By Dan Walsh at Peppards Castle races
Well-known Tomhaggard rider Jamie Scallan travelled to Cheltenham on Friday and rode Brandt (10/1) to a deserved victory in the amateur handicap chase for trainer Cian Collins.
Today (Saturday) he was in action at The Island Hunt point-to-point fixture at Peppards Castle, Kilmuckridge, and visited the winners’ enclosure again following an eight lengths success for Brideswell handler Seamus Neville on Boston Common in the maiden race for six-year-olds plus.
Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill won the four-year-old maiden race with Morning Fog, bred by Mrs Sheelagh Hickey, defeating the Gary Murphy trained Coin Collector, ridden by Shane O’Rourke by one and a half lengths.
The O’Rourke/ Murphy team struck back in the auction maiden race for four-year-olds with a four lengths success for Secret Dispatch in the colours of Billy Bates. Kilmore.
Gary Murphy has made a great start to the season, and this was his 25th winner in six season’s training while Foulksmills rider Shane O’Rourke celebrated his 75th career success.
Harley Dunne saddled Brume D’Ete in the five and years old maiden race with Frankie Murphy in the saddle and they held off the Bowe/O’Neill challenge with Amaretto Sour by one and a half lengths.
Denis Murphy didn’t have far to travel from his stables at The Ballagh, but it was all worthwhile as Keppols Poet (Shane Cotter up) took the five-year-old geldings race by three and a half lengths.
The Open Lightweight race was confined to lady riders and Nicola Lockhead Anderson teamed up with Sean Doyle and the result was a ten and a half lengths victory for Between Waters, whose next engagement is likely a hunters’ chase at Fairyhouse.
It was a safe day’s racing. The ground rode well at ‘yielding’ and wind and rain cleared to give the good-sized crowd an afternoon of relative comfort.
Two day’s racing on the track at Wexford Racecourse tomorrow (Sunday) first race at 12.50pm and on Bank Holiday Monday, first race at 1pm.
Next point-to-point action in Co. Wexford is Sunday November 8th with Wexford Hunt fixture at Knockmullen House, on the outskirts of New Ross.
