5th October – Toomebridge
As has become the tradition in recent years, Toomebridge once again held the honour of opening the new season, with the introduction of a new procedure at declarations, where horses could not be declared without a passport present to inspect for flu vaccinations. It’s introduction followed the Equine Flu outbreak in Britain from earlier in the year.
Jamie Codd and Denis Murphy combined to win the first race of the 2019/20 campaign with Gale At Sea and they would go on to record a double with Alan Harte’s Yes Des Taillons later on the card.
The winner-of-one saw point returnee Some Man get the better of Samurai Cracker in what would prove to be a smart race, as both would go one to enjoy success in Hunter Chase company on the track.
%uD83D%uDD39%uD83D%uDD195 OCTOBER 2019 %uD83D%uDD39
— Tattersalls Cheltenham (@tattscheltenham) March 23, 2020
The 2019/2020 autumn @irishp2p season got underway at Toomebridge and past graduates start appearing on the racetrack, we take a look back at how the season unravelled.
The first 4yo race was won by @BallyboyStables and @JJCodd pic.twitter.com/24SLd0QV8Z
6th October – Castletown-Geoghegan
The Castletown-Geoghegan fixture remembered the late Carol Ross, long-time declarations clerk for the hunt at what was their first point-to-point since her passing in July.
On the track, Barry O’Neill dominated riding one of two four-timers that we would enjoy during the season, with success aboard Mr Josiey Wales, Pennyforapound (successful on the same card 12 months earlier), Do Your Job and Pyrios. The latter winning his second maiden having been disqualified after initially winning at Loughanmore in the Spring.
The Open on the card lived up to its reputation with Space Cadet leading home quality performers Some Are Lucky, Reigning Supreme and track recruit Vyta Du Roc. Gearoid O’Loughlin’s winner would go on to land the valuable Randox Ulster National at Downpatrick later in the season.
18yo Ben Harvey got his season off to a good start when guiding Space Cadet to victory in the Open at Castletown-Geoghegan on Sunday for @GearoidOLoughli & @Chrisjo69714881
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) October 8, 2019
He is the first rider to star in season 3 of our NextGen feature.
READ MORE - https://t.co/zfPK1NCrTa pic.twitter.com/3yP6nGD7FP
13th October – Loughrea
Former Irish Gold Cup hero Edwulf returned to the pointing sphere and made a winning open debut on what was his one and only start for Enda Bolger. The son of Kayf Tara returned to Joseph O’Brien and ran in two subsequent Hunter Chases that season at Down Royal and Naas, without getting his head in front.
Tony Kelly, the son of Cheltenham Festival winning trainer Pat Kelly, sent out his first winner as a handler. The former British-based jockey was only having his first runners in that role when Captain Jimmy opened his account in the older maiden in what also proved to be a first success for 17-year-old Leaving Certificate student James Duggan.
19th October – Portrush
Eddies Miracle lived up to his name, as in front of a large attendance at the seaside venue, he overcame a life-threatening injury, sustained at Kirkistown 11 months earlier, to record his first success of the season for a visibly emotional handler David Christie, who enjoyed a double on the day. Eddies Miracle would remain unbeaten for the season and was ultimately crowned Champion Point-to-Point Horse.
Stephen Connor cemented his new partnership as stable jockey for the Colin McKeever-Wilson Dennison outfit, when Ballyadam ran out an impressive debut victor of division two of the four-year-old maiden. He was subsequently sold for £330,000 to race in the Cheveley Park Stud colours and Gordon Elliott, and opened his rules account for that combination with an impressive Bumper success at Downpatrick later that season.
%uD83D%uDCAC "It would have been hard to say no."
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) November 23, 2019
Stephen Connor discusses the successful start to his new association with Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison, and the exciting recent Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales topper Ballyadam.
FULL STORY %u25B6 https://t.co/ljvtjqWW1q pic.twitter.com/NgS45Soue1
20th October – Tinahely
It was a new look organising committee for the Shillelagh & District committee which included Vicki Donlon, Marketing, Sponsorship and Events Manager at Leopardstown Racecourse who was joined in the secretary role by Niamh Rothwell, wife of trainer Philip, however one constant at the venue remained the same, as Jamie Codd once again took home riding honours, with a treble on the afternoon.
