By Dan Walsh
Two fixtures today (Saturday) across the country and veteran handler Denis Murphy, Ballyboy Stables, The Ballagh, ended a memorable day’s point-to-pointing with three winners to his credit. There were doubles for handler Donnchadh Doyle and rider Jack Hendrick, who rode a bumper winner for Paul Nolan at Wexford races on Thursday.
Denis Murphy and Jack Hendrick were the winning partnership in the maiden race for four-year-old mares at Loughanmore, Co. Antrim today with Swing Davis coming home in front by three and a half lengths. Later the combination struck successfully again with Relieved of Duties who came home six lengths clear of the field in division two of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. Nice double for Hendrick, but Murphy went on to make it three for the afternoon when Fralimonti Bilbery (Sean Cotter up) scored a 10 lengths victory in the six-year-old plus novice riders race at Ballysteen.
The maiden race for four-year-old geldings was divided and both divisions were captured by the Monbeg Syndicate, Donnchadh Doyle and Rob James combination starting with newcomer Talk To The Man who had three and a half lengths to spare. Half an hour later following the running of division two the Ballindaggin stables were celebrating a double with Theflyingking coming home two lengths to the good.
Bennys Jenny was a winner for Paul Martin Pierce, Blackhall, Killurin, and rider Eoin Staples in the maiden race for mares’ five-year-old plus.
And a victory in the final race at Loughanmore went to newcomer Backonthegoagain ridden by Sophie Carter for Colin Bowe stables. Winnign margain was two and a half lengths.
The first race at Ballysteen, Co. Limerick, was the maiden race for four-year-olds, it divided due to a large entry, and division one was won by newcomer Sign Again, owned and handled by Robert Tector, Coolbawn, Rathnure. Joey Dunne was the successful rider and the verdict was four and a half lengths.
Clondaw, Ferns, father and son, handler and rider respectively, Michael and Harry Goff were successful with Caitriona Goff’s Way Down South in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. Half a length in at the end! Denis Murphy took the final race as recorded above, so it was a thoroughly good day for Wexford stables with a combined total of nine winners. Not bad for a Saturday’s work.
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