CONGRATULATIONS to Noel McParlan on winning his third northern region point-to-point riders’ title. The Cabra amateur partnered 26 winners, a figure which matches that of Mark O’Hare last season and is four more than when Noel won in 2014/2015 and eight more than when he was first successful at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.

Eleven of Noel’s wins came on horses trained by his father Sean while the final one was recorded on Saturday at Necarne Castle where he won the LE Graphics adjacent hunts’ race on Keephimbachwilliam, a seven-year-old Bach gelding owned and trained by Lady Janey Alexander.

Still leading The Irish Field riders’ championship, Barry O’Neill partnered 21 winners in the northern region, many of them supplied by Derrylin trainer David Christie, and the pair signed off the regional campaign with three wins over the weekend at Necarne including that of Maple Mons, a mare which has admirably advertised Christie’s skills as a trainer

Many of Mark O’Hare’s 18 wins came courtesy of Katesbridge trainer Jerry Cosgrave who too has enjoyed a terrific season.

Cosgrave saw his own colours carried to success on the Friday evening in the Devenish Nutrition four-year-old mares’ maiden by Desirable Court.

She was bred close to Cosgrave’s Shanrod Stables by John Adams who purchased her dam, the bumper winner Desirable Rhythm, at Tattersalls National Hunt Sale in November 2007.

The 2002 Hernando mare has also produced fillies by Court Cave (2014) and Arcadio (2015).