THE Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Bonus scheme was very successful during April with five winners and €25,000 paid out in bonuses.

Burgage Stud bred Our Valentina, who started the proceedings on April 1st for trainer Stuart Crawford and the Horseplay Syndicate when she won her maiden hurdle in Navan Racecourse. The Turfman’s Daughter secured her first bonus for connections and trainer Noel Meade when she comfortably won her maiden hurdle during students’ day at Limerick Racecourse.

Minutestomidnight proved the fairytale purchase for owner Laurence Murphy and trainer Jonathan Sweeney. A graduate of the Land Rover Sale in Goffs, she won her point-to-point first time out in Lingstown and three weeks later she won her bumper in Wexford and a Weatherbys ITBA Bonus. She battled hard under Jamie Codd to hold on and win the Weatherbys GSB EBF Grade 3 Flat Race during the Punchestown Festival and was sold for a whopping €200,000 during the Goffs Punchestown Point-to-Point Sale the following evening.

SECOND BONUS

Don’t Kick Nor bite secured her second bonus when she won her maiden hurdle for expert filly-handler Robert Tyner in the colours of J.P. McManus. Our last winner in April is another who has used the point-to-point circuit as a shop window.

Breeder Michael Ryan sold his point-to-point winner Lackaneen Leader at the Tattersalls Ireland Point-to-Point Cheltenham Festival Sale to Bobby O’Ryan for owner Mrs Caren Walsh. This canny purchase paid dividends when she won her bumper in Cork Racecourse for trainer Gordon Elliott and secured the first Weatherbys ITBA Bonus for her new owners. There are 12 bonus races scheduled for May and we hope to highlight more successful fillies in early June.