Champions Crowned | Codd and O'Neill continue Eastern domination

For the first time since the regional awards were introduced in 1982, the title of Eastern Champion is set to be shared between Barry O’Neill and Jamie Codd.

The pair have dominated in the region, as between the two of them, they have won this award 15-times consecutively.

For Codd it will be his 12th time to receive the award and it will be O’Neill’s fifth time to receive the award, since first winning it in 2016.

Barry O’Neill got off to a great start when recording a four-timer on the opening weekend of the Autumn season at Castletown-Geoghegan.

The Wexford native also registered a treble at Lingstown and had doubles at both of the Tinahely meetings during the Autumn.

A double at Borris House, including aboard Amarillo Sky who subsequently sold for £280,000 at the Cheltenham Festival Sale, also featured among his more noteworthy days in the region, where it was once again Colin Bowe who supplied him with nine of his fifteen winners in the East this season.

Tinahely has been a lucky track for Jamie Codd and this season was no different when recording two trebles at their meetings in October and November and a double at the Wicklow track in February.

Codd, who had won the Eastern title for 11 years in a row  before losing to O’Neill in 2016,  also registered a treble at the new Ballinagore Hunt point-to-point fixture at Ballycrystal.

Eleven of the 15 winners Codd registered in the Eastern Region were supplied by Denis Murphy.

O’Neill and Codd finished up with 15 winners a piece in the east and were eight winners clear of their nearest rivals, Rob James and Brian Lawless.