Borris House is a track that has been particularly lucky of late for Barry O’Neill, as having been one of four tracks that he rode a treble at last season, in his second national title winning campaign, it will have gained even more importance for him, after he reached the 500-winner milestone at the Carlow venue on Sunday afternoon.
It had been a difficult start to the day for the Wexford native, as two of his mounts in the opening three races came to grief over the final three fences, with Rewritetherules in particular, coming down at the second-last whilst in front and set to provide him with the 500th winner.
His late departure ensured that the two-time national champion remained on the 499-winner mark entering into the day’s five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Teaming up with Rathdrum handler John Kinsella and his Definite Warrior, a faller at Lingstown recently, the pair always raced up with the pace, and despite a mistake at the second-last, they began to get the better of the exchanges with Finisk River, when that rival came down at the last.
From that point, the elusive 500th winner looked in the bag, and they returned 12 lengths clear of Victory Echo.
The important winner, which comes 11 years after his maiden point-to-point victory aboard Viking Rebel in March 2007, ensures that O’Neill becomes just the fourth rider in the history of Irish point-to-point racing to reach the 500-winner milestone.
With the success, he joins three of the sport’s greats – Derek O’Connor, Jamie Codd and the late John Thomas McNamara – in doing so, continuing to write his place in the sport’s history.
