DOWN farrier, Mark O’Hare secured himself the northern point-to point championship on Saturday at Necarne when he took the Wright Concrete six-year-old geldings’ maiden race aboard the Jerry Cosgrave-trained Champione. Although the Northern Region still has another meeting to go (Maralin today) it is mathematically impossible for anyone to catch O’Hare as he currently has ridden 24 winners with his nearest pursuer, Barry O’Neill on 13.

O’Hare had Champione (6/4-5/4 favourite) prominent throughout.

A good jump at the last when disputing the lead with the eventual second, Is This It, allowed him to run on strongly to cross the line eight lengths clear. The winning son of Tikkanen had made his point debut at Tyrella in early March when finishing fourth but the change in the ground here was the key to the former track recruit.

Winning handler Jerry Cosgrave was not present to see the winner but O’Hare represented him: “I think he will now be offered for sale, he will make a super summer jumper.’’

Barry O’Neill had possibly one of the easiest rides of the season in the Robert Donaldson Le Graphics adjacent hunt race when he partnered the David Christie-trained Maple Mons in a three-horse race. The daughter of Great Exhibition was sent off the 1/4 favourite, as her two rivals Folduf and Notnowlove had shown little form this season.

Maple Mons was sent to the front from flag fall under O’Neill and was never headed, the advantage she held at the last was reduced but she was never in danger.

The winning handler commented: “She is one of the best pointing mares around. She idled in front when the runner-up got close but then ran right up to the top of the hill after the line before Barry could get her pulled up.

“I think she would deserve to be champion mare and I will consider running her in a decent open to gain a high rating before the end of the season.’’

The opening Dennison’s Commercials Ltd four-year-old maiden race saw Jamie Codd, who is currently heading The Irish Field Riders Championship, score with Drovers Lane (3-2/1).

Codd teamed up with handler Denis Murphy and owner Pat Coffey to record their second four-year-old winner in a week as Lough Derg Spirit had taken the four-year-old race in Athlacca the previous Saturday.

The son of Oscar raced in third for most, only being asked for an effort by Codd at the second last when he effortlessly hit the front. The result was only a formality after as he quickly drew clear to win by eight lengths from Back To The Thatch.

Murphy commented: “He was very badly hampered at Inch on his first start but was still was only beaten five lengths. There was plenty of form in the race today, he drew well clear and really is a lovely horse. He goes to the Cheltenham sale now.’’

Drovers Lane is out of Minnie Turbo, a chesnut mare who won three times under rules, a bumper on her debut and two hurdle races when trained by Thomas Cooper.

Wexford jockey Codd was on the score board again when he took the concluding Killyhevlin Hotel older geldings’ maiden. This time it was for handler Caroline McCaldin with the James Killen owned The Trigger (2-3/1). The son of Beneficial was purchased as a foal by his current owner from the Tattersalls Ireland November Sale for €3,000.

The Trigger was always close up under Codd who then sent him to the front at the second last; he kept on well under a drive crossing the line four lengths clear of Sarsfields Legend with a further eight lengths back to the favourite The Brandy Man (5/4-6/4).

McCaldin is a daughter of Wilson Dennison and is currently in the process of doing her trainers’ course at RACE.

Anseanchai Cliste looks like he may have done enough to secure the leading point-to-point horse award when he took the Western Cars Enniskillen open race. The son of Bach was sent off the 4/6 favourite and recorded his sixth straight open success of the season.

Ciaran Fennessy replaced the eight-year-old’s owner and regular rider Michael McConville as McConville is due to get married and was away organising for the big day.

The connection between the McConvilles and Fennessy may appear to be a little obscure but in fact is quite simple. The McConville-trained horses are ridden out with Ronan McNally who is friendly with Fennessy following the purchase of McNally’s stable star See Double You from Fennessy, who then suggested the Cork based rider as a replacement.

The winning handler and father of the owner stated: “I hope he has done enough now to secure the champion pointer award, but we might consider running him in the four-mile open race in Kinsale, especially if Ciaran (Fennessy) needed it to secure the southern title.”

The ITBA (Northern Region) mares’ winners of three race saw only two runners face the starter. This match between two regular rivals, Kinnacally (4/6-1/2 favourite) and The Sophster ended the same way it had the previous three times the pair met with the favourite, Kinnacally coming out on top by four lengths, which was the same distance between the pair in Largy.

The eight-year-old daughter of Old Vic is trained in Co Antrim by former amateur rider Paul McAleese and is owned by William Logan who purchased the mare at the Tattersalls Ireland August Sale in 2011 for €5,000 and plans to retain the mare for breeding.

McAleese commented: “She has been a good mare for me to train, she has now won four races. But we have decided to retire her as William wants to get her covered.’’

O’Neill records

50th winner

BARRY O’Neill recorded his 50th winner of the season at Necarne on Saturday, only his second time to hit that score. By Sunday he had beaten his best previous total (52) and is now only four winners behind Jamie Codd. O’Neill ended the weekend on a career total of 350 point winners which has him in eighth place in the ultimate riders’ list.