Better B Quick rolled back the years as he won his first race since the final day of the 2017 season at the age of 13, causing something of an upset in the Open for Tiernan Power and Michael Murphy.
26th October – Loughanmore
Having sustained a shoulder injury at Castletown-Geoghegan on the opening weekend of the season, former champion Derek O’Connor was in the wars once again, as he was concussed in a heavy final fence fall during the opening contest, a race which had been delayed by 55 minutes due to the late arrival of a doctor.
On her return to the point-to-point sphere, Holycross Lito easily lowered the colours of the reigning champion mare Longhouse Music, confirming her pervious defeat of Sam Curling’s charge from a winners’ contest at Largy in 2017. The performance would see Sean and Noel McParlan’s Beneficial mare crowned Champion Mare at the end of the season.
27th October – Knockinroe
Richie Deegan enjoyed a double, the opening leg coming courtesy of Brave Way, who continues a good weekend for handler Warren Ewing, with two of his horses having finished second in four-year-old maidens at Portrush 24 hours earlier.
27th October – Dowth Hall
The weather gods once again looked favourably on Dowth Hall, as the organisers reported that a record crowd turned out under blue skies to enjoy another memorable day of racing and family fun as part of the popular Country Fair.
The veteran Better B Quick doubled up within seven days as he swiftly followed up his success at Tinahely seven days earlier by getting the better of Some Are Lucky in the Open under regular pilot Tiernan Power.
The Hunt also made a presentation to Dr. Carlos McDowell on her retirement. A former consultant at the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda for 29 years, she had acted as a doctor at their point-to-points across three decades prior to her retirement.
Record crowds yesterday at our 2019 Point to Point & Country Fair at Dowth. A glorious day which celebrated the very best of community, country life and horse racing. Thank you to everyone who joined us. See you next year! #DowthP2P pic.twitter.com/jOP91LTtad
— Dowth Point To Point (@dowthp2p) October 28, 2019
2nd November – Kinsale
The South Union hunt made a return to hosting an autumn fixture, with the Kinsale card opening the Cork-Waterford season. Disappointingly for them, the adjacent maiden produced the sole walkover of the season, as It’s Only Me opened her account for John Barry and Jay Leahy.
The winner-of-one brought a family success for the Allen’s when their Concrete King won the second race of his career for brothers Sean and Darragh. The Morozov gelding would go on to win again at Kilfeacle and Ballyarthur, as well as putting up a creditable performance at 66/1 to finish third in a Clonmel Hunter Chase.
3rd November – Damma House
Broodmare Celestial Silver achieved the rather more unique achievement when two of her off-spring, Ryans Cave and Mamaslittlestar, her first and second produce, were both among the day’s winners. The former featured as part of a first ever double for rider Brian Lawless. The Wicklow native would go on to share the Under-21 title with Ben Harvey, who was also successful on the card, partnering Mala Beach to win the Open for Gordon Elliott.
It was also a day to remember for Carlow native Tommy Mahon, as he recorded his first success when combining with local handler Tony Mullins’ Man On The Run in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden.
3rd November – Moig South
The opening leg of the ITM Ladies Series produced a thrilling finish as Lisa O’Neill and Liz Lalor had to share the spoils when their respective mounts, Space Cadet and Fenno’s Storm, dead-heated in the Ladies open.
There was a big success for Cian Hughes, as he sent out Yousayitbest to win the four-year-old geldings’ maiden on debut before then being sold to Bloodstock Agent Alex Elliott for £220,000.
There was also a notable pedigree in the winner’s enclosure following the mares’ maiden, with Paul Pierce’s initial victor of the campaign, Immortality, being an own-sister of Willie Mullins’ Grade 1 winner Laurina. She was subsequently sold to Gordon Elliott following the success.
9th November – Lisronagh
Having suffered what had been a rare defeat following 13 successes last season when second to Holycross Lito, the horse that would ultimately take her Champion Mare crown at Loughanmore, Longhouse Music returned to winning ways when easily winning the Mares Open for a second year in succession under Derek O’Connor.
Former rider turned handler, Con McSweeney, started his season off well, as his first runner of the campaign, Railway Hurricane, won a division of the four-year-old maiden. McSweeney would end the season with a 66% strike rate thanks to the later success of Russellsway at Boulta.
