September 25th – Oldcastle
For the first time in 18 months, spectators were permitted to attend a point-to-point fixture with the entirety of the 2020/21 season having taken place behind closed doors. Following another interrupted spring term due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Oldcastle kickstarted a second consecutive enhanced autumn campaign to assist those hunt committees that had been prevented from running their spring fixture due to the restrictions, with the Ballymacad Foxhounds one such committee.
The day was headlined by a first career for Westmeath rider Tom Geoghegan as he enjoyed successes aboard Subset and Mick Mixy, two horses that he also owned and trained.
September 26th – Monksgrange
Having enjoyed a double a day earlier at the season-opening fixture in Oldcastle, Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe took their opening weekend tally to five wins with a treble at Monksgrange, with Music Drive, Music Of Tara and Getaway Lodge.
Cormac Doyle enjoyed a rare victory in open company with Diese Des Bieffes, whilst former rider Mark Scallan kickstarted what would be his best season to date as a handler when Bonne Debut won the mares’ maiden. She would later provide the Cleariestown handler with his first track success at Punchestown the following May.
October 3rd – Castletown-Geoghegan
The Westmeath Foxhounds fixture proved to be a day of first with 18-year-old Carl Millar from Blanchardstown in Dublin, riding his first winner aboard Out Sam in the open on what was also his first ever ride between the flags.
Wexford handler Robert Tector also enjoyed his first success, with the 27-year-old saddling his first winner courtesy of Sevenofus.
October 9th – Moira
Caroline McCaldin was responsible for the first two horses home in the older maiden with two horses – Faith Loving and Dukehill – that were not only having their first starts for her Dromara yard but both were also returning from significant lay-off’s.
Continuing the notable trend through the autumn of first winners, 18-year-old Adam Leahy (Rewritetherules) and 20-year-old Troy Walsh (Garm Colombe) both enjoyed their initial successes in the saddle.
October 10th – Loughrea
Held just a few weeks after the passing of the fixture’s landowner Willie Leahy, a minute’s silence was observed in his honour after the third race following a tribute to him by Tom Dempsey.
Diese Des Bieffes swiftly followed up his Monksgrange victory with an impressive success, however he would then miss much of the remainder of the season and would not be seen in competitive action until Killarney in mid-May.
Lord Schnitzel became one of the most decorated winner of an older maiden having come into the race with a track rating in the 130’s having also finished placed in a Grade 1 Novice Chase behind Faugheen.
October 16th – Portrush
Local owners Jennifer O’Kane and John Hegarty saw their colours carried to success in two of the day’s races including the winners’ event which they sponsored through their local hotel the Royal Court Hotel.
Their two winners on the card Vaucelet and Ask D’Man would both go on to win big races on the end of season card at Stratford, with Vaucelet taking the Stratford Foxhunters, whilst Ask D’Man won the John Corbet Cup.
October 17th – Tinahely
Former professional jockey Roger Loughran saddled his first winner as a point-to-point handler when Honour The Master claimed the older maiden.
Seven days after her former champion pointer Kruzhlinin was retired after winning over hurdles at Limerick, Camilla Sharples’ colours were carried to victory by Mighty Stowaway.
October 17th – Umma House
Pat Doyle saddled his first double of the season courtesy of O’Moore Park in the four-year-old maiden and the veteran Samanntom in the open. The former was later sold to Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk for £240,000 after finishing a close second in a Fairyhouse point-to-point bumper the following month.
October 23rd – Loughanmore
Landowner Wilson Dennison recorded a double with Ballyblack and Loughhill carrying his famous black and white quartered silks to victory on the afternoon. The victory of the former was a first winner in the Dennison silks for Cormac Abernethy.
October 24th – Tattersalls
The uncertainty surrounding restrictions on crowd numbers ensured that the season’s biggest fixture at Dowth Hall did not take place for a second year in a row, with the Meath & Tara’s instead holding a more low-key meeting at Tattersalls.
The McGill brothers continued their emergence as two riders for the future on the northern circuit and the pair fought out a thrilling finish to the novice rider’s open which went in favour of the elder sibling Oran. His mount Marinero got the better of the former Grade 1 Brain Power in the day’s highlight.
Eighteen-year-old Caoimhe O’Brien recorded her first success in the saddle aboard So Ladylike and stated that the exploits of Rachael Blackmore encouraged her to take out her rider’s licence, whilst there was further local success as Magheralagan, who was Alison Murphy’s first runner in 20 months, took the unplaced maiden.
October 24th – Curraghmore
The Waterford Foxhounds fixture was the first on the Cork-Waterford circuit for the new season saw doubles for both Pat Doyle (Samanntom and Nick Rockett) and Rob James (Blade Runner and Kittys Fashion). For James, the brace followed a similar double that he had achieved at Loughanmore on the previous afternoon.
