MANY congratulations to Sam and Sparkles Watson following the success of their Aidan Fitzgerald-trained Lessankan in the older geldings’ maiden for novice riders at the Carlow Farmers’ point-to-point at Borris House last Sunday.

Placed on each of his three previous starts this season, the German-bred bay benefitted from a change of tactics on this occasion as, instead of being held up as he had been in the past, he made most of the running under Welsh rider Sioned Whittle to score by four lengths.

The Watsons had Lessankan in training here in 2019 when, on his only start in a four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk that December, he finished seventh of 11. On his next appearance, on the racecourse in England, the 2015 Samun gelding ran in the colours of Jayne McGivern who is a well-known owner of both racehorses and eventers.

As Sparkles had retained a share in the horse, when it appeared that he had lost interest in racing, she was offered the chance to take over full ownership. Benefitting greatly from the Watsons’ approach of getting horses fit slowly, Lessankan started enjoying life again and he was the horse Sam competed at the Treo Eile show jumping challenge before Christmas last year. The comment in the programme that evening read: “Don’t be surprised if Lessankan becomes an ex-ex-racehorse – he could easily return to the track!”

Thrilled with win

“We were really delighted that he won on Sunday as it is a great testament to the way we do things here,” said Sam. “We have trainers and owners sending us horses to pre-train as they like the way we bring them on slowly, doing a lot of flat work and schooling them to get them jumping properly. Once we had our fellow ready, we handed him over to Aidan, who is a close neighbour of ours, to put the finishing touches on him.”

As one of the assistant clerks of the course at Borris House, Fitzgerald is always busy on racedays so Sam led Lessankan up on Sunday with Sparkles being accompanied as owner by the couple’s two sons, Archie and Toby, and Sam’s parents, John and Julia.

Prior to Lessankan, the Watson family’s last involvement in racing centred on John and Julia’s Katcha Kopek who was placed four times in point-to-points, finishing second in a five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden at Borris House in March 2014. The daughter of Craigsteel went on to win a bumper in England.