10th November – Knockmullen House
The Wexford Foxhounds unveiled their new track, moving from the popular Ballinaboola, to this new venue on the outskirts of New Ross. Champion Conditional Jockey, Jonjo O’Neill Jr, who had been at Lisronagh on the previous afternoon, and local Ireland Rugby star Tadgh Furlong were among those in attendance.
@irishp2p @IrishRugby No 1 prop in the world just weighing out at Knockmullen Pt to Pt #gopointing #legend #tadhgfurlong %uD83D%uDE0A%uD83D%uDE0A pic.twitter.com/Tsz8srGQ1a
— Bernadette Murphy (@bakmurphy) November 10, 2019
Sean Doyle enjoyed a double on the card, with My Story making an immediate impact on his open debut, swiftly following up successes in winners’ grade at both Loughrea and Loughanmore in the previous four weeks. The Court Cave gelding having re-joined the Monbeg team after initially winning his four-year-old maiden for Doyle’s younger brother Donnchadh before embarking on a British track career that spanned five runs.
10th November – Dromahane
Aidan Fitzgerald sent out Queens Brook to win the four-year-old mares’ maiden, a race that he had won two years earlier with Queens Cave. That horse subsequently achieved black type for David Pipe, and his 2019 race winner also made an immediate impact, as having been sold to Gordon Elliott for £220,000, she went on to win a Gowran Park Bumper before finishing third in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival that spring.
It proved to be a notable weekend for breeders the Lynch family and their broodmare Coco Opera, as the success of half-brothers Arctic Skipper and Castle Robin on the card, supplemented the victory of Crossing Lines, at Lisronagh 24 hours earlier.
17th November – Tinahely
Val De Ferbet won his first race in almost two years when getting the better of a thrilling tussle with My Story and Marinero in what was a rare runner between the flags for former Grade 1 winning jockey Andrew McNamara. Sadly the 11-year-old died two months later when collapsing after finishing eighth in a Hunter Chase at Naas.
Jamie Codd supplemented his treble at the Wicklow venue a month earlier, by once again recording a hat-trick, continuing to add to his tally as the most successful rider at the course.
17th November – Turtulla
Bob Olinger created a big impression on his debut for Ben Harvey and Pat Doyle, winning a division of the four-year-old maiden by no less than 15 lengths. He then bolstered his reputation by defeating fellow autumn four-year-old maiden winner Coqolino by ten lengths in a point-to-point bumper at Gowran Park later in the season. That coming after being bought privately by Henry de Bromhead and Robcour.
The novice riders open saw 19-year-old Peter Kavanagh open his account aboard the Cormac Doyle-trained Mad Jack Mytton.
23rd November – Kirkistown
It was a day to remember for rookie handler Jamie Sloan, as with his first runner since taking over the reins from Cheltenham Festival winning trainer Ian Ferguson, he sent out Gallyhill to win the four-year-old maiden on his debut. The son of Getaway would be the top-priced point-to-pointer in the sales ring this season when Henrietta Knight and Mike Grech spent £450,000 to acquire him.
Lot 33 Gallyhill made an exciting debut at Kirkistown by taking his 4yo maiden in an impressive fashion. He hails from a family of winners, which includes the 14-time track winner, Tarxien & 7-time track winner Nortonthorpelegend @RebeccaEMenzies. %u27A1%uFE0F https://t.co/bvCvOtILxj pic.twitter.com/FgAnCGeBzL
— Tattersalls Cheltenham (@tattscheltenham) December 5, 2019
Barry O’Neill and David Christie once again proved why they were the combination to follow in the region during the season, with O’Neill enjoying a treble, the final two legs coming aboard Christie runners, Dylow and On The Sod. Notably both would go on to win Hunter Chases later in the season.
24th November – Boulta
Former Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winner Black Hercules made his long-awaited return to action when finishing a close second to Arctic Skipper in a quality renewal of the open. The run was a first for Black Hercules since finishing third to Gold Cup winner Sizing John in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles almost three years earlier.
Earlier on the card, Sir Gerhard had blown his opposition away when winning a division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden by 12 lengths on his debut for Ellmarie Holden. He would later be snapped up by trainer Gordon Elliott for £400,000.
24th November – Lingstown
Banks specialist Vital Island recorded his second success over Lingstown’s unique Cross Country course, as he gallantly got the better of Sizing Solution by a narrow margin.
