WITH a number of titles still on the line entering the final day of the point-to-point season, it proved to be an important few hours for many, none more so than Johnny Barry who recorded a quick-fire double to crucially earn himself a share of the southern title with Chris O’Donovan.

That all-important double was initiated abroad the Eamonn Gallagher-trained The Kids Choice (2/1 - 6/4 favourite) in the six-year-old mares’ maiden.

Having sat close to the pace throughout, this daughter of Sholokhov inched her way to the front four-out, only to be joined on the long run to the last by Neat Locality.

That recent Stradbally third travelled ominously well and looked to be laying down a winning challenge, however she was in fact never able to get past the eventual winner who gave further evidence of her tough attitude by galloping resolutely to the line to get off the mark at the fourth time of asking for Joe Roche and Gallagher’s mother Josephine.

“Good ground is the key to her,” noted Gallagher at the culmination of his best season to date. “We will keep going with her now for the summer. She a full-sister to Loosen My Load so she has a great pedigree.”

The Conna rider did not have long to wait to seal his double as he partnered the William Treacy-owned and trained Bennettshill (6/4 favourite) to score in the very next race the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Posting an exhibition of jumping from the front of the field, his swift fencing saw him taking lengths out of his rivals, before a decisive move was made on the run for the last.

This saw the eventual winner shoot into a five-length advantage over his pursuing rivals, and that proved to be too much of a gap for the chasing pack to bridge, as the son of Mahler ran out a four-length winner over American Hero.

“We made more use of him today, as we held him up in Dromahane,” Neville said. “That was a hot race the last day, the third horse [Lune De La Mer] came out of it and won in Aintree on Friday, so we thought coming here today that we would have a chance.”

Experience proved to be key for Walkingoneggshells (6/1) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, as the opening contest on the card went the way of the most experienced runner in the eight-strong line-up.

Leading from pillar to post, the Affinisea-sired bay outclassed his rivals to record a commanding success for owner-handler David O’Brien.

Having been hampered in previous outings and encountering traffic problems, Simon Cavanagh kept things simple aboard the half-brother to John Ryan’s four-time track winner Kitty Galore, and those tactics were rewarded as his mount began to leave his rivals toiling in his wake as they left the back straight.

Always travelling powerfully throughout, the winner never looked like surrendering his advantage as he went on to account for Driveondonn by four lengths.

“He’s a horse that has just been unlucky, a horse stepped in front of him the last day in Ballindenisk when he was starting to race,” O’Brien said. “The first day out we fancied him in Lingstown, and he got hampered by a loose horse for two and a half miles. He put it all together today and did what we thought he would do.”

Carter and Sutton get first taste of success

YOUNG riders were firmly to the fore across the weekend’s action with four individual riders enjoying their first career successes in the pointing fields at Ballingarry alone, with both Sophie Carter and Jack Sutton doing just that at the Tipperary venue on Sunday.

It was the Colin Bowe-trained Croi Corcra (4/1) who supplied Carter with her initial success courtesy of a devastating eight-length victory in the mares’ winners’ of three.

Having made all of the running, the six-year-old jumped particularly well as the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune was simply in a different league to her opposition.

Carter who hails from Oxford in England has been based with Bowe for four years and was duly rewarded for her patience when the Patrick Fortune-owned mare defeated Morning Star.

“Colin has been very good to me this year because I hadn’t much experience and he kept putting me up. He gave me a horse to ride for the season and he’s given me loads of experience and then I started riding five-year-olds and had my first four-year-old spin too,” Carter said.

Jack Sutton gained his first success not just as a rider but also a handler when his Lanziano (10/1 – 14/1) prevailed in the older maiden.

Based with Dermott McLoughlin and having previously ridden in a handful of bumpers, the Meath native had only had his first ride in the pointing fields earlier this season.

Kicking clear after the second last, the Last Train gelding showed a good turn of foot, and despite wandering around before last, he defeated the consistent Knockiel Synge by three and a half lengths.

“I was a bit worried about the ground as he has had a bit of leg trouble,” Sutton said. “I only brought him back point-to-pointing this season after he had a good bit of time off. I was confident enough though coming here as he has never been as well.”

Age provides no barrier to the talented Fr Humphrey

THE evergreen Fr Humphrey (2/1), who at the age of 15, proved that he still retains so much of the ability from his younger years by recording his third success this season when guided to victory in the ladies’ open by his owner-trainer Niamh Hennessy.

Adopting his traditional front-running tactics to ensure that a decent tempo was set, it proved to be yet another commanding front-running display from this revitalised son of Carlo Bank, as despite appearing to tire approaching the last, he stayed on resolutely to score by three and half lengths from Act In Time.

A return to the pointing fields next season appears to be on the horizon for him with Hennessy eyeing up potential good ground opportunities in the early autumn.

Horse to Follow

Neat Locality (J. H. Murphy): This daughter of Ask looked a winner on the long run to the final fence but never managed to the pass eventual winner The Kids Choice. She looks a sure to open her account in the autumn.