By Dan Walsh
Rob James exhibited outstanding performance at the Fairyhouse point-to-point event today (Sunday), achieving four victories. The weekend was successful with numerous races and fixtures, and stables and riders from Wexford performed exceptionally well.
Rob James rode and handled two winners in the Matchmaker Syndicate colours winning both divisions of the maiden race for four-year-olds with Princess Day by three lengths and Royale Navy by four lengths.
James added two more with Donnchadh Doyle charges-King Du Brivet by eight lengths in division one of the five-year-old geldings race by eight lengths and added a fourth success with Sioux Falls in the concluding race for maidens.
Also at Fairyhouse Barry Stone and Jonathan Fogarty scored a one and a half lengths victory with Smoke Trail in the maiden race for four-year-olds geldings and Luke Murphy from Gorey was the successful rider and handler of Ballyfad who came home four lengths to the good in division two of the four-year-old geldings maiden race.
Jonathan Fogarty had an across the cards double when Wyoming Line was a four lengths winner on his debut under Finian Maguire in the maiden race for four-year-olds at Dromahane.
Matt Gahan and Michael Goff triumphed in the five-year-old geldings maiden with El Bugsy. Thirteen and a half lengths the verdict and there was a victory Somersby Roost in the colours of Phyllis O’Rourke, handled by her husband Pat and ridden by James O’Rourke, Belmont Stud, Wexford, in the mares’ maiden race.
Shane O’Rourke, Foulksmills, rode a double in Kilkenny today (Sunday). He was aboard Double The Dance for Kilmacow handler Ian Power in the maiden race for four-year-old geldings and also scored for Vincent Devereux on Deliverinstyle in the ‘older’ geldings’ race.
John Martin Walsh from Duncormick saddled the first and second in the Winner of One race with Lynsey Larue (Troy Walsh up) holding off Where’s Cato (Jack Hendrick) by two lengths.
Eamonn Doyle, Ballindaggin, saddled Stay Hopeful in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings and it resulted in a victory under Jamie Scallan, who earlier won on Sean Doyle’s newcomer Cheers To You in the maiden race for four-year-old mares.
Saturday races took place at Ballysteen where the four-year-old maiden was divided due to a large entry and both divisions were won by Wexford stables. Division one was won by newcomer Midtown Manhattan by six and a half lengths for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill and the second division went to Cog Noir by a neck for Cormac Doyle and Jack Hendrick.
Jack Hendrick went on to ride a double on the day when he took the mount on newcomer Some Song for Pierce Michael Power from The Hook and they crossed the line four lengths ahead of the field in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings.
Easter Monday point-to-point action took place at Loughanmore, Co. Antrim, where Kiltealy handler Matthew Flynn O’Connor saddled his 35th career winner in eight seasons as a licence holder.
His impressive winner, who will now go to the sales, was Max’d Out who had six lengths to spare at the finish of the maiden race for four-year-olds. Wicklow rider Brian Lawless was in the saddle.
On the same card Barry O’Neill scored an eight and a half lengths victory on Winged Leader for Fermanagh handler David Christie with the 11-year-old winning for the 32nd time in his career in the Open Race.
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