A to Z of the 2004 / 05 season 2nd October Ballymena – New season begins with the Mid Antrim Fixture. Derek O’Connor and Wilson Dennison team up with Ballygoe (later to be trained by Willie Mullins) for the first of their 12 winners of the season. 10th October Tinahely Only 55 runners for the day as the slow start to the Autumn season continues. 17th October Loughrea The first Ladies Open goes to Liz Doyle on Sober Performance 17th October Clonmel Super Satco under Alan Cash becomes the first Cheltenham Bumper graduate to win a maiden point to point having run behind Rhinestone Cowboy at the festival. Wickford and Cooldine Lad impress. 24th October Castletown-Geoghegan Torduff Boy wins the Open approximately 3 months after running in the Galway Plate underlining the growing trend of former top track chasers returning to run in points. 24th /25th October Templemore A two day fixture at the Golden Vales meeting –the onl yone of the Autumn proves popular while Paul Cashman trained and ridden Dev looks very impressive in the four year old maiden. 27th October Loughbrickland A double for Wilson Dennison with Ballyrafter and Ballygoe while Ichi Cavalo continues his sequence for Niall Madden. 30th October Maralin Mark O’Hare and Ian Duncan double up with See You There and Secret Progress but the pair would team up at Cheltenham for a winner in Another Rum in March 31st October Wexford Joe Burns rides his first winner aboard Oscar India the useful looking 5yo trained by Henry de Bromhead. Standin Obligation runs out at the last when clear under Robbie Moran in the second division which then goes to Super Lord. 6th November Dungourney The geldings maiden produces Conna Castle in the first division and Mister Top Notch finishes second in the second division. Both go on to win two bumpers each 13th November Maralin Although meeting not complete due to fading light a high quality card. Glasker Mill was an impressive four year old and wins his bumper subsequently. The Vicars Lady looks an above average mare, Ballyfin and Ichi Cavalo are in the process of continuing good sequences while Dunsany is about to begin a sequence in winning the maiden for Tucker Geraghty. 14th November Dromahane Back On Top and Paul Cashman take the Open and go on to win four from four in points for John Hassett and John Magnier. 28th November Boulta Back On Top takes his second Open. Top Twig & Bobbawn are both impressive under subsequent Southern Champion Damian Murphy. 5th December Longford A marathon card 12 race card just beats the light. The Wipper very impressive after a lay off in the Open and Andrew Lynch begins to assert in the Novice title with a four timer. 16th January Tinahely Joe Crowley takes the first division of the geldings maiden with Vedelle by fifteen lengths who went on to win the Point to Point bumper at the Fairyhouse Festival impressively in the colours of J P McManus 23rd January Nenagh A treble for J T McNamara and a double for J D Moore including Well Tutored who went on to win the Ladies Cup at Punchestown . 6th February Belharbour Robbie McNamara rides his first winner. A brother of last seasons champion novice Andrew and cousin of former champion John Thomas. Joacci is a first winner for John Fennessy and quicky adds to his account when trained by Martin Pipe 13th February Knockanard John Fennessy takes his first winner on Joacci who quickly goes to Martin Pipe and tastes success. Oscar Orange beats the slightly unlucky Christdalo in one of the best young mares races seen all season and for many seasons in terms of potential 20th February Tinahely Subsequent bumper winner Private Garcia is another decent sort to come from this venue. A double for Robbie Moran in the first two races as Bewleys Best and Standin Obligation win. 20th February Killaloe Charlie Lenihan takes the winners of one to begin a sequence of five straight wins for the season. Goffs’ Gareth Hassett rides his first winner aboard his own Miyajima. Other well bred winners include Dans Dealer (full brother to Native Upmanship) and Lady Transcend (half sister to Lord Transcend). 26th February Farmaclaffey Maiden winners Molostiep and Fill The Bunker catch the eye. Allthree takes the Adjacent maiden and continues a line of breeding that first won the race in 1928 for the Gillespie family. 