October 30th – Kinsale
Pa King would enjoy his best season ever and he continued a strong start to the campaign by picking-up his fourth winner in as many weekends aboard Aghmorough Bridge for one of his principal supporters Willie Murphy, as Derek O’Connor, who King would ultimately pip to third spot in the overall rider’s leaderboard was the only rider to enjoy a double on the card.
October 31st – Ballycrystal
The Island’s made a welcome return to the autumn term by running their first ever fixture at Ballycrystal on a day that was dominated by Wexford handlers including Ellen Doyle who sent out Dollar Bae to win the four-year-old mares’ maiden by the notable margin of 26 lengths. Doyle and her brother James would contribute significantly to winning rider Brian Dunleavy claiming the Under-21 rider’s title.
October 31st – Rathcannon
Derek O’Connor brought his tally of wins for the weekend to four by matching his Kinsale double from the previous afternoon with a further brace of wins at Rathcannon which included victory aboard Ellmarie Holden’s impressive four-year-old Johnnywho.
November 6th – Tattersalls
Brought forward due to the insurance issues which hung over the middle part of the season, this fixture gained notoriety with a division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden on the card seeing each of the first three finishers being sold at auction for a minimum of £300,000. The first and third-placed horses Present Soldier and Master Chewy were each sold for £300,000, with the runner-up Arctic Bresil selling for £305,000.
Glen Ava was a poignant winner for handler Claire O’Connell, as she was the last horse to run in the colours of the handler’s late mother Betty who passed away a fortnight before the victory.
November 7th – Damma House
Its All Guesswork lowered the colours of some leading performers in Brain Power and Solomn Grundy as he was guided to success by Aubery McMahon.
John Walsh kickstarted his season with a winner, as Westie Rose, his first winner of the new campaign, made a winning debut in the mares’ maiden.
November 7th – Dromahane
Asdee native Sarah McNamara recorded the first success of her career when Cloudy Wednesday won the adjacent hunt maiden to provide handler Turlough O’Connor with his second consecutive victory in the race following the success of Cloudy Tuesday a year earlier.
Poli Roi made the worthwhile trip from the Larne base of his trainer Stuart Crawford to provide Crawford’s younger brother Ben with a first victory around the Cork venue.
November 13th – Loughbrickland
The open may only have featured four horses, but it would prove to be a notable outcome as Winged Leader and Mighty Stowaway, who could not be separated by the judge, would go on to finish second and third in the Cheltenham Festival hunter chase later in the season.
Declan Lavery and Paddy Turley continued a good autumn term by introducing Gaelic Park to win the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with the Ocovango gelding being a half-brother of the Grade 1 winner Chantry House.
November 14th – Knockmullen House
Hot on the heels of that Loughbrickland dead heat, two of the six races 24 hours later in Knockmullen House also produced dead heat results in something of a race occurrence since the introduction of the camera on the finishing line.
November 14th – Quakerstown
A rare autumn fixture in Co. Clare which was staged due to Quakerstown missing out on its traditional Easter Sunday date in both 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Liz Lalor moved a step closer to Helen Bryce Smyth’s record by recording her 108th victory between the flags aboard Marinero.
November 20th – Kirkistown
Hermes Allen stepped-up from his Rathcannon debut to win the four-year-old maiden for the father and daughter combination of Wilson Dennison and Caroline McCaldin, with the Poliglote gelding later being bought by Aiden Murphy and Paul Nicholls for £350,000.
That victory was one of five successes on the card for Northern connections, at what was the final fixture in the region until late January.
November 21st – Kildorrery
The first ever autumn fixture at Kildorrery was dominated by local connections with Eoin O’Brien riding a double, a brace which included success aboard Rose Gloriosa in the mares’ maiden a horse trained by the fixture’s secretary Marie Harding.
Rosa Gloriosa was owned by Harding’s sister Deirdre, whilst there brother Richie also got among the winners when saddling Broomfield Present to win the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
November 21st – Turtulla
The Golden Vale Foxhounds fixture saw no fewer than three riders recording their first victories in the point-to-point sphere including Robbie Clancy, the son of the former champion lady rider Michelle Holohan, who owned, trained and rode Leading Babe to win the mares’ maiden.
He was joined by Alan Harney, who earned his first success aboard Er Dancer in the open, whilst Focus Point gave Harry Swan, the son of champion jockey Charlie, his first victory in the pointing fields.
November 28th – Boulta
Found A Fifty created a big reputation by running out a 15-length winner of the four-year-old gelding’s maiden for the Kildare handler Mark Fahey.
Local rider Brian Barry became the latest jockey to gain a breakthrough success in the autumn term when the younger brother of leading jockey John Barry, teamed-up with Jimmy Mangan’s Burning Ambition to land the open. This first points victory followed a track win for the 18-year-old at Listowel in September.
His achievement was matched by UCD Veterinary student Emily Cody as she teamed-up with her mother Debbie’s Exit Eleven to claim the winners-of-one.
