AMONG the many Irish pointing graduates to score on the track recently were two bred in Co Waterford by Ben Furney out of the unraced Kotashaan mare Ballinamona Wish. The first of the pair, Paul and Clare Rooney’s Go Conquer, won the two and a half mile handicap chase at Wincanton on Sunday for the Jonjo O’Neill yard. This was a third track success for the 2009 Arcadio gelding who landed a bumper and a hurdle in 2014 when trained by Donald McCain.

Go Conquer raced twice in point-to-points as a four-year-old for Donnchadh Doyle and, while he failed to complete, ran promisingly on both occasions.

This was particularly so last time out at Dromahane in December 2013 where, having made all, he unseated Barry O’Neill at the final fence. The following month, McCain had to go to £140,000 to secure the bay at Brightwells.

On Monday, Conquer Gold brought up a quick double for Ballinamona Wish and the Rooneys, when claiming the near three-mile maiden hurdle at Hexham. Trained by Nicky Richards, the six-year-old Gold Well mare had finished second on her two previous track starts.

Conquer Gold began her career under the care of Donnchadh’s brother Sean for whom she ran three times between the flags in early 2015, filling the runner-up slot at both Ballinaboola and Oldtown before justifying even-money favouritism under Jamie Codd at Tinahely.

Ballinamona Wish, who comes from the family of Insure and Owen’s Image, also bred the point-to-point-winning 2008 Bienamado gelding Lansdowne Road and, since producing Conquer Gold, had a colt in 2014 by Morozov.

The Rooneys had another Richards-trained winner this week who began his career on the Irish point-to-point scene. Also by Gold Well, Ballyboker Breeze was under the tutelage of Liam Kenny when landing the six-year-old geldings’ maiden at Monksgrange at the end of March 2014 on his fourth and final start in hunt racing.

Bred by Olivia Byrne out of the unraced Rashar mare Ballyboker Lady (dam also of the dual point-to-point and chase winner Ballyboker Bridge), Ballyboker Breeze has never been out of the first three in seven starts in England and had previously won a maiden hurdle at Hexham in December 2014 when trained by McCain.