By Dan Walsh
The St. Brigid’s holiday weekend produced championship racing at the highest standard and a new generation of young jockeys from south Wexford were involved in the winning action; Conor Stone-Walsh from Cleariestown and Tiernan Power Roche from Tomhaggard.
18 years-old Stone-Walsh enjoyed his first major success in the saddle when he guided Backtonormal (11/4 fav.) to a three and a quarter lengths victory in the prestigious Leopardstown Chase extended handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown. Third in the big race was Tiernan Power Roche on Monbeg Park for Ballindaggin trainer Sean Doyle.
Moving on to Punchestown today (Monday) and Conor Stone-Walsh continued his winning ways on Theonewedreamof (9/4 fav.) in a handicap chase for the in-form Gavin Cromwell Meath stables.
Two wins in two days has put Stone-Walsh on the big-time racing map and well deserved by the pony racing graduate with 90 winners to his credit. He started out riding for Joseph O’Brien on the flat and is now showing exceptional skill and progress on the National Hunt circuit.
Tiernan Power Roche scored a riding double at Punchestown today (Monday) on Drusilla (14/1) for Cian Collins in the maiden hurdle and Duffys Hodey (7/2) for Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell in a novice handicap hurdle.
Power Roche started off with the Killinick Pony Club rode 45 point-to-point winners his biggest successes to date were ‘over the banks’ at the Punchestown Festival; winning the La Touche Cup on Ballyboker Bridge for Peter Maher in 2022 and victory in the 2023 Ladies Cup on Three By Two for The Ballagh, Enniscorthy trainer, Denis Murphy.
Power Roche has struck up a very successful relationship with Philip Rothwell this season and the combination has been adding to the scoreboard frequently.
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