Wexford duo net double at Tyrella meet

Wexford duo net double at Tyrella meet

12 March 2014

WEXFORD jockey Barry O’Neill and trainer Colin Bowe took the honours at Tyrella when they combined to take the first two races at Saturday’s East Down Foxhounds point-to-point meeting.

O’Neill’s rode his first winner in the maiden race for four-year-olds when he produced 3/1 chance Kiteney Wood to lead after jumping the second last and the pair battled resolutely up the home straight to prove four lengths superior to Jamie Codd on Gordon Elliott’s favourite Guerilla Tactics.

Jockey Harley Dunne took a crashing fall from Myroundoryours at the fence in the straight, sustaining a broken collarbone which will rule him out of action for a few weeks.

O’Neill and Bowe notched their second winner of the day in the mares’ race when 6/1 shot Antonenko held off the fast finishing As You Wish under Willie Thompson by a diminishing length at the post.

Rachel Blackmore was bang in there with every chance on the Liam Lennon trained South Circle but lost all hope of victory when crashing out at the final fence.

O’Neill was quickly into the winner’s enclosure to weigh in before dashing to ride in the bumper at Gowran Park where his mount finished well down the field.

There was a divide to the Albert Bartlett maiden race with the first division going the way of Limerick raider Long House Hall (8/1) who had the advantage of top points rider Derek O’Connor in the saddle.

The second division saw Ground Invasion and Ben Crawford book a visit to the winner’s enclosure when proving just over two lengths superior to Brian Hamilton’s Big Kern under Steven Clements with a further five lengths back to Willie Thompson on Seacon Beg.

The locally-trained Davyroy was well supported in the market to win the winners of two race and Colin McBratney’s locally trained 4/6 favourite had every chance of collecting when leading over the final fence. However, Jamie Codd was seen at his brilliant best when getting every ounce out of Graham McKeever’s Chosen Dream to snatch victory in the final 50 yards with Derek O’Connor four lengths back in third spot on Derek Pugh’s Mattara.

The victory was a 43rd winner of the current campaign for Wexford rider Codd.

Kilclief trainer Stephen Magee saddled three of the four runners in the confined hunt race with Ballynoe handler Brian Hamilton hoping to upstage him with Tight Times in the hands of Declan Lavery.

The race developed into a match a good way out with Lavery happy to match strides alongside Noel McParlan on Cathal McGovern’s odds-on favourite News For Pascal.

The pace certainly lifted a few notches over the final half mile where McParlan did his best to shake off his rival. Entering the straight there was little to chose between both runners but slowly News For Pascal edged ahead to land the spoils by a length and a half.

“He can be a bit lazy but thankfully had a bit of company and quickened well on the turn into the straight. We might head for a point-to-point bumper at Fairyhouse next,” said successful trainer Magee in the winner’s enclosure.

The final race of the day saw the fence in the straight dolled off after Downpatrick rider Patrick Turley took a crashing fall from Cushcapple with a circuit to race. Turley received treatment from the on-course paramedics for five minutes before getting to his feet. He was transferred to hospital and was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital with a broken shoulder and internal injuries.

At the business end of the race 6/1 chance Cluain Or gave 18-year-old Wexford jockey Brendan Brookes his second point-to-point win with eight lengths to spare over TP Fogarty on Twisted Psychology.

Next racing: Ulster National meeting at Downpatrick, Sunday, March 23.