IRISH point-to-point jockeys have been highly sought after in America of late with Steven Clements having already made a successful visit stateside this month.

With Clements having had to return home to ride in a number of bumpers at the Punchestown Festival during the week, Roger Quinlan is set to take his place riding for Katherine Neilson this weekend, including in the valuable Maryland Hunt Cup.

“Steven (Clements) put me forward for the trip. I’m riding in the Maryland Hunt cup on Saturday so I’ve had a look at a couple of videos of the course on YouTube and it looks interesting alright. I’m due to have a couple of rides on the Sunday too and then I am meant to come back Monday but that might depend on what I have planned for the last few weeks of the point-to-point season.”

Quinlan, who flew out to America on Tuesday, faced an eleventh hour scare, however, as he was sent to hospital following a fall at a point-to-point over the weekend. Having parted company with the John Paul Brennan-trained The Paddy Pie in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Fairyhouse on Sunday, the Thurles native received a kick from the hoof of a chasing horse leaving doctors fearing a potential arm injury. However, x-rays identified no broken bones, clearing Quinlan to make the trip for the distinctive contest.

SUPER SUNDAY

The unique four-mile event, which carries a purse of $100,000, has a rich history stretching back to 1894.

Quinlan, who has previously ridden a winner overseas at Merano as part of the Fegentri Series, is set to team-up with Super Sunday for the lucrative race which is run over a timber course at Worthington Valley. Irish point-to-point graduate, Drift Society, a Kinsale maiden winner for Tom Keating, is set to line-up in opposition representing Jack Fisher and powerful owners Burton Street.

That US outfit have enjoyed a lucrative run with pointing graduates, having landed the first graded race of the American jumps season, the Grade 3 Temple Gwathmey with Scorpiancer.

That son of Scorpion, who began his career by landing a five-year-old geldings’ maiden for Eugene O’Sullivan, has developed into one of America’s top jumps horses having scooped the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory at Belmont last season, while their Two’s Company, who ran four-times between the flags for Aidan Kennedy, was last year’s champion horse over the timber.