Twenty-year-old Bagenalstown native Jack Foley opened his account when he guided Acceptable Risk to success in the older maiden. The success formed part of an across the card double for the Ellen Doyle yard.
One of the highlights of the season brought the card to a close, with the Handlers Race seeing some of the best known handlers in the sport, including Colin Bowe, Denis Murphy, Warren Ewing and Donnchadh Doyle, taking to the saddle for this charity flat race. Run in aid of Pieta House, in conjunction with Ask, the race raised a total of €15,942.
%uD83D%uDCFAWATCH: Relive the Lingstown Handlers race in full, plus reaction from winner JD Moore, organsier Johnny Berry and Cllr Frank Staples of the ASK Mental Health campaign.
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) November 24, 2019
CLICK to view%u25B6%uFE0Fhttps://t.co/GuvrGRCXAl pic.twitter.com/m1VfMdVmex
1st December – Ballindenisk
It was a family success for the O’Sullivan’s as the father and daughter team of Maxine and Eugene teamed up to win a division of the four-year-old maiden impressively with Coqolino. The success of the French-bred was all the more notable, as it was over six years since a lady rider last won a four-year-old maiden, with the success for Maxine, her first in the age group, making her just the eighth lady rider to win a four-year-old race after Liz Lalor, Katie Walsh, Nina Carberry, Michelle Cox, Liz Doyle, Claire MacMahon and Lucy Townsley.
Seventeen-year-old Ben Bromley, son of well-known Bloodstock Agent Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock, made his Irish debut when riding Ucello Conti, in the open. Last season’s Champion Hunter Chaser is owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, whose racing manager is Bromley senior. Their pair had to settle for second behind Macs Legend.
1st December – Mainstown
Three divisions of the four-year-old maiden produced an eight race card, with two of those divisions going the way of the long-standing Shane Fitzgerald-Mick Goff partnership courtesy of Sir Sholokhov and Hes A Hardy Bloke.
Mighty Stowaway provided Aine O’Connor with her second success of the pointing season, when he defeated Reigning Supreme in the Ladies open, the race featuring as the second leg in the ITM-backed Ladies Series.
7th December – Borris House
With a total of 177 entries and 99 runners, the Carlow Farmers fixture was the biggest meeting of the season, and it was a day to remember for 19-year-old Damien Loughnane, and his father Ray, as their pair enjoyed their first successes as a rider and handler respectively with the victory of Added Time in the older maiden. The elder Loughnane bred and owns the 2019 Galway Plate-third Snugsborough Benny.
David Christie came close to achieving quite the rate feat of having a clean sweep of the placings in a point-to-point race when his horses filled three of the first four placings in a very competitive 17-runner novice open. Eddies Miracle picked up his second success of the season in what was a first ride for Ben Harvey for the yard, with Horrendus Hulabaloo second and Marinero in fourth.
7th December – Boulta
Aloneamongmillions returned to Boulta for the second time within a month and continued his rapid rise through the ranks. Sam Curling’s son of Mahler, a Ballyragget maiden winner last season, followed up his course victory when easily getting the better of Colonel Sam under Derek O’Connor, to record what was the third victory of his career.
Araglen native Darragh Allen continued his rise on the Cork and Waterford circuit, with the fixture playing host to his first career double, which came courtesy of Raymond Beresford’s South Terrace and John Neilan’s Brandy Harbour.
7th December – Tattersalls Farm
Crossing Lines put up one of the most notable performances within the winners’ division for quite some time, blitzing his opposition by 20 lengths and earning a rating that matched the likes of Agus A Vic and The Man From Slatt from over 15 years earlier. Part of a hat-trick on the afternoon for the Ellen Doyle yard, he was subsequently sold privately to David Pipe and Middleham Park Racing.
It proved to be a notable success for former rider turned handler Danny Fitzsimmons, when Rose Of Arcadia won the four-year-old mares’ maiden for him. She was subsequently bought by leading owners Cheveley Park Stud for £170,000 and put in training with Colin Tizzard. The daughter of Arcadio later doubled her tally for the campaign when winning a Taunton Bumper for her new connections in the spring. The Tattersalls maiden proved to be a particularly valuable race, as the runner-up, Shirocco’s Dream, went on to win her maiden at Borris House in the spring, before being bought for £260,000 to also join Tizzard.
