Milestone for Barry ONeill

The reigning champion rider Barry O’Neill reached another milestone in his illustrious career when riding his 700th point-to-point winner aboard Some Man at Ballindenisk for handler David Christie.

The 33-year-old started the season off with a bang riding a double and a treble on the opening weekend of the season at Oldcastle and Monksgrange respectively.

O’Neill has continued his dominance this season, riding 13 doubles and 3 trebles and retaining his leading rider award for the sixth successive year.

His wins this season also included the Goffs Punchestown Sales topper Jenny Wyse who realised €360,000 after running out a 20 length winner of her maiden at Monksgrange for handler Colin Bowe.

Colin Bowe has unsurprisingly been his biggest supporter this year providing him 32 of his 55 winners so far this season, David Christie has also being a big supporter of the Wexford native both in Irish Point-to-Points and on the track.

It was 15 years after his maiden point-to-point victory aboard Viking Rebel in March 2007, ensures that O’Neill becomes just the third rider in the history of Irish point-to-point racing to reach the 700-winner milestone.
 
With the success, he joins three of the sport’s greats – Derek O’Connor, Jamie Codd in doing so, continues to write his place in the sport’s history.