November 28th – Lingstown
Course specialist Vital Island picked-up his fourth win over the banks at the Wexford venue by lowering the colours of Mighty Stowaway, and he would go on to record the biggest victory of his career by landing the Ladies Cup at the Punchestown Festival in April.
Unseasonably dry conditions for the time of the year produced just 47 runners including a rare match event at the popular venue as Rock On Cassie defeated Whiskey River in the mares’ maiden.
November 28th – Moig South.
The Stonehall Harriers fixture played host to Liz Lalor’s record equalling 109th triumph, a victory which saw her join Helen Bryce Smith as the joint-winning most female rider in the history of the sport. The momentous victory was recorded aboard David Christie’s On The Sod.
Eoin O’Brien picked-up his second double in as many weekends following a similar achievement at Kildorrery a week earlier.
December 4th – Ballindenisk
A winner of a Thurles Hunter Chase last year, Turlough O’Connor’s Cloudy Tuesday made a winning return to action by getting the better of the former Cheltenham Foxhunters hero It Came To Pass to give the Cork handler his second winner of the autumn term.
Colin Bowe’s Croi Corcra gamely picked-up her third win of 2022 in the mares’ winners-of-two, a notable achievement given that she was just a four-year-old. Sadly her latter two victories in 2022 came after the passing of her owner and breeder Paddy Fortune.
December 5th – Corbeagh House
Corbeagh House made a welcome return to the calendar with its first fixture since 2018 and it saw the former under-21 champion Ben Harvey recorded his first ever hat-trick courtesy of wins aboard Hot Rod Lincoln, Ask D’Man and Smiths Girl.
December 5th – Lingstown
Scheduled at a short notice due to a gap in the schedule which came about following insurance-related cancellations, the fixture was dominated by Mathew Flynn O’Connor with what would prove to be a valuable double. He won the opening two races on the card with Deeply Superficial and Stay Away then being sold for £385,000 and £305,000 respectively.
Kate Derwin recorded her first success aboard Ballycurrane Boy in the older maiden, with the 20-year-old hailing from a well-known family in equestrian circles.
December 13th – Borris House
The pre-Christmas fixture at Borris House maintained its position as one of the most popular fixture with handlers as no fewer than 121 horses ran across a total of 11 races as racing commenced at 11am.
Aside from a number of notable four-year-old winners, and a highly competitive big field open, the fixture at also saw both Nora Walsh and Rochelle Murphy enjoy their first victories in the pointing sphere.
December 13th – Boulta
Donnchadh Doyle introduced a half-brother to fellow pointer Gentlemansgame as he made a winning debut in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden with the handler also responsible for the winner of the five-year-old maiden in Grandero Bello.
December 30th – Dromahane
The success of Weveallbeencaught brought Eoin O’Brien’s career tally between the flags to 99, however the Mitchelstown rider would have to wait a further four months to join the 100 winners club.
January 2nd – Ballindenisk
Ballindenisk was the first of just six fixtures to take place during the month of January due to insurance difficulties affecting hunt committees outside the Cork & Waterford and Northern regions.
Eugene O’Sullivan’s It Came To Pass proved to be a popular winner of the open when he recorded his first success since winning the 2020 Cheltenham Foxhunters by defeating the former Grade 1 winner Killultagh Vic under first-timer partner Cal Shine.
January 15th – Aghabullogue
Twenty-seven-year-old Conor O’Keeffe, the older of Grade 1-winning jockey Sean O’Keeffe, recorded his first success, not only as a rider but also handler, when Meetuatnine won the mares’ maiden on the card before being sold for £40,000 at that month’s Cheltenham sale.
Sam Curling’s mare La Feline got the better of geldings in the open in a performance which was the top-rated of the season by a mare to earn her the champion mares title.
January 16th – Carrigarostig
Mighty Stowaway became the first horse of the season to reach the four-winner mark when a dominant display in front of a big crowd at the Killeagh Harriers fixture. The victory featured as part of a double for Barry O’Neill who also enjoyed success on Colin Bowe’s Senior Chief.
Earl Of Desmond may have had luck on his side to record his maiden victory on what was the former track performers first start for Billy Codd, however he would go on to follow that up with further success at Tinahely and Lingstown before finishing second in a brace of hunter chases at Cork and Down Royal before the season’s end.
January 16th – Turtulla
Aloneamongmillions returned from a year on the sidelines to get the better of the Down Royal hunter chase winner Er Dancer and preserve his 100 per cent record in Irish point-to-points.
Sioned Whittle recorded her first success in the sphere when guiding Garm Colombe to a second victory of the season. The Welsh native had joined Aidan Fitzgerald’s yard earlier in the season.
January 29th – Tyrella
Following a two-year break, point-to-point action returned to Tyrella with quite small fields due to the unseasonable ground conditions, but the ground was certainly in the favour of the former American National winner Brain Power as he recorded his first win since that Grade 1 victory.
Caoimhe O’Brien and So Ladylike won their second race together when they got the better of the CAFRE veteran Glebeparkhawk in the winners’ race.
