MANY congratulations to former event rider Darragh Hanlon, who recorded his first point-to-point win in the concluding six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden at Castle Irvine, Necarne last Saturday afternoon.

The 20-year-old Downpatrick native, who rounded off his eventing career when third of 11 in an EI110 at Tullymurry (3) last August on William Mackie’s Irish Sport Horse mare Omaybe, rode in four home international two-star classes on Elizabeth McMillan’s skewbald gelding Marco. He first competed under Eventing Ireland rules in June 2018 at Annaharvey, where he partnered the Connemara gelding Kildromin Banjo in the EI90 (P).

Having his third ride in a point-to-point on Saturday, Darragh was on board his own French-bred gelding Myleno, who he purchased at the start of the year from Warren Ewing. On their first start together, the sixth for the Martaline gelding, they fell four out at Portrush before reappearing two weeks later to finish fourth at Tattersalls. Myleno was a fourth winner from four runners over the weekend for his Downpatrick trainer Paddy Turley, with whom Hanlon now works full-time.

“I always liked racing, but never rode out or anything like that,” said Darragh, a former active member of the East Down Branch of The Pony Club. “I loved eventing, it was good fun and more available to me than other equestrian disciplines, but, once I got on a racehorse, I decided to give up eventing, started watching my weight and began working with Paddy.”