30th December – Dromahane
Turlough O’Connor enjoyed a red-letter day when the rider-handler recorded his first career double in both roles, with the successes of Lady Shirocco in the four-year-old mares’ maiden and Well Chimed in the adjacent.
Macs Legend recorded his second success of the season with first-time partner Cal Shine aboard. Trained by Gerry Kelleher, who was one of the bookmakers on the day, the admirable veteran, would also add a third career Hunter Chase success to his tally later in the season at Thurles.
5th January – Ballindenisk
Nada To Prada make a winning debut for the Richie Deegan-Aidan Fitzgerald combination in a race which would subsequently work out particularly well, with four of the five other finishers going on to win their maidens in the following weeks.
On Call, who had been placed four times over hurdles for Joseph O’Brien, belatedly opened his account when winning the older maiden under Rob James for his new handler Shay Slevin.
12th January – Aghabullogue
Pa King was the rider to follow on the afternoon riding one of two trebles that he would record during the season at the fixture. All three of theses successes came for the Sam Curling yard – Knockanora Damsel in the mares’ maiden, Lite Duties in the open, and Templebredin in the winner-of-one. The successes played a big part in King eventually being crowned Southern Champion by the season’s end with a 36% strike rate in the region.
Ballincollig native David O’Brien rode his first winner for new boss John Halley when Entre Deux got his head in front in the older geldings’ maiden. The 21-year-old was partnering his fourth career winner in all.
12th January – Tinahely
Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison were successful in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with the Stephen Connor-ridden Folcano. McKeever and Dennison had won the corresponding race six years earlier with the subsequent Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winner Blaklion. Folcano was subsequently bought by Gordon Elliott for £110,000.
Mighty Stowaway wins his third open, just days after being purchased by Cheltenham Festival winning owner Philip Reynolds ahead of a tilt at the Cheltenham Foxhunters. However it subsequently came to light that a controversial BHA rule left him ineligible for this year’s race.
19th January – Ballycrystal
Ballycrystal was a second new course to appear in Wexford during this season, with this proving to be a first ever point-to-point for the Ballinagore Hunt. Following a delay to racing owing to early morning frost, racing took place in front of a large crowd.
Denis Murphy, whose grandfather was the first huntsman of the hunt, fittingly enjoyed a treble on the day with the successes of Beatthebullet, Born In Borris and Breakeven, all of which were partnered by Jamie Codd.
That final success came at the expense of the Doyle brothers, Donnchadh, Sean and Cormac, who had saddled four of the five runners in the confined maiden.
19th January – Carrigarostig
Following a 35-year spell at their previous track in Knockane, Carrigarostig was a new venue for the Killeagh Harriers and Rewritetherules marked out his case for a tilt at the Cheltenham Foxhunters by springing an upset in the open, his victory coming at the expense of proven performers Wounded Warrior and Fenno’s Storm.
Derek O’Connor enjoyed an opening double aboard family horses, with Ballingers Corner winning the opener for his brother Paurick, with A Distant Place winning the second in the colours of his wife Carol O’Donnell.
25th January – Tyrella
Only The Bold ran out an easy nine-length winner of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden for Warren Ewing, before being sold to Evan Williams for £215,000. He was guided to success by the promising Jordan Gainford, who caught the attentions of a wide number of handlers, winning four races from 45 rides.
26th January – Dungarvan
Bushypark proved to be a very popular winner of the older geldings’ maiden after he returned victorious under Jerome Power for 26-year-old Kereen-based handler Shane O’Brien, providing the pair with their respective first successes. The Le Fou gelding was owned by the winner rider’s father Edmond, whilst his grandfather, Jerome Sheehan, was the one of the landowners of the course.
The confined maiden also brought a first success for 19-year-old rider Dylan Phelan, as the local rider was aboard Comeragh Lad, victorious for handler Pat Crowley.
The mares’ open saw Tom Shaw’s Chapter Two get her head in front between the flags for the first time since October 2017. She had previously put up a number of notable performances against geldings’ in the open division before a spell under rules, which she was returning to the pointing sphere from.
26th January – Kilfeacle
Mullingar rider Thomas Geoghegan was back in the winner’s enclosure for the first time since April 2011 when Time Leader gained a deserved success in the older geldings’ maiden. The six-year-old was trained by James Kiernan, and it was on Kiernan-trained horses that Geoghegan had recorded each of his previous six successes between the flags.
