LAST Saturday saw the 40th staging of The Irish Field Point-to-Point Awards and it was fitting that the annual event returned to the Hotel Minella in Clonmel, which hosted the first awards night in 1979.

Hotel owner John Nallen pulled out all the stops to ensure the night was memorable but he was taken completely by surprise when he was named this year’s winner of the Healy Racing Personality of the Year Award.

Nallen is a major investor in Irish bloodstock. His ‘Minella’ horses have won point-to-points all over the country before being snapped up by some of the top owners and trainers here and in Britain.

In 1963 John’s parents, Jack and Babs, bought a Georgian property which had been built in 1863. They turned it into a hotel, which now has 90 bedrooms, courtyard accommodation, a spa and tennis court. The Minella is managed by John and his sister, Liz.

John’s other interest is buying yearlings and store horses and giving them an education. Although he holds a licence himself and has trained many winners on the track and in points, he now prefers to pre-train them at his Lavally yard before dispatching them to Denis Murphy and Colin Bowe.

The list of recent ‘Minella’ horses includes Minella Rocco, bought by John as a store for €48,000 and sold to J.P. McManus for £260,000. Minella Indo won Grade 1 novice hurdles at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals this year, while the mare Minella Melody was placed in graded bumpers at both Aintree and Punchestown.

Minella For Value has won 17 races, while Minella For Dollars (£240,000), Minella Encore (£100,000) and Minella Rebellion (£90,000) all more than paid their way – there are simply too many Minella winners to mention here.

Before being called to the stage last Saturday night, John was busy carving beef and, assisted by his son Jack, he had personally visited every table to ensure all guests had enough on their plates. Earlier, John had arranged for the local brass band (Banna Cluain Meala) to perform on the lawn while guests enjoyed a pre-dinner drink, and some band members stayed on to ‘fanfare’ the award winners into the dining room. A lovely touch.

John was at Goffs on Tuesday when he bought five more stores and he said he was honoured to receive the award. “I think Frankie Fitzsimmons, Michael O’Donoghue, Liam Burke and myself are the only four people who were at the first awards night and were there again on Saturday. I can remember the first one as if it was yesterday.

“I was sure Michael was going to get the award and I couldn’t understand why all the hotel staff were coming into the room at that time. The organising committee caught me on the hop. They would make great bank robbers! I’ve been getting calls and texts from all over the country about it and I’m thrilled.”

Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe prove unstoppable

BARRY O’Neill won The Irish Field Riders’ Championship for the third time running. Barry missed the final weekend with an injury he picked up at Stratford recently but he was fully recovered when accepting his trophy and €1,500 cheque from The Irish Field’s editor Leo Powell.

“The season went pretty smoothly for me,” reported Barry, who is based with champion handler Colin Bowe. “Colin’s horses were in great form, which is a big advantage for me. A lot of credit must go to Colin and his team for keeping their horses at a consistent level the whole way through. I also want to thank David Christie for his support, and everyone else who helped me throughout the year.”

Barry managed to keep his hand in on the track as well and teamed up with Gordon Elliott’s Ucello Conti to win three hunter chases. “I also rode a couple of bumper winners for both Gordon and Henry de Bromhead, and a few over hurdles for Henry as well, which was great.”

Many of those winners – plus some of his pointing wins – came on horses owned by Gigginstown House Stud, who have ceased buying young horses. Barry said: “I have been very lucky for Gigginstown and hopefully their departure won’t have too much of an impact. Colin had eight Gigginstown horses last season but he buys plenty himself and he won’t be short of horses.”

Barry was busy at the Land Rover Sale this week and hopes to take a share in some of Colin’s new inmates. His personal life has also got a lot busier since last year. Barry married Colin’s sister Bridget last July and they were blessed with their first child, Billy, in April.

“We will get a break from the horses during the summer,” Barry promised. “I’m due to get a small operation on my knee soon and that will require three or four weeks off.”

Barry also won the eastern title for the third time.

This was Colin Bowe’s seventh leading handler title and his total of 45 winners was just two short of Robert Tyner’s record of 47. The vast majority of Colin’s wins came in maidens and included Papa Tango Charly, later sold for £440,000.

Prolific winners share title

ONE of the most popular awards on the night was for Champion Point-to-Point Horse, a title shared by Kruzhlinin and Longhouse Music, both of whom won 13 races.

The German-bred Kruzhlinin won a point-to-point maiden at Tabley in 2011 before being sold to Paul and Claire Rooney, who had him in training with Donald McCain and Philip Hobbs. After a career which yielded eight wins, he was given to his former groom, Camilla Sharples, who was now working for Gordon Elliott.

