The Wexford Hunt hosted the Point to Point world at their track thanks to the landowners the Robertsons and Kavanagh families at Moorfields, Ballinaboola in Co Wexford.
This facility probably now one of the best on eastern circuit always attracts a good turn out. With the racing ground no worse than good the original entry of 167 held up with 108 horses declared.
The decision taken earlier in the week to begin racing at 11am was well justified as the first two scheduled races had to be divided giving us a nine race card on the day.
The meeting was particularly well attended with a dry morning and afternoon encouraging racegoers out.
The organising committee should take a bow as they excelled themselves yet again and the standards achieved here should be replicated countrywide.
Jamie Codd the multiple Eastern Regional Champion was the star as he booted home a wonderful treble on a very competitive card. Last years champion novice rider, Harley Dunne has made a swift transition to the senior ranks with the young Wexford man riding a double on the day, a feat also a achieved by Co Waterford based Paul Power with the remaining two wins being shared in the first and last race by Northern based William Thompson and local man Edward Keating.
Codd put himself jointly at the top of the National Jockeys Championship on the 12 winner mark following the action over the weekend.
He set the ball rolling in the second division of the DBS Hennessy Sale Four Year Old Maiden when winning on Didyouno a 4 year old Kalanisi gelding for Co Kilkenny trainer Kieran Purcell. This horse crept into it on the second circuit and saw off Superior Command and One For Arthur by 5 lengths. Owned by Co Clare man Pat Clune the horses winning trainer commented " We expected that, but the ground was plenty quick enough here. It is hard to win these events. He is a good honest horse and we will go for a bumper when the ground softens a little"
Codds second winner was Pure Poteen in the second divide of the Global Reach Securities Five Year Old Maiden for Co Tipperary based Andrew Slattery. Winning his first race at his sixth attempt the Flemensfirth 5 year old owned by Dan Breen will head to the sales after this.
Over the years Jamie Codd has built up strong partnership with north Wexford based trainer Liam Kenny. This was further evidenced at the track when they teamed up to win the Cooney Furlong Winners of Two with Liberty One.The 7 year old son of Milan won his maiden at this track in January and he added to it here after getting the better of the long time leader Linnel and the fast finishing Walden. With the winning trainer Tom Redmond (of the Amber and Ashdown Hotels) in Cavan for a showjumping event Kenny stated "We will tip on with him, try another winners contest and then go Hunter Chasing" Kenny has 15 horses in training at present with 3 or 4 in the same ownership as the winner.
Arcadio who stands at Arctic Tack Stud was responsible for the winner of the third divide of the DBS sponsored Four Year Old Maiden in the shape of Orby's Man. Trained by Colin Bowe and owned by Fiona Bowe, it was Michael Goff an owner with Bowe who indicated afterwards that the horse would get to a sale in the near future. Ridden really well by Harley Dunne the horse was out the back for most of the trip but came through in a driving finish to win by half a length. The horse which was bought privately from Dick Frisby was named by Goff as Orby's Man on the suggestion of now U.S.A based jockey Sean Flanagan, only for it to transpire that it is actually Colin Bowes nickname!!!!!
Harley Dunne was seen to even greater effect on Black Lily in the Nitrofert Older Mares Maiden with the 5 year old by Quws winning in spite of herself! Dunne set a really nice pace on the mare and having been to the front all the way and clear she suddenly swerved to her left between the final two fences and surrendered the lead to Peg Polly. Dunne avoided the fencing and drove the mare back in pursuit and collared her on the run to the line to win and score his second winner of the day.
The mares winning owner/trainer, Blackwater, Co Wexford based Donal O'Brien commented afterwards in the winners enclosure"She has never done anything like that before. We will run again and hopefully go back to the track"
The Co Waterford duo of Vincent Halley and Paul Power have developed into a formidable force with a fine double being recorded on the day at the Wexford Hunt fixture. The pair opened their account with Deise Vu in the first divide of the Global Reach Securities Five Year Old Maiden. The 5 year old son of Brian Boru was given his head by Power and they made every post a winning one and won comfortably. Owned by a syndicate from the Lismore and Cappoquin area which includes the horses breeder Thomas Hannon , Halley stated " I need to talk to the owners before committing to the future for the horse" This horse had made an encouraging debut at Cregg in October behind Colin Bowe's Gold Patrol and with the victory of that horse on the track at Thurles last week it only emphasises what a good race that was.
The Halley Power duo were also responsible for the winner of the Ballywalter Farm Open Lightweight in the shape of Boxing Along. This Witness Box 9 year old owned by Laurence Halley is a former track winner and will revert to the track at Wexford for a Hunters Chase according to Halley.
Racing opened with a nice winner for Co Kilkenny trainer John Shark Hanlon with Old Storm for the locally based Sutton Williams Partnership. The winning Old Vic 4 year old gelding was ridden by William Thompson."This is a nice 4 year old" according to Hanlon who said that he would be seen next at Cheltenham at the Brightwells sale on Friday.
November 10th will be a memorable day for young Wexford man Edward Keating as he both trained and rode the last winner of the day when Subtle Ben took the Horse and Hound Inn 6 Year Old Geldings Maiden. In an eventful race Keating steered the Michael Corcoran owned and bred son of Subtle Power home by 10 lengths. Keating and Corcoran both come from Nash just outside of New Ross Co Wexford and are members of the Wexford Foxhound Hunt to make it a really local success to finish the day.
Guest Post By Dick White From Talkinhorses.ie