Lite Duties won the second of what would be three successes in the open division for him during the season, as he thrived for the switch between the flags for Sam Curling having previously been campaigned on the track by Charles Byrnes.
2nd February – Ballyvodock
Brian Dunleavy, the son of the Dungourney point-to-point secretary Liam Dunleavy, enjoyed his first success in the saddle, when Here Comes Johnny won the confined maiden for the Alan Ahern yard. The 17-year-old is another rider to have progressed to pointing from the pony racing sphere.
At the age of just 24, David Murphy was one of the youngest handlers to get on the scoreboard during the season, the initial success for the Fermoy native in that role, having previously ridden in points, came when Etoile Du Matin won the older maiden on his first start for the yard. The seven-year-old would double his tally the following month at Bandon.
2nd February – Bellharbour
The Pat Smullen Legends Charity race in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland saw a top-quality field of 18 well-known faces, including Paul Carberry, Adrian Maguire and Willy Twiston-Davies, come out of retirement for this two-mile flat race, which proved the undoubted highlight of the day as Tom Costello came out on top. With the nine-times champion jockey in attendance, the fundraising efforts generated €21,687 for the worthwhile cause.
Eddie Power claimed the winner-of-one contest on the card for the second year running as The Blind Piper followed in the footsteps of Perpignan from a year earlier. Both horses were partnered to success by rider John Barry.
2nd February – Knockmullen House
Brooksway Fair was one of just two finishers in the opening four-year-old maiden of the year was run in testing conditions. The winning Mahler gelding was ridden by Jamie Codd and trained by Denis Murphy.
For the second time of the season, Moira McElligott and Vinnies Nephue were successful at Knockmullen House. In the autumn the pair had combined successfully to land the winner-of-one and three months later returned 20 lengths clear in the winner-of-three event at the Wexford venue. That was a third victory of the season for McElligott, a former champion boxer, and it would see her win a first leading lady rider award, a title she would share with Maxine O’Sullivan and Liz Lalor.
8th February – Kirkistown
Warren Ewing continued the good run of form for his yard with a double on the card, following the successes of Tango Theatre and Will Carver, ridden by Stephen Connor and Jordan Gainford respectively. Ending the season with six winners, it proved to be his most successful to date.
Mt Leinster Gold brought her hat-trick with her second success of the season in the mares’ winner-of-two contest. The Colin Bowe-trained mare has some well-known connections as she is bred by Ronan Tynan and owned by Anthony Kearns, two members of the Irish Tenors group.
9th February – Tallow
As Storm Ciara battered the country, Tallow was the only fixture of the three scheduled that went ahead after both Cragmore and Oldtown had to be postponed by six days due to the weather conditions. Heavy rain ensured those at Tallow did not escape lightly as the River Bride began to overflow onto the course for the final two races.
Glenglass continued a good start to the curtailed 2020 four-year-old season for first-season sires when he won the opener for Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe to provide Ocovango with his first success in the pointing sphere. It was a particularly apt success given that he stands at the local Beeches Stud.
15th February – Cragmore
One of two meetings have been carried over to the following weekend owing to Storm Ciara, Brandy Love put up one of the more notable performances by a mare when she defeated geldings’ by a wide margin to win the four-year-old maiden. In doing so she completed a notable hour for stallion Jet Away, as his first two point-to-point runners both ended up winning four-year-old maidens, following the earlier Oldtown success of Supreme Jet.
Awesome Lady gained a deserved success following three runners-up placings, as she won the older mares’ maiden at the age of 11 for rider-handler Paul Power. The success was a first of the season for Waterford-based Power, who had ridden his first winner in the sphere at Ballydarragh in the same month 12 years earlier. The pair would go on to quickly follow up at Turtulla the following month.
15th February – Oldtown
Atrocious weather conditions hit the rescheduled Oldtown fixture resulting in small fields throughout the card, with 32 runners across the six races making it the smallest fixture of the season.
Largy Debut came into the spotlight as his trainer Stuart Crawford declared that he “was the best horse I have ever had,” following his 13-length success in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. The Shirocco gelding was subsequently sold privately to Chris Jones, and was well-backed when making his rules debut swiftly afterwards, finishing third at Navan in a Bumper the following month.
