ONE of the country’s leading greyhound trainers had his first point-to-point runner at Borris House on Sunday.

Paul Hennessy has pretty much won all of the big races within that sport, including the English, Scottish and Irish Greyhound Derbys, the Champion Stakes, St Leger and Cesarewitch.

With over 140 winners to his name already this season, and over 4,800 career winners according to Irish Greyhound Board records, it is no wonder that he is regarded as one of the country’s greatest trainers within that sport.

The Gowran native is also not a complete stranger to racehorse training, as he has saddled a number of runners under rules in recent years, predominantly on the all-weather at Dundalk.

Special Buddy, a Robin Des Pres gelding, was his first runner between the flags when lining up in a division of the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old geldings’ maiden at the Co Carlow venue.

After showing prominently for much of the way in the hands of Niall Prendergast, the bay ultimately finished in third behind Lucky Flight.

Special Buddy was owned by Martin Lanney, who is a successful greyhound trainer himself, having sent out Forest Natalee to win the 2017 Oaks at Shelbourne Park in 2017.