A double for Barry O’Neill and a single success for Rob James meant a clean sweep for Wexford riders in the first three races at Kirkistown in North Down today. O’Neill also had two ‘seconds’.
O’Neill had an easy success in the first four year old maiden ‘auction’ race aboard Heartbreak Kid for the Colin Bowe and Brendan Walsh team.
He led from the penultimate fence relishing the soft underground conditions and won by ‘a distance’. He will be bound for the sales.
Half an hour later in the Albert Bartlett maiden race for five year old geldings and O’Neill had 15 lengths to spare on Mr Hendricks, owned and trained by Kate Harrington, and another candidate for the sales catelogue.
Rob James teamed up with Fermanagh handler David Christie aboard Daenery’s Stormborn in the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham five year old (and plus) mares maiden race and held a twelve lengths advantage crossing the finish line.
A large entry of 153 has been received for Sunday’s fixture at Lingstown, Tomhaggard, and a 1 pm start for the Killinick Harriers annual fixture.
Twenty-one entries were received for the Hearne Line Marking Open Lightweight Race – with a prize fund of over €3,000 and the richest point-to-point ever run in this country – and it should be quiet a spectacle over the famous Lingstown Banks Course.
Jockey Jamie Codd will have a keen local following and it is worth noting that he has ridden 70 winners at his home track so he maybe able to extend that record before he heads for next week’s Cheltenham Festival where he will have some favourable mounts.
The organisers of the Lingstown races are hoping for a good attendance and everybody is welcome to savour a day at the races in south Wexford.