BARRY O’NEILL. In great form with a treble at Monksgrange.

The local jockeys kept the show to themselves at Monksgrange point-to-point with a treble for leading championship rider, Barry O’Neill, two for Rob James, and Harley Dunne took the only other race on the card.

The meeting opened in a downpour for the first two races and then the sun broke through and the maiden race for four year olds provided Rob James with his first winner of the day on Mega Yeats for Donnchadh Doyle by three lengths.

Sean Doyle gave James the leg up on Faithfulness, the eight lengths winner of the mares maiden race, owned by Basil Valentine.

James Doyle and Harley Dunne proved strongest in the maiden race for four year old geldings with a four lengths victory for Eden Du Houx, having his first run.

Barry O’Neill got his name on the scoresheet in the Winners of One Race and a close victory on home-bred Turndownthevolume, owned and trained by Roy Tector.
The Clonroche handler has three horses in training and this was his 11th winner. He hopes to give the seven years old mare a spin on the track soon.

Colin Bowe saddled The Con Man to win the five year old geldings maiden by six lengths to give Barry O’Neill his second success, and O’Neill deprived Rob James of a treble in the final race of the day – the six years old plus geldings maiden – winning by a head on Soarlikeaneagle for Kilkenny trainer, Mark Cahill.
Organised by the Bree Hunt Club, proceedings settled well after the heavy rain that fell during the opening races, and there was a good sized crowd.