January 30th – Ballyvodock
Hannah Phillips has the pedigree to be a point-to-point rider, given that her parents Michael Philips and Lucy Townsley both successfully rode in the sphere, and the 25-year-old recorded her first victory when winning the older maiden aboard Tom Keating’s De Nordener.
Michelle Gannon’s homebred Rock On Harry provided Cork rider Darragh Allen with his 50th victory between the flags when taking the second division of the older maiden.
February 6th – Bellharbour
The 2022 fixture at Bellharbour celebrated 20 years of the Co Clare hunt hosting their early spring fixture on the lands of Dermot and Jennifer Linnane in the picturesque Burren.
Herefordshire native Alexandra Ingram, who had been working with Gordon Elliott since the previous summer, recorded her first success on Irish soil when partnering her own Everything Now to land the winners’ race.
February 6th – Tallow
James Hannon enjoyed a day to remember at his local fixture when recording the first three-timer of his career courtesy of victories aboard Na Trachtalai Abu, Matata and Well Dick – three winners for three different handlers.
It proved to be a good day for local riders as Brian Dunleavy enjoyed his second ever double including victory aboard Micheal Griffin’s locally trained Plan B who ran out a wide-margin winner of the adjacent maiden.
February 6th – Ballinaboola
Colin Bowe had been responsible for saddling the last two winners of the spring four-year-old maiden here with subsequent Cheltenham winners Envoi Allen and Telmesomethinggirl, and although his Ideal Vert was sent off as a warm favourite for the 2022 edition, the race was won by Harley Dunne’s Doyen For Money.
Local handlers dominated with just one race on the card being exported out of County Wexford, that being an incident-packed older maiden for novice riders that was won by Harry Kelly’s Uncertain Times.
February 12th – Kirkistown
Some Man picked-up his second open success of the season at the Down venue when arguably putting in once of his best performances of the year by defeating Poli Roi by 20 lengths.
That wide-margin win featured as part of a treble for Wexford rider Rob James who also enjoyed success on the card aboard Value Till Dawn for Shark Hanlon and Beyondapproach for his principal supporter Donnchadh Doyle.
February 13th – Knockanard
Paul Cashman was not only one of the Clerk of the Courses at his local fixture, but he was also a winning handler when James Murphy steered his Present Fair to win the adjacent maiden in the colours of Cashman’s mother Catherine.
The former Tetretema Cup winner Fenno’s Storm returned to the number one spot for the first time in the pointing fields since November 2019 when he held off the challenge of the likeable veteran Macs Legend in a thrilling finish to the open.
February 13th – Comea
The Scarteen Staghounds unveiled their new track in Comea and it proved to be a fixture to remember for various reasons, beginning with Liz Lalor who became the winning-most point-to-point lady rider of all time when recording her 110th winner in the sphere aboard Read To Return.
The four-year-old maiden was clearly held in high regard by bloodstock agents with the first two horses home – Willmount and Shannon Royale - selling for a combined £640,000 at that month’s Cheltenham sales.
February 20th – Ballycrystal
Eighteen-year-old Birr native Eoin Middleton enjoyed the first success of his career when steering Well P, a horse that he jointly owned with his father Patrick, to victory in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Eoin McCarthy’s Ifeoinly picked up her third win of the season when getting the better of last year’s Champion Mare The Forge Hill form that she would confirm when defeating that rival a fortnight later in similar conditions at Ballycahane, however The Forge Hill would turn the tables on her in quicker conditions at Loughrea later in the spring.
February 26th – Kildorrery
Postponed by just six days, the rescheduled fixture saw local rider Chris O’Donovan, who comes from Shanballymore, just four miles from the course, record his first-ever hat-trick
February 26th – Farmacaffley
On The Sod recorded consecutive victories at the venue, as having won the winners’ race in good style 12 months earlier, his manner of victory stepping into the open lightweight was just as comprehensive as he ran out an eight-length victor.
Despite returning at odds of 10/1, Marronstown proved to be a popular winner as the Stuart Crawford-trained son of Frozen Fire carried the colours of the former point-to-point rider Jonjo Bright to defeat the favourite An Mhi.
February 27th – Tinahely
Jack Hendrick enjoyed his first ever hat-trick at the Bray fixture in what was a notable achievement for the Mayglass rider having not previously ridden more than one winner on the same card. His treble was achieved aboard Idalko Bihoue, Earl Of Desmond and Killybegs Junior.
Lough Derg Spirit overcame an absence of 597 days on his return to Denis Murphy from the Nicky Henderson stable as he ran out a 16-length winner of the open. The Westerner gelding had won his four-year-old maiden for Murphy almost six years earlier.
February 27th – Bandon
The 14-year-old Macs Legend deservedly got his head in front in the open having narrowly been denied by Fenno’s Storm at Knockanard a fortnight earlier with his success featuring as part of a double for 22-year-old Adam Feeney who also enjoyed success aboard Kitsilano.
