Barry O’Neill was the punters hero at his local track this afternoon with a first and last race double at the Bree Hunt races held in fast ground conditions at Monksgrange, near Rathnure.
Cill Anna went off favourite in the maiden race for four year olds and held on by a head to beat Who’s The Boss from Ellen Doyle’s stables near Enniscorthy. Cill Anna is half-owned by the Brennan family and will now be heading to the sales.
In the final race of the day – for maidens aged six year olds and upwards- O’Neill had three lengths to spare on Oscar Academy trained at Camolin by John Paul Brennan and running in the colours of his wife, Marie. “A winners or a bumper awaits the six year old gelding next,” said Brennan afterwards.
Ellen Doyle was compensated for Who’s The Boss close runner-up effort when Israel Champ and Harley Dunne came home 12 lengths to the good in the maiden race for four year old geldings.
The winning handler was “very impressed” by the performance of a “confident nice horse” who will now go to the sales.
The Winner of Two Race was a good victory for Notice To Close, trained by Seamus Neville, Brideswell, Bridgetown, for his wife, Ina, and a winning ride for veteran Cork jockey Mickey O’Connor.
Winner of three races on the bounce now, Notice To Quit will most likely go for a bumper at Cork on Easter Monday. “The better ground suited him,” said the winning handler afterwards.
Vinnie Dev “loved the test of stamina” in the maiden race for five year old geldings, scoring by one and a half lengths in the hands of Tiernan Power-Roche for Michael and Ashleigh Murphy from south Wexford.
The mares maiden race saw a good performance from Get The Appeal, who had 15 lengths to spare at the end of a fast run race with James Kenny, Craanford, in the saddle for Ballypreacus, Bunclody handler Cormac Farrell and sporting the silks of Harry Farrell.
Get The Appeal had run “greenish” at Lingstown earlier in the month, but was “confident”at Monksgrange and likely “go to the sales or run in a bumper” in the near future.
Sixty-one horses faced the starter, every race was run fast and furious due to the ground conditions and it was a day for the “stayers.”
The organisers were very happy with the day’s action and the attendance was the biggest seen at Monksgrange since the Bree point-to-point moved there a number years ago now.

IT SURE IS was a winner at Ballynoe, Co. Cork today. Local sponsor presented the cup to Rob James, representing the Milestone Racing Partnership. Also in the picture is groom Craig Casey and jockey Michael O’Sullivan. Winning trainer Colin Bowe was at Monksgrange.

Jockey Shane O’Rourke from Horetown, Foulksmills, enjoyed a double at Lisronagh, Co. Tipperary today.
He was aboard Ashfield Paddy for the father and son team of James and Vincent Devereux, Rostoonstown Stud, Broadway, in the maiden race for six year old geldings and came out best it a tight finish.
O’Rourke was in the winners’ enclosure half an hour later after Catchmeifyoucan, owned by Peter Aspell of Adamstown, and trained by Benny Walsh, at Crossgales, Tomhaggard, by four lengths. Nice double at the Tipperary track.
At Ballynoe, Co. Cork today, the Colin Bowe trained It Sure Is and sporting the Milestone Racing Partnership colours gained a half-length victory in the maiden race for four year olds with Cork rider Michael O’Sullivan in the saddle.
Next Sunday’s action is the annual Island Hunt point-to-point at Courtown. The card is made up of an Open Mares’ Race, a Winner of One Race and four races for maidens and the first is off at 2 pm.
This is the second year to race at Courtown and the organisers are hoping for a big entry, a fine day and a large crowd.