WE’RE heading down to the sunny south-east for this week’s selection of past meetings and the Killinick Harriers’ spring fixture at Lingstown which, in 1977, took place on Sunday, February 10th.

There were just five races that afternoon when the 14-runner open maiden was won by the legendary Mrs C.D. (Charmian) Hill on her own Goughan Barra who saw off the only other finisher, Bert’s Bar, by a distance.

On Sunday, March 8th, 1987, the Gain mares’ maiden and the four and five-year-old open maiden were divided to give an eight-race card.

John Queally, who won the younger horses’ maiden 10 years earlier on the mare Grange Hansel, landed the first division of that race on this occasion when partnering Con O’Keeffe’s Aughavogue to a five-length victory. The second division brought up a treble for John Berry on Bert Allen’s Straw Again.

All but the open and nomination races attracted large entries and declarations on Sunday, March 9th, 1997 with the two five and six-year-old maidens having two divisions apiece while the older horses’ maiden was divided three ways.

PLENTY OF DOUBLES

There were doubles for Paul Crowley, John Berry and Eoin Gallagher, the last-named initiating his brace on the subsequent seven-time track scorer Solvang in division one of the five and six-year-old colts and geldings’ maiden.

Are races now open to entires? They are increasingly used in other equestrian sports.

Finally, to Sunday, March 25th, 2007 when Jamie Codd rode only one winner at his local meeting. There were doubles for Shane Byrne and Colin Motherway while Helen McPhillips partnered her own Tricky Ricky to land the open.

A meeting which is always popular with the horse fraternity in Co Wexford, the Killinicks run at Lingstown on Sunday next, March 12th.