Doyle follows in the footsteps of top names as U21 champ

 Image © Healy Racing

David Doyle’s breakthrough season in the point-to-point fields has culminated in him securing the Under-21 title, as he signed off on the season with a double at Ballingarry on the final day of the campaign.

Kilrush Lady took Doyle to a thirteenth success of the season when she ran out a 13-length winner of the six-year-old mares' maiden at the Ormond Foxhounds' fixture, and it was followed in the final race of the season when Kevin Heffernan's Oldtown To Emly secured the seven-year-old and upwards maiden.

The Tipperary native had entered this season having ridden just two winners between the flags, with the majority of his winners at that point having been secured under rules. However, he quickly made a big impression this season, securing his first success of the campaign aboard Pat Doyle’s Dixie Mafia at Turtulla.

That Tipperary handler has proved to be a big supporter of Doyle’s, supplying him with his first five winners of the season, including a first-ever four-year-old maiden victory when Le Frimeur won at Nenagh in the famous colours of the double-green ownership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Alongside Pat Doyle, Sam Curling was quick to secure the services of the 19-year-old who was a regular aboard horses from the Suirview Stables team, including further four-year-old maiden victories aboard Arcadian Emperor at Lisronagh and Gowitdflow in Rathcannon.

Fourteen winners for the season saw him end the campaign five winners clear of Bertie Finn who was filling the runners-up spot for the second time, having ended the 2023 season three winners adrift of that year’s champion Dara McGill.

In securing the 2025 championship, Doyle follows in the footsteps of many household names within the sport, such as Adrian Maguire, Timmy Murphy, Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell, and Derek O’Connor.

David will be presented with his trophy at the 44th annual GAIN point-to-point awards, which take place at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, on Saturday, June 7th. Tickets can be purchased here.