Winged Leader add to career tally at Tattersalls

Image © Healy Racing

Winged Leader moved a step closer to writing a new chapter in point-to-point history when he brought his career tally of wins within the point-to-point sphere to 31 with victory in the D G McArdle International open at Tattersalls on Sunday.

The 11-year-old was sent off as the odds-on favourite for this thirteenth start of the campaign, and having had to settle for the runners-up spot at Loughbrickland a fortnight earlier, he was swiftly sent to the front by regular rider Barry O’Neill.

The former Grade 3 winner Go Another One tried to live up with him for much of the journey, but that 13-year-old was brushed aside from the fifth-last fence, from where there was only going to be one outcome.

With his proud owners, John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane, in attendance to watch the history-chasing son of Winged Love, he attached the penultimate fence to extend his advantage over Ellen Doyle’s Francois before a flying leap at the final fence sealed victory.

At the line, David Christie’s charge had 12 lengths to spare over Francois, with the four finishers well strung out, and covered by 54 lengths, as O’Neill struggled to pull up his mount.

The victory leaves Winged Leader in second on the all-time leaderboard, as he has now moved one winner clear of P P Hogan’s Under Way, with the all-time record holder Still William now just wins away.

“Relief, every race is relief now,” Christie said. “He looks very well after it all the same.”

“It was nice that his owners could be here today to see him today. The early part of the year was spent running deep, down south and it was too far to travel.

“This horse is such a big thing for them, he is a horse of a lifetime for us all. I will never train a horse like him again.

“If the ground came up heavy you wouldn’t worry about him, and if it came Good like this, he just travels away and jumped super on it.”

Wins   Horse - Hander                
33       Still William - (J Bryce Smyth)
31       Winged Leader - (D M Christie)
30       Under Way - (P P Hogan)
29       Corryvreckan - (J A (Gus) O'Brien)
29       Ah Whisht - (P P Hogan)
28       Arctic Times - (E M O'Sullivan)