5th March Tyrella Toran Road begins a sequence of wins by taking his maiden and begins a weekend four timer for Clare MacMahon. Supply And Fix looks assured success in the Winners race only to slow quickly close home allowing Secret progress an unlikely victory. 6th March Lemonfield Eleven races highlighted by a John Thomas McNamara on four promising sorts in The Champ, Supreme Chief, Mossbank and Kindly Oscar 13th March Cloyne The smallest field of the season when Tupgill Turbo beat Prime Witness in the Winners of two. 13th March Bruff Brendan O’Sullivan kicks in four on the trot for the unrelated trainer Eugene O’Sullivan with Arctic Times among the four. 19th March Limavady Trainer David Christie sees his string in top form with a four timer including Dimitri and Clare MacMahon the North West National over 4 miles. 19th March Punchestown The Hickeys unveil another decent young jumping prospect when the son of Carroll House Ballistraw impresses in taking his maiden under Robbie Moran. 20th March Liscarroll Adrian Maguire trains a double with veteran Killultagh Thunder in the Open and the well regarded Denman in the maiden. Paul Cashman scores in both divisions of the four year old maiden. 27th March Dundrum Four year old maiden divides with the first division won by Boulevardofdreams who is one of only two four year olds to go on and win on the track before the seasons end and the second division is won by The Entomologist who makes a world record for a four year old being sold at public auction when selling for 90,000 at the Cheltenham sale but this is quickly broken by One Cool Cookie at Doncaster 3rd April Ballynoe Christdalo wins the Gain Mares Final and qualifies for a bonus to win the p2p.ie Mares Bumper at Tipperary which she does in great style. 9th April Loughbrickland Wilson Dennison scores with two very decent looking four year olds in Ballygar and Scotsirish both under Derek O’Connor, the latter being out of Serjitak. 17th April Dromahane William O’Sullivan partners Arctic Times to another success and decides to hang up his boots after a season spanning over 20 years with 105 point to point winners and a winner of the Cheltenham Foxhunters on Lovely Citizen 24th April Summerhill The Kevin Ross trained Imperial Commander looks to be one of the four year olds of the season when romping to victory in most impressive fashion. 6th May Necarne Dermot Whelan gets stuck in traffic so Andrew Duff steps in for the ride on winning four year old Piper Hayes in the opening four year old maiden for Johnny Berry, Scarvagh Stallion Deploy scores with his first four year old runner Carryduff. 8th May Ballindenisk Tom Drinan rides his first winner on The Chucker Out in the opening novice riders maiden. 14th May Athlacca Enda Bolger and John Thomas McNamara team up for another banks success with Abrams Bridge this time. Journalist Thomas Weekes rides his first winner on his own Fisher King. Thomas Byrnes and Sam Hanson both ride their first winners also. 15th May Sligo Brian Hassett rides a five timer to keep a chance of taking the Western title but cannot further close on John Thomas McNamara as the season ends.
AUTUMN SEASON-24 MEETINGS
Slippers Madden rides his first winner at Ballingarry on Ichi Cavalo for his father
10th October Ballingarry Subsequent bumper winner Ballyagran wins the first under J T McNamara while Lord Of The Turf looks a decent Open horse winning his first. Also a first point to point winners for Slippers Madden who takes the older maiden aboard Ichi Cavalo who goes on to run up a sequence.
Hannah Kelly with a broken iron beats Derek O'Connor for her first winner
16th October Loughanmore Young Hannah Kelly (a sister in law of leading Northern Rider Brian Hamilton) rides her first winner beating Derek O’Connor in a close finish in spite of her iron breaking in the closing stages.
Conna Castle wins his maiden at Dungorney and is one of the best prospects of the season
Glasker Mill is one of several nice horses at Maralin
Back On Top was unbeaten between the flags
The Bunny Boiler won on his only outing
28th November Lingstown. Another meeting not completed due to fading light but Former Irish National winner The Bunny Boiler is most impressive in the Open. Plenty of high quality winners, Multiple and track winner Standin Obligatrion gets off the mark, dual four year old winner The Roney Man takes his maiden, Subsequent bumper winner Wolseley Lady takes the mares maiden on a quality card. 12 races were run before light became too low.