Having returned to race-riding at Dowth Hall following an extended absence where he worked as a huntsman, Ian Donoghue recorded his first double, the first leg of which was also his first winner since that return from retirement. The brother of Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Keith Donoghue, had been forced to cut his weight from 15 and a half stone in a bid to return to the saddle.
16th February – Knockanard
Just three races were staged before the meeting had to be abandoned in the interests of safety as rising high winds brought the weigh-tent to the ground. The card had started promisingly for local connections, when the Matt Collins-trained Tallow For Coal won the four-year-old maiden. Ridden by James Hannon, it was his parents, James Senior and Marian that bred the son of Artic Cosmos, with the stallion standing with them at the Old Road Stud in Tallow.
That success formed part of a double for the rider, who later teamed up with Harry Kelly to win the open aboard Oscar Contender. The nine-year-old was winning his first race in just over 12 months having won at the nearby Tallow in the same month a year earlier.
16th February – Nenagh
A number of young riders came to the fore on a relatively small card with just 33 runners, with Tim Hyde and Eoin Shaw both enjoying their first successes. The former, who comes from a well-known racing family, opened his account aboard his families Saint Benedict in the winners’ race, whilst 21-year-old Eoin Shaw for Killenuale, got off the mark when teaming up with Eoin McDonagh’s Makeshift in the finale. Earlier on the card, Peter Kavanagh had won his first four-year-old maiden, and the second race of his career, when Velvit Elvis won the auction maiden for Colin Bowe.
The lightly raced Staker Wallace won just his second career race, and first in over three years, as he followed up his very promising return run in a Naas Hunter Chase to easily account for Lite Duties in the Ladies open. Enda Bolger’s charge would go on to finish fourth in the Cheltenham Foxhunters the following month.
16th February - Punchestown
Local rider Sorcha Woods was one of two jockeys on the day to open their accounts when she partnered Horendus Hulabaloo to success in the open for David Christie. Woods, a student at Enniskillen’s CAFRE College, rides out for the Fermanagh handler alongside her studies. Raheny native Lee Byrne matched her first success when getting off the mark on what was his first ever ride in a point-to-point. That initial success came courtesy of Gordon Elliott’s Evalabrune D’Or in the older maiden, a horse having his first outing for Elliott.
The five-year-old geldings’ maiden which typically draws a large turnout, was run as a match race this year when only two horses were declared. We Will Sort It ultimately ran out an easy winner to provide former National Hunt jockey Cian Collins with his first winner as a handler.
22nd February - Farmacaffley
Barry O’Neill was the only rider to record a four-timer during the season, and for added measure he rode two of them, with his Armagh four-timer repeating a similar feat that he achieved on the opening weekend at Castletown-Geoghegan. Two of those successes came for the David Christie yard that was in red-hot form all the way through the season, as 13 winners for the campaign gave him a remarkable 46% strike rate that stood at an even more notable 75% in the northern region during the season.
The success of Ringneill in the mares’ maiden, a first of the year for Mark O’Hare, saw him achieve the very rare feat of riding a winner in each of four different decades, having recorded his first success at Comber back in 1999, some 21 years earlier.
Ranieri got the better of his shorter priced stable companion to win the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at provide 18-year-old Galway native Conor Rabbitt with his first success in the saddle.
23rd February – Kildorrery
Rochestown sprung a 10/1 shock victory in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden to provide William Cronin with his opening winner of the season. Cronin had made his debut in the sport at Dromahane some 12 years earlier.
23rd February – Tinahely
Having ridden trebles at two of the earlier Tinahely fixtures, Jamie Codd was once again the main to follow at the Wicklow venue with the opening success of Bring The Action in the four-year-old maiden seeing him record his 950th winner between the flags, and 75th at Fairwood Park alone. He went on to double his tally for the day in the following race.
Eighteen-year-old Kilkenny native Dan Nevin opened his account when Tom Power’s Lawlor’s Choice won the mares’ maiden.
2nd March – Borris House
The Carlow Farmers fixtures was the only meeting to take place on the afternoon, with both Bandon and Ballycahane, which had been scheduled to take place, being put back six days due to the courses being waterlogged. Wexford handlers dominated the four-year-old maiden with Amarillo Sky (Colin Bowe) and Gars De Sceaux (Denis Murphy) both running out impressive winners.