Michael O’Sullivan made a winning return to action from injury when steering Whiskey For Jack to win the older maiden. The success came just three days after his return to race-riding having fractured his collarbone in fall at Lingstown in early December.
February 27th – Lisronagh
Warren Ewing and Dara McGill combined to unleash the highly-promising four-year-old Better Days Ahead as she ran out an impressive winner on the card before being sold for £350,000 to Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud.
The mares equivalent in the age group was won in equally impressive fashion by Between Waters for Jamie Scallan and Sean Doyle and she was swiftly sold privately.
March 5th – Tyrella
There was a strong showing from northern handlers as they were responsible for four of the six winners on the card including Patrick Turley’s Tareeshar, who was a short-priced winner of the local hunt race, having been trained just down the road on the infield of Downpatrick Racecourse.
March 6th – Borris House
Aidan Fitzgerald saddled a double at his local course, a fixture that he was also the assistant clerk of the course course with Lessankan and Moonlight Symphony both visiting the winner’s enclosure.
Eighteen-year-old Bertie Finn recorded his first success when teaming up with Patrick Doyle’s mare Mangan Sue. The Oulart native is the son of Paul Finn, the former All-Ireland winning hurler.
March 6th – Ballycahane
The start of racing at the Limerick Harriers fixture was delayed by 90 minutes due to insufficient ambulance cover.
Laura Costello became the latest rider to record a breakthrough first success when she carried her mother Claire’s colours to success aboard Keep Me Posted in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. The full-time Pharmacist’s initial winners was trained by her uncle Tom in a notable family success.
March 6th – Castlelands
The Lismore committee introduced a brand new course to replace their previous track, with this Castlelands course still located within the same site as their previous venue.
The fixture provided two riders with their initial successes – Josh Berry, the son former rider turned handler Johnny Berry, riding A Rated to land the open in a family victory with the horse owned and trained by his parents Johnny and Shirley.
It was a similar family note for Danny Fitzgerald as his opening winner Carrig Wells was trained by father Martin, and owned and bred by his grandfather Joe.
March 13th – Lingstown
Heavy rain claimed all of the weekend’s point-to-point action with the exception of Lingstown on this typically important weekend in advance of the Cheltenham Festival and the four-year-old maiden proved to be one of the strongest of the spring term as Cormac Doyle’s Barry The Boss defeated three subsequent maiden winners to record his debut ten-length victory.
The mares’ maiden on the card had previously been won by big-price seller Maire Banrigh and this year it was Alfie’s Princess who was a big attraction in the sales ring when she was sold for £220,000 at the Cheltenham Festival sale.
The popular bank race produced a new winner following the early departure of course specialist Vital Island, as Logan Lady, a daughter of star pointing mare Loggan Lass, defeated Tech Talk by two lengths.
March 19th – Ballyarthur
Having been rained off a week earlier, the rescheduled fixture produced just 36 runners across the card, however Come To Me proved to be a star performer when he defeated Killultagh Vic by 15 lengths on what was his pointing debut. This would be the one and only appearance of the season by Tracey Gilmour’s lightly raced ten-year-old.
March 19th – Nenagh
It was a case of third time lucky for the North Tipperary Foxhounds after heavy rain had forced the cancellation of their two previous attempts to run the meeting in the previous weeks and it saw Stuart Crawford make the long journey from his Larne base to unleash the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Coco Masterpiece.
Solomn Grundy earned his first victory since winning the 2021 Tetretema Cup when he got the better of fellow leading hunter chaser Stand Up And Fight in the Ladies open.
March 20th – Liscarroll
The much-awaited return of racing at Liscarroll following the Covid interruptions saw another large crowd descend on the Knockardbane venue and they witnessed Lisgoold rider Ciaran O’Shea record his first success when guiding General Ryan to land the older maiden.
Plan B picked-up his second success of the season when justifying his market support to win comfortably under Brian Dunleavy. Sadly he was fatally injured in a fall at Monksgrange a week later whilst continuing his rapid climb through the ranks.
March 20th – Belclare
Derek O’Connor produced one of his waiting rides that he has become synonymous for when getting Didn’t Ask up on the line to win the adjacent maiden for Paul Gilligan.
John Paul Brennan’s Leading Force opened his account in the winners-of-two contest despite entering the race as a maiden.
March 20th – Ballyragget
Is A Real Champ became just the fifth horse to reach the four-winner mark for the season when he made a winning first outing in open company, and in doing so provided 21-year-old Robbie Jackson, who works for Sean Doyle, with his first success of the season. Doyle enjoyed a double on the card having also won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Private Ryan.
On the riding front, Jack Hendrick continued his good run of form with a second double in the month of March with victories aboard Fancy Girl and Ya Know Yasseff.
March 26th – Portrush
Vaucelet proved to be a popular winner at the local track of his owners Jennifer O’Kane and John Hegarty when winning his second open of the season at the seaside venue. The seven-year-old would go on to win the Joseph O’Reilly Memorial by 20 lengths, finish second to Billaway in the Punchestown Champion Hunter Chase before ending his season by landing the Stratford Foxhunters.
