Graduates of the Irish point-to-point circuit enjoyed a fruitful February with a number of notable successes including 14 graded-race winners out of a total of 117 winners.
Honeysuckle was the first of the Grade 1 winners of the month, taking the Grade 1 PCI Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown during the Dublin Racing Festival, following up her December Grade 1 success in the Hatton's Grace hurdle.
Still unbeaten to date, the high-class daughter of Sulamani was a very impressive winner of a Dromahane mares' four-year-old maiden back in 2018 for handler Jerry Cosgrave, before changing hands soon after at the Punchestown sale for €110,000.
Also a winner at Dromahane, Notebook won a five-year-old geldings' maiden by twelve lengths for John Nallen just one month after Honeysuckle won at the Co. Cork venue.
Following that success, he changed hands to Mags O'Toole for £70,000 at the Cheltenham May Sale at Tattersalls Cheltenham.
Carrying the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, the son of Samum followed up his Christmas Grade 1 success when taking the Grade 1 ERSG Arkle Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival under Rachael Blackmore.
Asterion Forlonge, one of the main talking horses of the season, was an emphatic winner of a four-year-old maiden at Oldtown back in 2018 for Pat Doyle and Derek O'Connor, before changing hands for a whopping £290,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins.
An impressive winner of a Naas maiden hurdle in January, the son of Coastal Path took a big step into Grade 1 company, and duly delivered at the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle over the Dublin Racing Festival, fending off Easywork by a facile nine-and-a-half lengths in the hands of Danny Mullins.
Faugheen added to his Grade 1 successes once again at the Dublin Racing Festival, securing his second Grade 1 chase to date, backing up his success at Limerick over the Christmas period where he beat Samcro by a comfortable ten lengths.
The admirable 12-year-old was a winner of a Ballysteen four-year-old maiden in 2012 for his handler Andrew Slattery and rider Roger Quinlan.
February also saw a further nine ex pointers' take Grade 2 contests.
Appreciate It was a winner of a four-year-old maiden at Dromahane for Pat Doyle in 2018 before joining the Willie Mullins stable.
He looks an exciting sort going forward following his Grade 2 bumper success at the Dublin Racing Festival, winning impressively by seven-and-a-half lengths over Risk Factor.
Newtide finished second on his debut in a four-year-old maiden for Colin Bowe at Oldcastle in 2017. He has been a model of consistency since joining the Kim Bailey team, and he was victorious in a Grade 2 novice chase at Wetherby.
Darling Daughter, a winner of a Grade 2 mares' bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival looks an exciting prospect for Gigginstown House Stud and Gordon Elliott.
She was a winner of a five-year-old and upwards mares maiden at Portrush in 2019 for Cormac Doyle and Rob James.
Native River, a winner of the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury, unseated his rider on his debut run in 2014 at Dromahane for handler Denis Ahern before changing hands to Colin Tizzard.
Chris's Dream won a four-year-old maiden at Boulta for Eugene O'Sullivan, and he added to his CV when taking the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park for Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.
Ramses De Teillee took the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock under David Noonan for David Pipe.
He was a winner of a four-year-old geldings' maiden at Ballyarthur for Colin Bowe and Barry O'Neill.
Captain Cj won a six-year-old and upwards geldings' maiden at Oldtown in 2017 for Patrick Magee, before changing hands to Dermot McLoughlin.
The son of Westerner claimed the Grade 2 Novice Chase at Navan, by a comprehensive six lengths over Elwood.
Emma's Joy took a Grade 2 hurdle at Warwick for Dan Skelton, she won a five and six-year-old mares' maiden at Courtown for handler Richard Black.
Clondaw Caitlin finished second in a four-year-old mares' maiden at Bartlemy for Mick Goff, and she won a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Kelso for her trainer, Ruth Jefferson and rider Brian Hughes.
Run Wild Fred, a Dawstown winner in 2018, claimed a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Punchestown.
Ifyoucatchmenow was the winner of the Grade B Grand National Trial handicap chase at Punchestown, she took a Bartlemy four-year-old mares' maiden in 2017 for Denis Murphy.
Shishkin, Ballyoptic, Cill Anna and Definitly Red all won Listed contests during the month.
February highlights included:
Grade 1 success for Honeysuckle (Henry De Bromhead), Notebook (Henry De Bromhead), Asterion Forlonge (Willie Mullins), and Faugheen (Willie Mullins).
Grade 2 success for Appreciate It (Willie Mullins), Newtide (Kim Bailey), Darling Daughter (Gordon Elliott), Native River (Colin Tizzard), Chris's Dream (Henry De Bromhead), Ramses De Teillee (David Pipe), Captain Cj (Dermot McLoughlin), Emma's Joy (Dan Skelton), Clondaw Caitlin (Ruth Jefferson).
Grade 3 success for Run Wild Fred (Gordon Elliott).
Grade B success for Ifyoucatchmenow (Willie Mullins).
Listed successes for Shishkin (Nicky Henderson), Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston Davies), Cill Anna (Paul Nicholls), and Definitly Red (Brian Ellison).
