Course changes work out well

AUTUMN sunshine greeted racegoers at the Killinicks’ meeting in Lingstown where, in comparison to last year’s nine-race card, there were just the six advertised races with 17 going to post for the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Slight changes were made to both the regular and cross-country tracks and the decision to move the ‘fourth last’ fence on the main course because of the soft to heavy going paid dividends with fewer fallers.

The large crowd which, as usual, contained lots of racing and hunting mad Wexford children.

Stylish turn out from Jordan yard

DIFFERENT firms sponsored the turn-out awards which were judged by locally-based breeder Philip Hore and Anita Kent.

The pair were impressed by the efforts of those working in Brian Jordan’s yard as two of the horses he saddled were selected as winners.

One of these was Roadie Joe who, somewhat fortuitously it must be said, won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden under Benny Walsh.

Last Thursday, the Jordan-trained Annamatopoeia landed the mares’ maiden hurdle at Thurles. The Luso bay was also partnered by Walsh when claiming the winners’ race at this Killinick Harriers’ meeting last season.

O’Sullivans have mixed fortunes

IT was a mixed day at Lingstown for the O’Sullivan siblings.

Maxine, the reigning champion lady rider, narrowly landed the open over the banks course on her father Eugene’s home-bred Cork Citizen but the best brother Eoin could do was finish fourth on newcomer Longueville Flier in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

O’Sullivan put up 5lb overweight on his father’s Definite Article bay and faces three days on the sidelines having been suspended for “attempting to weigh out for this race with a body protector of a pattern which is not approved by the Stewards of the INHS Committee.”

Elembridge takes local honours

WHILE Cork Citizen had some supporters following his victory in the banks’ race, there were far more people lined up to be photographed with Elembridge King who finished third under Mark Scallan.

Trained by John Martin Walsh for Sean Connick, the Insatiable nine-year-old was the first Killinick Harriers-qualified horse home and so connections received the the Stag Hunt Cup (which was presented in memory of Hope Furney, secretary of the hunt for 50 years) and will also receive the €300 put up by the Killinicks as an incentive for local horses to run over the banks’ course.

Slevin back among the winners

IN landing the winners of two on Ash Rowe, rider Mark Slevin was notching up his first victory between the flags since the 2011/12 season

Mark has missed much of the action in recent years as he was studying veterinary medicine at the University of Liverpool but, now qualified, is back living in Co Wexford.

He is working with Bunclody vet Diarmuid O’Sullivan who has time to ride three or four lots for his father Shay each morning.

Dora has a racing date

BASED in Duncormick, the Redbridge Stables of Michael and Ashleigh Murphy is well-known as home to point-to-pointers, thoroughbred stores, hunters and sport horses and now added to the mix is a pony foal.

The little filly Dora, who was a present from Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell, is much loved by the Murphys’ son Ben who celebrates his first birthday next week.

We can expect to see the pony on the lorry soon as Ben hates leaving her behind to go racing.