There was a double on the card for owner Wilson Dennison, with his two winners achieved with two different trainers. Jamie Sloan’s Abbeyhill provided him with the first leg of his double in a division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, whilst his long-standing trainer Colin McKeever sent out Grave La Klass to win the older maiden.
March 26th – Lisronagh
Derek O’Connor struck up a double at the Tipperary venue when Ellmarie Holden’s Act Of Authority won the four-year-old maiden and his neighbour John Staunton won a big-field five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Prince De Juilley.
O’Connor joined Davy Russell and Frankie Ward to present Liz Lalor with a cake and bouquet of flowers to mark her recent achievement of surpassing Helen Bryce-Smith’s record as the winning-most female point-to-point rider here.
March 27th – Monksgrange
Former rider Sonny Carey registered his first success in the pointing fields when An Droichead Gorm won the older geldings maiden under Neil Bashford. Carey had previously won 22 races between the flags during his time in the saddle.
The local combination of Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe enjoyed a popular local double with Regarde and Dime Store Cowgirl, whilst Rob James’ Classic Anthem returned alone in the four-year-old maiden before being purchased for £200,000.
March 27th – Loughrea
It was a day of doubles at Loughrea as Sam Curling and Pa King continued their strong association with the victories of Townhill and Kamsinas, whilst Wexford rider Sean Staples enjoying his a double of his own courtesy of The Forge Hill and Grey Opportunity.
The adjacent maiden on the card was run in honour of the late landowner Willie Leahy who was remembered on the afternoon having passed away in September 2021.
March 27th – Ballynoe
A big crowd turned out to see the return of the GAIN Mares Final which was won by Terence Leonard’s Koyote. The eight-year-old was largely unconsidered by those in attendance having been sent off as an easy-to-back 8/1 shot, however she proved too good for her rivals to give winning rider Mikey O’Connor his fourth win in the race, and first since 2011.
That victory of Koyote was one of two on the card for Leonard and O’Connor as they also combined with Country Kitten to claim the mares’ maiden, whilst it was also a notable afternoon for Darragh Allen as the 27-year-old notched up his first ever hat-trick.
April 3rd – Rathcannon
Susie Doyle strengthened her position at the top of the ladies leaderboard when securing her first ever double in the saddle aboard Sam Curling’s Some Are Lucky and the Louise Lyons-trained Golden Bald.
The fixture produced just 30 runners, but it did feature a second double on the day with Tiernan Power matching Doyle’s success on the day with his own brace courtesy of Doyen Star and Jack Burke.
April 3rd – Dromahane
Look To The West became the latest winner to emerge from Barry The Butcher’s four-year-old maiden at Lingstown when she took the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden, a race which had been won by Honeysuckle in 2018, in good style.
Her success was swiftly followed by Croke Park, another winner to emerge from that Lingstown contest, who won the geldings equivalent on the card before being sold for £400,000 at the Aintree sale.
April 3rd – Castletown-Geoghegan
Liam Kenny sent out his first winner of the season with Storminhome in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden which kickstarted a run of success for the Gorey handler in subsequent weeks as he enjoyed four wins within a six-week period.
Peter Flood had previously won the adjacent winners’ race as a rider and he added a victory as a handler to that trophies roll of honour with the success of Beyond Redemption in a competitive race with three of the four runners having been among the winners on the previous weekend.
April 9th – Taylorstown
Barry Stone enjoyed his first ever treble in the saddle with the successes of Wideeyedandlegless, Cluain Aodha and Kalanisi Flash. The first horses also provided John Walsh with a double.
Some Man bounced back to form following a disappointing effort at Lisronagh by dominating the open in the hands of Rob James.
April 10th – Dromahane
Seventeen-year-old Alan O’Sullivan opened his account aboard his uncle Eugene’s former Cheltenham Foxhunters victor It Came To Pass in the open.
Weigh-tent veteran Mikey O’Connor was the only rider at the venue to depart with a two timer thanks to the success of the well-backed Nice To Meet, a horse that he also trained, and Terence Leonard’s Moviddy.
April 10th – Stradbally
Conor Moore doubled his tally for the season with a double which began in his father Denis’ colours aboard Benefits Jeu for trainer Tom Byrne. He then teamed-up with Jonathan Fogarty to claim the older mares’ maiden with Bare Assets.
The Forge Hill joined a select group of mares to have defeated geldings in winning an open during the season when she continued her fine record at the Laois venue under Sean Staples in the day’s feature.
April 10th – Tattersalls
Harley Dunne’s good form continued as he saddled an across the card treble, following a sole success at Dromahane with a double of his own in Tattersalls, two wins that he was in the saddle for himself.
That contributed to the majority of the card’s prizes heading for Wexford with Johnny Berry, Vincent Devereux and Liam Kenny also all enjoying success.
