Image © Healy Racing
County Galway rider Eoin Mahon is enjoying his best season to date with nine winners on the scoresheet so far, matching his personal best tally from the 2023/24 points campaign.
Twenty-eight year old Mahon rides out most mornings for Derek O’Connor and then spends the afternoons riding out at John Staunton’s, both of whom are close neighbours of Mahon’s. In addition to going schooling at Boulta, he also schools and gallops horses for Ian McCarthy once or twice a week and rides regularly for Paurick O’Connor.
It is the Ian McCarthy-trained Fountain House that provided Mahon with four of his nine successes between the flags before the pair landed a Thurles Hunter Chase at the beginning of March.
Mahon has struck up a prosperous partnership with the Lucky Speed-sired seven-year-old and he discusses future plans.
‘The Punchestown Festival is the target for Fountain House, although he might have a run in an open race in the meantime.
“He’s a mighty horse and I’m lucky to have had four points wins and a hunter chase win on him.”
During the season, Mahon also visited the winners’ enclosure aboard horses trained by Derek O’Connor, Brian Hassett, John Staunton and on what he described as a ‘lucky spare’ ride for Edward O’Grady aboard Making Country at Nenagh in the famous J P McManus colours.
Last Sunday, Mahon travelled to Knockanohill where he partnered the John Staunton-trained favourite Kilworth to an impressive victory in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. The daughter of Order Of St George vindicated the promise shown on her debut run at Belharbour where she was runner-up to Sam Curling’s subsequent two-time winner The Great Unknown.
“She’s a lovely mare, she had a great run the first day behind The Great Unknown of Sam Curling’s and she was entitled to go and win.” Said Mahon
“Charlie Moore owns a half-share in her, he’s Derek O’Connor’s uncle, and he never misses a point-to-point on a Sunday, he’s a massive follower of points, so it was brilliant to get a winner for him at his local track.
“I own a few horses along with John Staunton. John lives two minutes down the road from me and has been very good to me from the start of my career.”
Mahon had his initial ride at the Cheltenham Festival last week aboard the David Loughnane-trained Bardenstown Lad in the St. James Place Festival Challenge Cup Cheltenham Foxhunters. The pair were prominent early in the race but weakened to finish in 11th place.
A delighted Mahon, who has 11 track victories under his belt said “It was great to get my first ride at Cheltenham, It was actually through Ian McCarthy that I got the ride. Ian pre-trained the horse and knows the owners. Fair play to Ian, He has been very good to me.
“I got a good spin around, it was just great to be there, Cheltenham is the place you dream about riding at.”
Bardenstown Lad is hopefully going to run in the Aintree Foxhunters next and Mahon is delighted to be keeping the ride on him.
“All going well, he will go to Aintree and I’ll get the spin on him around there. That will be my first spin in the Aintree Foxhunters so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Mahon who recorded his first points win in October 2016, was plagued with injuries for a few seasons, but has plenty to look forward to and is on target to record a new personal best.
“I had my best season last year with nine winners so I’m delighted with the way things are going so far this year.
"I have plenty of nice horses to look forward to and I hope I can just knock in a few more winners and stay injury free.”
With two months of the spring term remaining, Mahon is sure to be in the winners’ enclosure again.