‘Kevin’, as he is known in the yard, made his debut for Elliott in November at Moig South and soon became a prolific winner. He won five opens under Jamie Codd, five for Barry O’Neill and three for Lisa O’Neill,

The mare Longhouse Music was bred by her owner John Duggan. Trained by Sam Curling, she had eight different riders this season, with Derek O’Connor on board for six wins.

The Elliott-trained Ucello Conti took the champion hunter chaser title.

Former champions Jamie Codd and Derek O’Connor also picked up awards. Jamie was the leading northern rider for the fourth time, while Derek captured both the southern region (10th time) and the western division (11th time). He also retained his senior rider crown.

Derek is now devoting some of his time to coaching novice riders and he said he was delighted to see 19 ‘novices’ ride their first winners this season.

Topping the novice category was 19-year-old Michael O’Sullivan, son of former rider Willie and a nephew of trainer Eugene, who provided him with six of his 16 winners last season.

Michael’s cousin Maxine O’Sullivan is champion lady rider for the third time. The 27-year-old received a huge cheer. She suffered a broken leg in October and it was March 10th before she rode her first winner of the season. Incredibly Maxine rode a winner on all three days of the final weekend – including landing the very last race of the season – to take the title.

Ken Parkhill of Castletown Quarry Stud is the season’s champion breeder. In a year in which he also bred Cheltenham Grade 1 winner City Island, Ken bred four individual points winners, including Knockanard maiden scorer Ferney Hollow, who was subsequently sold to Willie Mullins for £300,000.

Coolmore maintained its stranglehold on the champion sires’ table. This season saw a first title for Grange Stud-based Getaway (35 wins from 20 individual horses), followed by Milan, Gold Well and former champion Flemensfirth.

Great night at the Minella

RICHARD Pugh was absent and taking his place as master of ceremonies was western circuit commentator Ger Hannon, not to be confused with racecourse caller Jerry Hannon.

Ger did an outstanding job and one of his first tasks was to acknowledge the presence in the room of stewards’ secretary Michael O’Donoghue, who had organised the inaugural awards night and many others before passing on the baton.

There were 260 guests in the Minella last weekend, a bit less than usual due to an unfortunate clash with Noel McParlan’s stag night and a post-season party thrown by Donie McInerney. Nevertheless there was a great atmosphere in the dining room, the smaller numbers allowing a greater opportunity to get around and chat to everyone else.

Music was provided by The Afters from Drumlish, Co Longford and they also supplied a DJ who kept the dancefloor full until 4am.

The awards night was organised by Zoe Codd and John Gerety, with valuable assistance from Eoghain Ward and Sarah Ann Madden of p2p.ie.

Award Winners

The Irish Field Champion Rider: Barry O’neill

Inhsc Senior Champion Rider: Derek O’connor

P2P.ie Ladies Champion Rider: Maxine O’sullivan

Tri Equestrian Champion Under-21 Rider: Michael O’Sullivan

HRIEastern Champion Rider: Barry O’neill

HRI Northern Champion: Jamie Codd

HRI Southern Champion: Derek O’connor

HRI Western Champion: Derek O’connor

Easyfix Champion Handler: Colin Bowe

Weatherbys Ireland Leading Breeder: Ken Parkhill

Connollys Redmills Champion PTP: Kruzhlinin & Longhouse Music

ITBA Champion Mare: Longhouse Music

Tattersalls Ireland Champion Hunter Chaser: Ucello Conti

Goffs Leading Sire: Getaway

Healy Racing Personality Award: John Nallen

SOME SEASONAL STATISTICS

• There were 101 fixtures in the season, an increase from 94 the previous season.

• There were 636 races staged and a total of 5,449 runners.

• Tattersalls Farm hosted the largest number of runners, 188 spread over nine races.

• Stradbally and Portrush had the smallest number of runners, 32.

100

Number of graded race winners last season who graduated from point-to-points.

5

Number of 2019 Cheltenham Festival winners who graduated from point-to-points. They were Envoi Allen, Topofthegame, Hazel Hill, Minella Indo and British pointer Beware The Bear.

19

Novice riders rode their first winners this season.

MILESTONES

Pa King rode his 100th winner, Go To Court, in Mainstown.

Jamie Codd rode his 900th winner, Pegase Armour, in Loughanmore.

Richie Deegan rode his 50th winner, Oscar Ashe, in Ballyragget.

Derek O’Connor rode his 1,200th winner, Nellys Money, in Dromahane.

Barry O’Neill rode his 500th winner, Definite Warrior, in Borris.

Rob James rode his 200th winner, Presenting Ana, in Kinsale.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• The 14-year-old On The Fringe won in Rathcannon and Listowel.

• Michael Sweeney went viral after his dramatic recovery on Ask Heather at Killeagh.

• Shark Hanlon trained two winners at Barbury International.