April 13th – Ballyknock
The annual Easter racing at Inch returned following the Covid interruption and for 2022 it had a new venue at the right-handed track of Ballyknock with the results favouring those who raced up with the pace throughout the contest.
Eoin O’Brien brought his career tally of point-to-point winners to three figures when he recorded his 100th victory in the sphere when dead heating in the adjacent maiden ending a long wait for the Cork rider to reach that milestone having moved onto the 99-winner mark in December.
April 16th – Loughanmore
Former regional champion Noel McParlan recorded his 200th point-to-point success when taking the winners’ race on the card for Caroline McCaldin.
Just two horses contested the mares’ open on the card with the odds-on favourite and subsequent champion mare La Feline making the most of her journey from Co. Tipperary to enjoy one of her easiest victories in the hands of Derek O’Connor.
April 17th – Oldcastle
Heavy overnight rain left conditions softer than is traditionally the case for the spring fixture here but it did not put off connections with 16 horses alone running in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden that was won by De Legislator.
Liam Kenny’s good spell continued with Fortunate Soldier stepped-up from his debut to land the four-year-old maiden before being sold to Highflyer Bloodstock for €200,000 at the Punchestown sale.
April 17th – Quakerstown
Heavy rain may have made for some challenging underfoot conditions for the runners but it did failed to put off a typically large crowd from attending the Quakerstown fixture which was back in it’s traditional Easter Sunday slot for the first time since 2019.
Pat Doyle continued his strong run of form in the four-year-old maiden at the venue, a race which has seen him unleash the likes of Bacardys in the past, as Foreverwalking made a winning debut in the 2022 edition.
April 17th – Curraghmore
Matthew Flynn O’Connor continued a season to remember for his Wexford-based Ballycrystal Stables by unleasing the The Gooner to make a very impressive debut in the four-year-old, a race which he ultimately won by 12 lengths in the hands of Brian Lawless.
Alex Harvey gained the upperhand in the INHSC spring novice riders series by winning the novice rider race on the card aboard Dream View for what his first time to team up with Wexford handler Michael Murphy.
April 18th – Loughanmore
Barry O’Neill had a 100 per cent strike rate on the second day of the two-day Easter fixture at Loughanmore securing a hat-trick with his third rides at the Co. Antrim venue Alice O’Byrne, Some Man and Near Dark.
Ohzark many not have run since 2019, however he was sent off as the favourite for his first outing for Richard Black in the older maiden and duly overcame that significant absence to win comfortably.
April 24th – Monksgrange
Colin Bowe enjoyed a local hat-trick at Monksgrange which included claiming the first prize of €3,500 for the INHSC Winners Final with the Farmacaffley maiden winner Gunnery Officer.
Despite having made his debut just seven days earlier, Rattling Road was turned out for a second week in a row that move by connections was rewarded as he ran out a comfortable winner for the father and son team of John and James Walsh.
April 24th – Dromahane
Shane O’Rourke secured his 50th success in the point-to-point sphere as Vinny Deverux’s First Preference made an immediate impact in open company with a 12-length success.
April 24th – Fairyhouse
A Rated continued his winning run since joining the Berry family as he defeated the recent Tramore hunter chase second Er Dancer and Stradbally winner The Forge Hill with a three-length success to win his third race on the bounce.
Luke Murphy enjoyed a change of fortunes when gaining a double aboard horses trained by Rob James and Mark Scallan.
April 29th – Largy
The colours of CAFRE College Enniskillen were in the winner’s enclosure with a first and third in the winners races as Boro Melody was credited with providing handler Corrie Auchterlonie with her opening success in that role.
Paul Pierce unleashed an eye-catching youngster when Seeyouinmydreams recorded an impressive winning debut under Sean Staples as she won the four-year-old mares’ maiden on the card by 15 lengths before being sold for 235,000 guineas in Newmarket.
April 30th – Largy
Stuart Crawford enjoyed a double on the day with Stamp Your Feet being left clear by the final fence fall of the mare Rose Of Coolbally to claim the open, whilst his younger brother Ben was aboard The Sad Shepard as they won the adjacent maiden.
May 1st – Stowlin
A Rated continued his winning spree under 17-year-old Josh Berry as the pair recorded their fourth success in a short space of time by defeating Some Are Lucky for the second time in the space of a month.
Hannah Phillips enjoyed her second success in the saddle when combining with her father Michael’s Miss Benjo, a horse that she had been riding throughout the season since acquiring her from Wexford handler Sean Doyle, and they took advantage of some final fence drama to win the mares’ maiden by a head.
May 1st – Dromahane
Sean Staples and Paul Pierce continued a profitable weekend by following the Friday evening victory of Seeyouinmydreams at Largy with a further four-year-old success at Dromahane. This came courtesy of Marty McFly who dead-heated with Pride of Erin in the auction race.
The trip from Banbridge for owner-trainer Noel Hynds was rewarded as his newcomer Rossea delivered on strong market support to open her account at the first time of asking under Eoin O’Brien.
