LAST Sunday marked the first of what is scheduled to be six visits to Dromahane this season, and the return of the busiest course on the circuit provided Mikey O’Connor, a stalwart of the point-to-point sphere, with his first success of the season.

The five-length victory of Notice To Close had particular significance as it ensured that O’Connor has now ridden a winner in no fewer than 20 individual seasons to highlight a remarkable longevity which was kick-started with a first success aboard Glitter Girl at Kilworth in 1999.

Flash forward 23 years and the Charleville rider’s tally of winners now stands at the lofty figure of 408, having become just the seventh rider to win 400 races in the pointing sphere at Grennan last year.

His eight winners since have already seen him surpass Willie Rooney’s career total of 401 winners and fifth spot on the all-time winner’s list is undoubtedly now in his sights as he closes in on Enda Bolger’s tally of 413 winners.

These successes do leave him as the winning-most rider in the sport’s history that has not had the fortune of being crowned champion rider, a title that would surely have gone his way had it not been for the misfortune of competing in the era of Derek O’Connor and Jamie Codd.

However, in winning three southern titles in 2008, 2009 and 2013 he did pull off what could have been viewed as the near-impossible feat of denying Derek O’Connor what would have been 10 consecutive titles in the region, with the pair enjoying a number of memorable title battles over the years.

But it is this longevity which has to be most admired. Like the now-retired Mark O’Hare, O’Connor can also lay claim to having ridden point-to-point winners in four different decades and this a testament to his zeal for the sport which still seems to burn strongly as he continues his quest for further success.