Image © Healy Racing
County Wexford rider Eoin Staples was absent from the point-to-point circuit over the weekend, as he flew to Prague in Czechia to ride at Pardubice as part of The Fegentri Gentleman’s League Championship.
Staples was unlucky to crash out at the first fence on his mount, White Devil, but thankfully he returned unscathed, and may have another ride in the Gentleman’s League at Compiègne in France towards the end of the month.
Staples finished fifth aboard Danny The Fence on home turf back in March at Cork in the Longines Fegentri World Championship (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle. He had no ride at Auteuil in May and was out of luck when his mount Delux was a non-runner at Stromsholm in Sweden in June.
“I ride out with Barry O’Neill and he first encouraged me to get involved with the Fegentri Series,” he said.
“Barry told me it would be good to do something different, and it would be a good opportunity to get myself out there. I then rang Paddy Mullins, and after a conversation with him, I was selected to represent Ireland.
“It was a brilliant experience, getting to travel to all the different countries, riding different horses and a totally different way of riding."
They look after us so well, and I have made lots of new contacts. It was a fantastic opportunity for me.”
Back on Irish soil, its back to business for the 21-year-old who splits his time between riding out for Colin Bowe, Rob James, Jamie Codd and Andy Pierce.
Eoin is thankful for the support of the handlers he rides out for and is looking forward to plenty of rides and hopefully adding to his tally of six winners.