Aaron Sinnott won his first race at an Irish Point fixture since the December 2018 meeting at the same course when Hidden Commander won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden for Ellen Doyle. Sinnott had spent the intervening time riding in America, including victory in the 2019 $50,000 Margaret Currey Henley, and was back in pointing action on a short return to Ireland.
7th March – Ballycahane
Held six days later than had been intended due to a waterlogged course, Killer Kane was a notable winner of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, as Donnchadh Doyle’s tenth winner of the season would go on to be sold for £300,000 to Bloodstock Agents Peter and Ross Doyle for trainer Colin Tizzard.
7th March - Bandon
Another fixture to have been rescheduled by six days owing to a waterlogged course, Drawn N Drank became the oldest horse to win during the season when he picked up the tenth success of his career between the flags when winning the open. It was also a notable winner for 23-year-old rider John Mulvihill, as the former conditional jockey, who had ridden a winner under rules for Charles Byrnes, enjoyed his first success in the pointing fields.
Timoleague handler Padraig Butler won the adjacent maiden for the second year running when Cailin Dearg won the 2020 renewal under Darragh Allen, following in the footsteps of her former stablemate Delight Of Dubai from a year earlier.
7th March – Tyrella
Double Smart won the second race of her season when she got the better of fellow Kirkistown winner Dento Des Obeaux by four lengths in the adjacent winners’ race. The success was all the more notable as the daughter of Flemensfirth was in foal to the Ascot Gold Cup and dual Irish St Leger winner Order Of St George.
Fourteen of the 16 riders that took part in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden were hit with a two-day suspension following a number of false starts to the race.
8th March – Lingstown
Synonymous with cross country races, Enda Bolger surprisingly was only recording his first success over the Lingstown banks course when Stand Up And Fight won the feature race on the card, with the Killinick committee once again having their efforts to promote the race well rewarded, with a quality line up competing for the boosted €3,050 pot.
Gerri Colombe was one of the more expensive four-year-old’s to win during the season, having come into his competitive debut with a price tag of €85,000 from the Derby Sale nine months earlier. That initial investment by Colin Bowe paid dividends, as after his narrow success he was bought by Mags O’Toole for £240,000, and filling the opening leg of a treble on the day of Barry O’Neill. The success of Sunset West his 15th of the season, ensuring that he shared the Eastern title with Jamie Codd.
8th March – Lismore
This was a particularly notable fixture for the Lismore committee, as after over 100 years of racing on the Lismore estate, it was the last fixture for them at that particular course. The popular track has played host to many top quality prospects, chief amongst them the nine-time Grade 1 winner Florida Pearl, who was a four-year-old maiden winner there in 1996. From 2021 the point-to-point will move to a new course on the outskirts of Lismore.
Pa King was unfortunate to not match Barry O’Neill and ride a four-timer during the season, as he did pass the post in front on four occasions on the card, only to be disqualified from the opening four-year-old maiden when his mount, Petibonome, was disqualified after adjudged to have taken the wrong course.
8th March – Turtulla
Hollow Games became one of the top-priced pointers of the season when he was bought by Mouse O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for £255,000 after his winning debut which saw him land the four-year-old geldings’ maiden by a distance. The success was a ninth of the season for handler Ellen Doyle, whilst the notable strike rate of 35% was a best ever for the Baltimore Stables team.
15th March - Ballyarthur
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this would prove to be the final day’s racing of the 2019/20 season, with the fixture staged behind closed doors and without public admittance. Jockeys were asked to get changed in their cars, and all those entering the fixture had to use hand sanitiser upon entering.
Multiple champions Barry O’Neill and Derek O’Connor shared riding honours on the day, with the former once again teaming up with Colin Bowe to win both four-year-old races, whilst O’Connor enjoyed his two successes aboard five-year-old’s – Richard Harding’s Karlie and Kilandra from the Ellmarie Holden yard.
15th March – Ballyragget
The ultra-consistent Reigning Supreme, who finished in the first four in each of his nine outings during the season, rounded of the foreshortened season by winning his second race on the bounce under Susie Doyle, as the pair followed up their Cragmore successes from exactly a month earlier.
Roger Quinlan made a very welcome return to the winner’s enclosure at this fixture which was also held behind closed doors, as the 12-year-old Smokin Vinne won the finale, as one of the older horses to have broken his maiden during the campaign. Quinlan only made his return to pointing action in mid-February, and this latest success brings him to the 193-winner mark between the flags.
