass and Ben Crawford took third place.
Codd’s first victory came in the Boyd’s Stores open race that saw seven go to post.
A piece of history was made when his mount Kruzhlinin, owned by Camilla Sharples, who is travelling head girl to Gordon Elliott, became the first horse to win nine races in a season.
O’Neil set out to make all on recent Loughbrickland winner Sambremont, but had to be content with a fourth-placed finish. Codd sent his mount clear after the last to beat former champion point-to-pointer Anseanachai Cliste, ridden for the first time by Noel McParlan. John Woods’ Bridget’s Pet, ridden by Harley Dunne, was third.
Codd then made all on Amalfi Doug in the Lynda Hughes memorial maiden race for six year-old and upwards geldings. Second past the judge was Bronco Bill, well ridden by Michael Molloy with Pyrios and Barry O’Neil third.
The winner is trained in Meath by Jim Dreaper, who was represented at the meeting by his son Tom, who said post-race: “Job done.”
The best finish of the day came in the Philip McCabe Quantity Surveyor one-winner race with three horses flashing past the post, locked together.
Victory went to Getaman, ridden by Derek O’Connor, who has had little success on the local circuit this season. Second was Gold Time, ridden by Kevin Corrigan for his father, Martin. A head back in third was Clondaw Nell, ridden by Noel McParlan.
Colin McKeever trains the winner for Wilson Dennison at the owner’s estate in Templepatrick.
With 24 of the 39 entries declared in the Dennison Commercials four year-old maiden race, it had to be divided.
The first divide saw Evander, trained in Wexford by Donnchadh Doyle and ridden by stable jockey Rob James, win from Battle of Actium with long time leader Clondaw Pretender, third.
In the second division Kearney Hill and Noel McParlan led over the last fence, but crashed out on landing, leaving Dancewiththewind and James Walsh as winners.
Just like Evander in the previous race, the winner is trained in Wexford under the care of Sean Doyle, Donnchadh’s brother. Second was Steinkrause in the colours of Ards owner Michael Cave with Seeing Blind, third.
The Mid-Antrim meeting will make a return to Broughshane this weekend with the cancelled Easter meeting, organised by East Antrim. taking place on May 18,
At Sligo on Sunday, Spa owner/trainer Victor Wilson, who is a farrier, saddled his first winner in a long time when his charge, Mon Storm, with Donnie McInerney in the saddle, won as 3/1 favourite.
It is interesting to note that the green and white colours used by Victor and his late father, George, from Dromore, were first registered many years ago.
Victor told me a while back that he still has the original colours that were in fact an Irish international football shirt with the number covered by the white diamond — Victor’s uncle was a top footballer in his day.