May 2nd – Dawstown
Pierce Power recorded his first winner of the season when Slade Steel gave Sean Staples his third four-year-old maiden winner of the weekend in the geldings contest at the Bank Holiday Monday fixture.
Susie Doyle consolidated her position at the top of the ladies leaderboard by steering Louise Lyons’ odds-on favourite Golden Bald to a third success of the season following previous victories for the pair at Rathcannon and Curraghmore. That would be Doyle’s final ride of the season as nine winners saw her crowned champion for the first time in her career.
May 7th – Broughshane
Broughshane brought the northern season to a close and with that Barry O’Neill picked-up a fourth regional title of the season courtesy of 17 winners. He did draw a blank at this season-ending fixture in the region as it was Rob James who claimed riding honours with a double aboard Some Man and Royal Juniper.
James’ achievement on the card was matched by Cormac Abernethy who teamed-up with his chief supporters Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison to win both the five-year-old maiden and adjacent maiden with Richhill and Ballybentragh.
May 8th – Bartlemy
Mark Scallan continued his strong end of season form by sending out Bonne Derreen to land a division of the mares’ maiden under Tiernan Power as point-to-point action returned to Bartlemy for the first time in three years.
May 14th – Punchestown
Insurance difficulties earlier in the year had necessitated in the traditional mid-February point-to-point having to be cancelled, but the Kildare’s had a second chance to run their fixture with this additional May date which was run under a blue sky.
The bid of A Rated for a fifth victory of the season was ended at the hands of Visioman in the novice rider’s open and the victory was a first success for Athy-based English native Ben Halsall, the second of track owner Alan Halsall.
May 15th – Stradbally
Bertie Finn, who only recorded his opening victory at Borris House in March, ticked off another first with his initial double on his first visit to the Laois venue, as the successes of Old Page and Good Source swiftly brought his career tally to six.
Fellow Wexford rider Sean Staples also enjoyed a double, with his first ride for an in-form Louise Lyons bringing victory aboard Clatterbridge, whilst Staples then teamed-up with Sean Doyle’s The Forge Hill to win the mares’ open on the card for the second year in a row. This year’s success resulted in a two-runner race where she returned alone.
May 15th – Ballindenisk
Some Man’s quest for the champion point-to-point horse title brought him on the long trek from Derrylin to Ballindenisk, but his title-chasing mission provided Barry O’Neill with his 700th victory in the pointing sphere when the pair landed the open.
The victory was one of three on the card for O’Neill who was also successful aboard Colin Bowe’s Lunar Contact and Willie Murphy’s Miss Mae West.
May 21st – Ballingarry
James Hannon enhanced his chances of securing a maiden regional title with a Ballingarry double aboard Harry Kelly’s R S One and The Galahad Kid for fellow Waterford native Paul Kiely.
However the card was overshadowed by the heavy fall that Liz Lalor suffered in the finale whilst on her own title-chasing mission which necessitated in the record-breaking rider being airlifted to Cork University Hospital from where she was later discharged.
May 22nd – Ballingarry
The second day of the two-day Ballingarry fixture proved to be particularly memorable for 19-year-old Josh Younge as he enjoyed his first ever winner aboard Spy Lady for Michelle Gannon in the six-year-old mares’ maiden.
Rosemary Connors’ Woodfield Symphony has proven to be a regular at this fixture in recent years, with most of her outings each season confined to the season-ending fixture. In 2019, she finished third in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, only to not be seen in competitive action for another two years after it, making her return in the older maiden at the 2021 fixture. Returning almost exactly a year after that the eight-year-old ran out a four-length winner under Barry Stone.
May 22nd – Inchydoney
Colin Bowe edged closer to Robert Tyner’s single-season record of winners with a hat-trick on Inchydoney Island, however his bid for that record would fall one win short of Tyner’s 2009 record of 47. The 46 winners that he did achieve did represent a personal best for the ten-time leading handler.
Some Man made his second visit to County Cork on successive Sunday’s with yet another winning raid in the open as he defeated Some Are Lucky to gain his seventh success of the season to wrap-up the champion point-to-point horse title.
May 28th – Dromahane
This last of seven fixtures staged throughout the season at Dromahane was a late addition to the calendar following the cancellation of the traditional two-day end of season fixture at Kinsale after a dispute between the Kinsale committee and the INHSC over dates.
Alex Ott’s Inchidaly Copper continued his rise up through the pointing ranks as he followed up wins at Dawstown and Inchydoney but easily claiming the winners-of-two event at Dromahane, before going on to add a hurdle success at Downpatrick later in the summer on his return to the track.
May 29th – Tralee
For the first time Tralee brought down the curtain on the point-to-point season with strong demand evident in the nine races which had to be run to accommodate 92 runners.
Robert Tyner, who had earlier in the month announced his intention to quit the training ranks, saddled a double with Dangan Des Champs and Blustery.
