Barry Stone enjoys his 80th victory

By Dan Walsh

It’s a long time since the 2025-’26 point-to-point season commenced last October and it ended this weekend where the highlight was doubles for Donnchadh Doyle and a double and the 80^th career winner for Cleariestown rider Barry Stone.

Stone’s double was at Tattersalls in Co. Meath where he got the winners flowing under Galant Jewel in the colours of Noeleen Kenny and trained at Craanford by Jimmy Kenny, who has enjoyed his best season to date. 13 lengths the verdict.

Half an hour later and Barry Stone was in the winners’ enclosure again following division one of the maiden race for four-year-old geldings aboard Donnchadh Doyle’s newcomer Naturalenegry who sailed home by two and a half lengths.

And Donnchadh Doyle’s Ballindaggin stables made it a double victory in division two when Rob James brought Bingo Bus home by 13 lengths.

Wexford stables also won both divisions of the five-year old geldings’ maiden. The father and son team, trainer and rider, James and John Walsh from Tinahely scored a five lengths success with Mr Caulfield in the colours of Martin J. Molloy to take division one, while Sean Doyle and Cormac Byrne produced George Dundee to victory by five and a half lengths in division two.

The Blackhall Partnership Stables and Paul Martin Pierce at Killurin supplied the winner of the maiden race for five-year-olds plus. Only ‘a head’ separated Sing Like Madonna from Seamus Osborne’s Buddy And Me for the father and son team, James and John Walsh, who won earlier with Mr Caulfield. Paul Pierce having his best ever season with 11 winners.

Michael Gahan and Michael Goff achieved ‘a short head’ victory with Craan Rose getting the better of Colin Bowe’s Wings In The Wing ridden by Shane O’Rourke in the mares’ maiden race for six-year-old geldings plus at Ballingarry on Sunday.

Ballingarry had a two-day fixture and yesterday (Saturday) experienced two Wexford winners. Wexford footballer and Kilmore owner/handler Thomas Byrne saddled Sam Smoke to victory in the maiden mares’ race for four-year-olds. Shane Cotter took the mount. Corkman Cotter wins his second under 21 riders’ title.

Ballindaggin rider Cormac Byrne had his 10^th career winner and the seventh this season on Gathering The Facts for the Monbeg Syndicate and Donnchadh Doyle by four lengths in the Winner of One race confined to novice riders.

The National Point-to-Point Awards ceremony will take place in Clayton Whites Hotel, Wexford, on Saturday, June 13^th. Tickets are on sale.