For the third time within the last four years, the Under-21 title is to be shared, as both Ben Harvey and Brian Lawless ended the Coronavirus foreshortened season tied on seven winners apiece.
Nineteen-year-old Harvey, whose father also rode for a time as an amateur jockey, started the season particularly well, teaming up with the Gearoid O’Loughlin-trained Space Cadet to win an open at Castletown-Geoghegan on the opening Sunday of the season.
That was one of two winners in the pointing fields for the Maynooth University student whilst sporting the Chris Jones colours, as he also Mala Beach for Gordon Elliott, when winning at Damma House in November.
That association would prove to be a successful one this season for the Naul native, as he won the final big staying Chase of the National Hunt season before it was brought to an end, when once again teaming up with Space Cadet to land the Randox Ulster National at Downpatrick in March.
In between those successes, Harvey also recorded his first win in the four-year-old maiden division when guiding the newcomer, Bob Olinger, to an impressive debut success at Turtulla for Pat Doyle, whilst he also established a successful new partnership with leading handler David Christie.
Twice he teamed up to success with the Fermanagh handler, guiding the season’s champion point-to-point horse, Eddies Miracle, to success in open races at Borris House and Tinahely.
Wicklow native Brian Lawless also enjoyed a personal best season on his way to a share of the Under-21 title, with his seven winners, coming courtesy of six different handlers.
Fittingly, it was his father Gerard who was the only handler to supply him with two winners during the season, which included the first of two doubles that he enjoyed at Damma House in November, with the successes of Lough Derg Lyric and Ryans Cave.
The recently turned 21-year-old enjoyed further successes in a four-year-old mares’ maiden for Donnchadh Doyle on Paradise Run at Borris House in December and a month later, when Colin Motherway’s The Bees Knees won a five-year-old maiden at Ballycrystal.
Wins for Mr Cosmos at Knockmullen House still left him trailing Harvey before a double on what proved to be the final day of the season at Ballyragget brought him joint-top of that particular leaderboard, with the success for Paul Stafford’s Whisper In Court and John Nallen’s Minella Lightning.
The pair ended the season three winners clear of Jordan Gainford, with a further three riders tied in third spot a
further winner adrift.
