AFTER a blistering start to the season for Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe, that form has tapered off somewhat within recent weeks. That change in fortunes for the pair, coupled with an upturn of fortunes for their chief rivals Rob James and Donnchadh Doyle, ensures that unlike last year when both rider and handler titles could almost be handed out before Christmas, such had been the dominant autumn campaign that Bowe and O’Neill had enjoyed, everything is still to play for heading into 2022.

Following the completion of the 31-fixture autumn term, O’Neill has registered 21 wins; four more than his chief title rival James, a gap that is considerably smaller than the 16-winner advantage that he had in his favour at the same point last year. It has also allowed for a greater spread of winners.

Upturn

The upturn in fortunes that Pa King has enjoyed in each of the past three seasons since receiving greater backing from the likes of Sam Curling and Pat Doyle has continued throughout this autumn.

Ten winners and a strike rate of just below 30%, one that is not bettered by any other rider in the top 15, highlights how strong a season the Tipperary native has been enjoying. Having already matched last season’s tally, he looks on course for his best campaign on record, with similar comments applying to Eoin O’Brien.

Seven winners for the Cork rider sees him round out the top five nationally, two behind the 11-time champion Derek O’Connor, as he has also already matched his total from last season, with a strike rate far above anything he has enjoyed to date.

Susie Doyle tops the lady rider’s table courtesy of three winners aboard Samanntom, a division that looks particularly strong this year with 12 individual female riders having already registered at least one victory, while in the under-21 category, Dan Nevin ends the autumn one winner clear of Brian Dunleavy and the former champion Ben Harvey.

Handlers

On the handlers front, 16 winners for Colin Bowe’s Milestone Stables is three more than Wexford rival Donnchadh Doyle and that gap has reduced down from 10 at this stage last season.

Notable strike

David Christie’s notable strike rate from recent autumn campaigns has continued again. Nine winners from 22 runners, including in seven of the 25 opens run this term, leaves his strike rate once again remarkably above the 40% mark, however it is trumped by Pat Doyle who has had a phenomenal pre-Christmas campaign.

The Suirview Stables operator has saddled nine individual horses this term, six of whom have been successful, including the aforementioned three-time open victor Samanntom.

His remaining five wins were recorded in the ultra-competitive four- and five-year-old maiden division to produce a strike rate of 57%, with one of his three horses that has not managed to get their head in front, being the Tattersalls third Master Chewy, who was one of those three horses that contributed to the million-euro maiden when snapped up by former jockey Willie Twiston Davies for £300,000.

HALKA Du Tabert (86+) looks another top-drawer mare after she made a winning debut at Borris House.

Never too far away from the pace, the daughter of Balko was sent on quite early on the final circuit to maintain a strong tempo and she simply galloped her rivals into submission to win by 45 lengths in the quickest time on the card. It was notable just how much those who tried to live with her in that move paid the price in the final half mile.

Her stablemate Criquette (84+) had taken the opening divide to offer a handsome compliment to another Baltimore Stables mare in Dollar Bae who had beaten her by 33 lengths at Ballycrystal in October.

In the geldings’ equivalent, it was notable just how strongly Jet Powered (93+) hit the line in another strongly run race. Meanwhile, Er Dancer (111) undoubtedly cemented his position among the upper echelon of the season’s open performers.

Rain-softened ground at Boulta ensured stamina was at a premium and conditions did little to take away from the performance of Madmansgame (93+).

Sent on jumping the third-last fence he always looked the likely winner despite facing such a long run-in from the front when the last was omitted and he undoubtedly looks one to note. Meetingofthewaters (91+) came from off the pace to win going away in the other divide.

In the mares’ races within that age division, Missed Tee (82++) was in a league of her own from some way out, while Copperfasten (82+) just clung on having been strongly pressed in the dying strides.