The 1990 season opened at Lisgoold where Willie O’Neill’s Inch Lady took the opener under Tom Lombard who scored a double as did Tony Martin as the season began with an eight race card.
A four-timer at Patrickswell helped Enda Bolger towards a share of the overall title which was shared three ways. Green Bay, Ah Whist, Whos In Charge and A Day Late provided the four winners.
At Slanemore John Berry scored a double which helped him in his bid for a share of the title and Ballymorris Boy and Celtic Harry provided the brace.
At Ballone Francis Flood won the mares’ maiden on Index Lady for Mrs N Connolly. Goffs Bloodstock agent Ger Hogan got off the mark with Mexican Reef at Dungarvan for Mrs R Drummy.
First Winners
Adrian Maguire rode his first point’s winner on Equinooctial for Mrs C Mulvihill at Askeaton. Adrian enjoyed a very successful career in the saddle when he turned professional which includes a win on Cool Ground in the 1992 Cheltenham Gold Cup as well as victories on Viking Flagship in the 1994 Queen Mother Champion Chase and Omerta in the 1991 Irish Grand National to name just a few.
Paul Carberry rode his first point-to-point winner at Glencairn on Joseph Knibb who later unseated him from the saddle in the Foxhunters chase at Aintree the same season before he took to flat racing for a while.
A treble at The Pigeons kick started Paddy Graffin towards his share of the title aboard Creggyconnell, Ath Trasna and Royal Gleason. There was controversy during the beginning of the season as the Turf Club did not allow four-year-olds to run until March restricting opportunities for young horses and shortening the season.
Discs and Fence stewards at each fence were introduced at point-to-points but were not yet the practice of bypassing fences when a rider was down.
First International Open
Kinsale staged the first international Open allowing UK runners to compete in Irish point-to-points. Nuaffe won a maiden at Tipperary and went on to win seven races for Pat Fahy including the Thyestes and the Troytown chase.
Robert Alner rode a winner at Banntown in Wexford on Arctic Swan for H Rothwell. Robert went on to have a very successful training career in which he trained Cool Dawn to win the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup as well as the former Grade One winner The Listener before retiring from training in 2010.
Jane Patton won the members race at Loughanmore on her father Billys Rare Lad. Philip Dempsey enjoyed a treble at Summerhill which included a win aboard Gallaher for C S Bird who was winning his fourth point-to-point on the trot.
At Punchestown Ah Whist won the Champion Hunters Chase by 20l from Rawyards Brig. The eleven-year-old won his maximum four point-to-points during the 1990 season. Padge Berry’s Battle Run won four from four starts also while Ballinacurra Lad did it from eight starts.
Disqualification
At Ballingarry Andrew Younghusband came home alone on Bay Wizard but was later disqualified for not having a valid Hunter Certificate and the race was declared void.
Ballymurphy Boy winning at Dromahane brought Paddy Graffin alongside John Berry and Enda Bolger on the 28 winner mark.
Fourteen-year-old Wheels ran in five point-to-points and was placed four times but was disqualified from all placings as he was not qualified to hold a hunter certificate.
Nicky Dee stepped one side with 11 winners while Frankie Fitzsimmons retired with his final winner also.
On day one at Kinsale Susan Finn moved onto the three winner mark but on the following day and the final day of the season Michelle Holohan leveled the score on three winners apiece when Blondes Have Fun won by a head.
AWARDS VENUE: Clare Inn Ennis
CHAMPION RIDER: E.Bolger 28 winners each
J.A.Berry
P.F.Graffin
CHAMPION LADY: Suzanne Finn
Michelle Holohan
CHAMPION NOVICE(7lb claimers): I.Buchanan
ULSTER CHAMPION: P.F.Graffin
MUNSTER CHAMPION: E.Bolger
LEINSTER CHAMPION: J.A.Berry
CONNAUGHT CHAMPION: G.Mulcaire
HORSE OF THE YEAR: No award until 1993
CHAMPION SENIOR(OVER 33): I.Buchanan
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: Nicky Dee
LEADING SIRE Deep Run
RIDERS TABLE
28 J.A.Berry, E.Bolger, P.F.Graffin
19 P.Fenton, P.M.Kelly,
14 I.Buchanan, D.P.Costello, T.Lombard
13 J.A.Flynn
12 T.S.Costello, M.Phillips
11 N.Dee
10 L.Lennon, A.J.Martin
9 J.P.Dempsey, A.Maguire, J.O’Callaghan
8 M.F.Barrett
6 J.Lombard, D.M.O’Brien, T.O’Callaghan
5 J.P.Banahan, A.D.Evans, D.P.Geoghan, D.G.Murphy, G.Mulcaire
4 T.Doyle, R.Hurley, N.C.Kelleher, A.Lee, G.Martin, M.McNulty, R.J.Patton
3 R.Arthur, M.Brassil, C.P.Dunne, Susan Finn, F.Flood, W.J.Gleeson, B.R.Hamilton, J.C.Hassett, Michelle Holohan, T.Horgan, M.Kelleher, R.Kehoe, P.Larkin
2 P.Bohan, J.Butler, Carmel Connaughton, A.Daly, P.J.Doyle, J.P.Durkan, W.Ewing, J.F.Gleeson, G.Hogan, J.P.Kavanagh, P.G.Kelly, C.McBratney, P.J.Millington, J.Molony, S.Mulcaire, A.P.O’Brien, R.P.O’Keeffe, J.F.Sleator, S.Slevin, F.Twomey, R.Tyner, G.J.Verling, A.Younghusband.
P.Ahearne, R.Alner, S.R.Andrews, J.G.Bates, J.R.Banahan, J.Baragry, M.J.Barry, J.P.Berry, J.Bright, G.Burke, T.Busteed, P.Carberry, T.M.Casey, W.Cash, D.Christie, B.Clifford, D.T.Conroy, A.G.Costello, P.J.Crowley, P.W.Dawson, Lillian Doyle, M.Duke, P.A.Dunphy, Dara Egan, G.Fitzgerald, F.Fitzimons, A.Hambly, Eileen Hyndmann, M.Jones, P.D.Kelly, L.Keogh, C.Kinane, J.J.Lambe, P.Lambert, C.Leavy, T.Leonard, P.Lordan, G.T.Lynch, Jacqueline McCullagh, O.McDonnell, Caroline Meneely, T.Moore, D.J.Murphy, D.P.Murphy, M.A.Murphy, J.A.Nash, D.J.Nolan, K.O’Brien, Miss M Olivefalk, W.O’Sullivan, Jayne Patton, J.A.Quinn, P.A.Roche, S.Smyth, C.Stafford, H.Taylor, K.Tully, D.Valentine, J.P.Walsh
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