“WE will never see his like again” was a common refrain at last Saturday night’s annual Point-to-Point Awards in White’s Hotel in Wexford, where Derek O’Connor lifted The Irish Field Champion Rider Cup for the 12th time.
With over 1,400 winners to his name, the Galwayman has already broken every record imaginable in the sport but, on top of everything the 43-year-old had already achieved, he is champion once again following an 11-year break since his most recent title.
As O’Connor arrived on stage to collect his trophy and €1,500 in prize money from The Irish Field, MC Ger Hannon playfully asked the champion: “What have you been doing for the past 11 years?”
O’Connor, of course, has not been idle - consistently racking up respectable totals every season, winning the senior riders’ title seven times, despite the balance of power in point-to-pointing shifting away from his traditional Munster powerbase to Wexford.
And he has established his own successful training operation.
However, O’Connor was quick to give plenty of credit to Tipperary handler Sam Curling, who dominated the 2025-’26 campaign and supplied O’Connor with dozens of winners.
“There’s a world of factors that got me here tonight,” he said. “Sam Curling’s dominance - the way he started the season with one goal [to be champion handler] and he achieved it. I’m very proud to be a part of the Sam Curling team, along with my own team at home, and the few trainers who gave me the opportunity to ride some very nice horses.”
O’Connor also recognised that his great rival, Barry O’Neill, did not have a clear run at the season but, at the same time, it should be noted that O’Connor very often opts not to ride winners from his own yard, preferring instead to give the leg-up to those who work for him.
He explained: “At my age, I need to be thinking outside the box! I have good riders around me and great staff. The whole thing looks very well and I have to thank them also.”
Before anyone could even dare mention retirement, O’Connor continued: “I love it so much. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. What else would you be doing on a wet Sunday in January? Brilliant, hard-working, dedicated people.”
Just to confirm, Hannon did ask: “Will we see you in Castletown-Geoghehan?” to which O’Connor simply replied “Yes.”
Before the champion returned to join his wife Carol and team members at their table, Hannon took the opportunity to thank O’Connor for his dedication to the sport. “I can remember Enda Bolger and John Thomas McNamara being champion. I grew up watching yourself and Jamie Codd doing battle, and then Barry O’Neill came along. We are just so blessed with the standard of riders we have.”
JAMIE Codd’s plans for an early night on Saturday didn’t work out.
Living nearby, he was always going to attend the Point-to-Point Awards but, having lost his voice and feeling a little tired, he planned to make an early exit once the awards were over.
However, he didn’t realise he was about to be called to the stage himself to receive the Healy Racing Personality of the Year Award.
A champion both on the track and in points, Codd rode almost 1,000 winners between the flags and was victorious at the Cheltenham Festival 10 times.
Since hanging up his saddle, he has reinvented himself as a key member of the Tattersalls Ireland team, where he has proven to be equally dedicated in getting horses for sales and then finding clients to buy them.
In his citation, Richard Pugh said Codd was one of the people who had taken point-to-pointing to a new level in the past 20 years. While Codd had plenty of big winners on the track, he was, in one sense, unlucky to be riding in points in the same era as Derek O’Connor - although Codd himself later said he felt very lucky to be riding against the best “and keeping him honest”.
Bearing in mind that 70 winners would have won you every title for the past 10 years (O’Connor won it with 45 this year), it’s incredible to think that Codd rode 104 winners in the 2010-’11 season and it still was not enough to be champion.
As he made his way to the stage, we saw footage of Codd in action. There was his six-timer at Tinahely in 2011 - including winners trained by his late brother Willie - and his Cheltenham-Punchestown champion bumper double on Fayonagh in 2017. Envoi Allen and Cause Of Causes gave him great days too. We also saw pictures of Codd walking the track in his trademark pink bucket hat.
“I rode in the best times with some great people - John Thomas, Davy Russell, Derek, Barry, brilliant riders,” he said, apologising for his hoarseness.
SAM Curling rewrote the record books with 49 winners last season and claimed his first Bluegrass Feeds Champion Handler Award.
In doing so, he ended Colin Bowe’s 11-year reign and also broke Robert Tyner’s long-standing record of 47 winners set in 2009.
Based in Goolds Cross near Cashel in Co Tipperary, Curling had 206 runners in point-to-points last season and had a 24% strike-rate. His best performers included the champion mare The Great Unknown, winner of seven races and, on the track, he saddled Wonderwall to win the Punchestown Champion Hunter Chase.
He also played a huge part in helping Derek O’Connor reclaim the champion rider title. Champion lady rider Nicole Lockhead Anderson is also part of the Curling team.
Pat Doyle deserves a special mention, as he finished second in the handlers’ table with 20 winners from only 43 runners.
THE Point-to-Point Awards Committee of Davy Boland, Aine O’Connor and Susie Doyle pulled off another successful event last weekend, wrapping up a season which will always be remembered for Derek O’Connor’s comeback and Sam Curling’s record-breaking total.
Among the guests present in White’s Hotel was Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Suzanne Eade, who presented the regional awards to Derek O’Connor (south and west) and Barry O’Neill (north and east).
The “always smiling” Nicole Lockhead Anderson did remarkably well to win the P2P.ie lady riders’ title with 13 winners, finishing two ahead of Emily Costello, who also deserves massive credit.
Nicole also won the INHSC-sponsored novice rider series for females, the male award going to Cormac Byrne, who ended the season strongly.
Shane Cotter joined an elite group in winning the TRI Equestrian U21 Rider Award for a second year. He rode 16 winners and also had a Cheltenham success on Ask Brewster.
Ian McCarthy made headlines with a cross-country double at the Punchestown Festival and he was also responsible for training Hearts And Spades, the Race Displays Champion Point-to-Point Horse with eight wins. Eoin Mahon was on board for six of those wins.
Emmet Mullins was on hand to accept the Tattersalls Ireland Horse of the Year Award on behalf of Its On The Line, his third time to win it.
Another three-time award winner is Walk In The Park, who earned the Goffs Leading Sire title. The Beeches Stud, home to Crystal Ocean, was the season’s top breeder, and that award was sponsored by Weatherbys.
The Equuip Person Behind The Moment Award went to Kate Kelly, who has been working for Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables for 15 years.
Award winners
The Irish Field Champion Rider - Derek O’Connor
p2p.ie Champion Lady Rider - Nicole Lockhead Anderson
TRI Equestrian Champion Under-21 Rider - Shane Cotter
Nevilles Whites Hotel Champion Senior - Derek O’Connor
Horse Racing Ireland Northern Champion - Barry O’Neill
Horse Racing Ireland Eastern Champion - Barry O’Neill
Horse Racing Ireland Western Champion - Derek O’Connor
Horse Racing Ireland Southern Champion - Derek O’Connor
Bluegrass Feed Leading Handler - Sam Curling
Tattersalls Ireland Horse of the Year - Its On The Line
ITBA Champion Mare - The Great Unknown
Race Displays Champion Pointer - Hearts And Spades
Goffs Leading Sire - Walk In The Park
Weatherbys Leading Breeders’ Award - The Beeches Stud
Healys Personality of the Year Award - Jamie Codd
INHSC Novice Riders’ Series Leading Rider - Cormac Byrne
INHSC Novice Riders’ Series Leading Lady Rider - Nicole Lockhead Anderson
Equuip Person Behind The Moment - Kate Kelly