Horse Week: Rescheduled Loughanmore point-to-point proves a big success

The only disappointment, however, was with 50 entered in the four-year-old geldings maiden, only eight went to the start, but handlers had several other fixtures vying for runners on the day due to the backlog caused by the recent weather.

The Donnchadh Doyle trained Keops Des Bordes ran out the impressive winner of the race.

The winner was always to the fore and gave an excellent display of jumping with James Walsh aboard scoring easily by an extending five lengths.

Dromara trainer Caroline McCaldin goes from strength to strength and sent out Ballyphilip to complete winning four in a row in the three-winner contest.

The progressive six-year-old ran second throughout until heading the long-time leader Bold Fury before the last and going clear to score and eased down in the closing stages.

Ballyphilip is owned by leading owner Wilson Dennison who supplies the venue and is the major supporter of local point-to-points.

The Denis Murphy trained Lets Mingle prevailed in a battle to the line in the opening young mares maiden to deny the locally trained Lyle View with other local runners third and fourth.

Big Boy Barney won the Red Mills Maiden in a game manner, having improved from mid-division to hit the front after the last and kept on well late to score with rider Declan Lavery seen to excellent advantage from the market leader Ballybow.

Cherry Brave, trained at Draperstown by Noel Kelly, built on her promising debut effort at Kirkistown having finished runner-up when scoring with Oran McGill in the saddle.

The winner is owned by former trainer Lindsay Woods, a very familiar figure on the local racing and point-to-point scene.

Venue supplier Wilson Dennison completed a double when Cresthill landed the finale for older horses and making all under multiple All Ireland Champion rider Derek O’Connor – winner providing riding rider Cormac Abernethy with his first success as a handler.

A sign of current times is that five of the six winners are now set to be sold.

The team at the track worked until after 7pm realigning the course and moving fences with another fixture scheduled for next weekend.

Loughanmore point to point results

First Race

1st Lets Mingle (William Hendrick) 5/1

2nd Lyle View

3rd Camlin

8 ran ¾ - 7

Second Race

1st Keops des Bordes (James Walsh) 5/1

2nd Fortune De Mer

3rd Ballyedward

11 ran 5 – 11/2

Third Race

1st Big Boy Barney (Declan Lavery) 8/1

2nd Ballybow

3rd Drumnasoo

11 ran 1 – head

Fourth Race

1st Cherry Brace (Oran McGill) 5/4 fav

2nd Townhill Lass

3rd Penthouse Coole

8 ran 4 – 91/2

Fifth Race

1st Ballyphilip (Noel McParlan) 6/4 fav

2nd Bold Fury

3rd Voleur De Terres

5 ran 5 – 2

Sixth Race

1st Cresthill (Derek O’Connor) 5/2 fav

2nd Wholly Boley

3rd Largy Ask

9 ran 1 – 11/2