THERE were five Irish-bred winners on the six-race card at the Point-to-Point Owners and Riders’ Club meeting at Barbury Racecourse last Sunday, two of whom were ridden by Sam Jukes.

The Joseph O’Shea-trained Lilbitluso was sent off favourite for the 19-runner mixed open but the market leader had to settle for second behind Iberico who Jukes also trains for Clive Bennett. The 11-year-old King’s Theatre gelding, who was bred in Co Wexford by the Doran family out of a Celtic Cone own-sister to Celtic Shot, was landing this race for the second successive season.

Iberico, who now has 11 point-to-point wins, claimed a maiden at Lisronagh in May 2012 when trained by the late Padge Berry.

Juke also wore the Bennett colours when bringing up his double in the 10-runner intermediate but this time the winner, Chasforgold, was trained by Emma Alvis. The successful Gold Well eight-year-old, who was recording his third victory between the flags, is out of the Synefos mare Chasann.

FIRST WIN

Having saddled a double on the opening day of the season seven days earlier, Welsh owner/trainer David Brace had the pleasure of giving his 16-year-old grandson Connor his first win on just his second ride. The combination landed the opening club members novice riders’ race with the 4/6 favourite William Money, a 10-year-old Cloudings gelding who was previously trained here by Colin Bowe.

The multiple and reigning men’s champion rider, Will Biddick, had a disappointing day. This was particularly so in the club members’ conditions race for eight-year-olds and upwards who hadn’t won for two years where his mount, the odds-on Rendezvous Peak, went down by 12 lengths to Sentimentaljourney.

The Solly Wood-partnered winner, who was once trained by Jonjo O’Neill for J.P. McManus, is a 10-year-old by Portrait Gallery out of the Roselier mare Hazy Rose.

There was another upset in the concluding club members’ maiden for four, five and six-year-olds over two and a half miles where the four-year-old Scorpion gelding The Sting fell at the last leaving the race at the mercy of the longtime leader, Lily’s Got Wings (Jack Andrews).

Sent off a 33/1 shot on her British debut, the five-year-old Winged Love mare ran three times here last spring when trained by Neil McKnight for his father Norman. Ridden by Johnny Creswell, she pulled-up at Oldtown and Portrush but finished fifth at Tyrella. Lily’s Got Wings was bred by former amateur rider Chris Cosgrove out of the Carroll House mare Jenna Marie.