THE United Branch of the Irish Pony Club were quick to congratulate former member Jack Collins following his first point-to-point win at Carrigarostig last Sunday.

The 17-year-old Rathcormac native, who was best known on the IPC Minimus/Tetrathlon circuit, only began riding in point-to-points at the start of the 2024/2025 season and was having just his 14th mount between the flags when making the breakthrough at the Killeagh Harriers’ meeting. He has also ridden in four bumpers and in a hunters’ chase on the track.

This is probably the last time that we’ll mention Kevin Healy in this column as the former Westmeath Branch member has now ridden a winner on the flat, three in point-to-points and, following the maiden hunters’ chase at Clonmel on Wednesday week last, one over fences on the track.

All four wins over jumps have come on Milan Forth, a six-year-old Milan gelding owned by the amateur jockey’s grandfather Patrick Whyte who, we were told previously, “is related to all the Longford Whytes”.

Patrick would love to see the bay, and Kevin, contest the hunters’ chase over the National fences at Aintree in early April.

When we last spoke to Kevin, following his first success between the flags at Umma House in October, he told us that Kilbunny Kabana, on whom he won the senior individual and pairs’ titles at the Mackey Equestrian/IPC national hunter trials championships at Hillcrest in September, was on the market as he was moving full time into racing.