Deskelly Interiors was part of an Andrew Lynch 4 timer at Longford
Christdalo wins for the first time at Kilfeacle under Niall Kelleher
16th January Kilfeacle The mares maiden is won by the impressive Christdalo under Niall Kelleher and she would later double up for the Gain Mares Final and p2p.ie bumper bonus.Liz Doyle takes the ladies Open aboard Lord Of The Turf.
Vedelle comes home clear but not for the last time
J D Moore pushes out Well Tutored to take his maiden - the pair went on to take the Ladies Cup
Merisandre is part of a Paul Cashman four timer
6th February Tallow A Four timer for Paul Cashman which included Back On Top and two very decent looking younger horses Hear The Echo and Merisandre.
Robbie McNamara rides his first winner on Commanche Crow
Possibly the best 4yo of the season Mr Nosie
13th February Punchestown Mr Nosie is very impressive in the four year old maiden for rider/trainer Gordon Elliott. Mark Scallan rides his first winner on Tricky Ricky and is a name to be remembered. Bumper winner Pedros Brief scores but is ridden by Jamie Codd when Slippers Madden arrives too late from the races to take the ride.
Cant talk now is one of a 5 timer for Brian Hassett
13th February Clonmel Brian Hassett steals the show with a five timer-his first of two quintets for the season.
Shournagh Valley is one of 4 winners for Robbie Moran who turned professional at the end of the season
13th February Wexford A four timer for Robbie Moran includes Standin Obligation and Liz Doyle takes the ladies Open on The Wipper beating Clare MacMahon less than a length on Dimitri but MacMahon would come out on top overall.
Private Garcia is another bumper winner to come out of Tinahely
Molostiep looked good on the day at Armagh
Toran Road (left) is part of a Clare MacMahon four timer for the weekend
Industrious is one of the finds of the season
6th March The Pigeons See More Business’ half brother Industrious takes his maiden under Ciaran Murphy and goes on later at Punchestown to chase home General Montcalm in the Champion Hunter Chase.
John Thomas McNamara had a good day at Lemonfield seen above on The Champ who helped him to 4 winners
Oran Flyer benefits from the fall of Minotaur-both useful 4yo's
13th March Horse And Jockey A very decent looking 4yo maiden. Oran Flyer comes out on top after Minotaur falls at the last and Ballykiln is left in second.
Irish Raptor (far side) is a first winner for Donie Fahy
13th March Lingstown Donie Fahey partners his first winner on the Colm Murphy trained Irish Raptor who is a full brother to Frantic Tan. Willie Codd has his first ride of the season when Tenshookmen scores over the banks.
The unrelated O'Sullivan's Brendan and Eugene combine for 4 winners including Ready For Return above
David Christie had a super season including a 4 timer at Limavady
The well bred Ballistraw was the pick at Punchestown
Denman helps add to Adrian Maguires reputation as a trainer
A world record holder-One Cool Cookie
27th March Dromoland One Cool Cookie scores by a distance in the four and five year old maiden and goes on to make a new world record for a point to pointer sold at public auction when realising 175,000stg at Doncaster. Brian Hassett also scores on a half brother to Fundamentalist in Joe McHugh.
Another World record holder -The Entomologist
Christdalo wins the Gain Mares Final
Ballygar looked well above average at Loughbrickland
William O'Sullivan retires at Dromahane
Imperial Commander is one of the best 4yo's of the season
Carryduff is a winner for Northern Based Scarvagh Stallion Deploy
Tom Drinan scores his first winner on The Chucker Out
The well bred Victor Merlyn wins at Clonmel
8th May Clonmel James Carroll rides a four timer and finishes the season on the 19 winner mark. Gareth Power rides Victor Merlyn to win –a half brother to recent National winner Hedgehunter
Abrams Bridge scored over the banks at Athlacca
Altamani was one of 5 winners for Brian Hassett and a first winner for sire City honours
Ann Ferris' record will last another year after Clare MacMahon failed by 2 winners to match her
5th June Kinsale Euro Gypsy wins the mares maiden to give Patrick Moore from Cork the breeders title while Arctic Times wins the four mile open to become the only horse of the season to win six point to points.
Arctic Times makes it 6 in the fog at Kinsale
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