Image © Healy Racing
A second winner of the weekend was enough to secure Brian Lawless his milestone 100th point-to-point success.
A second winner of the weekend was enough to secure Brian Lawless his milestone 100th point-to-point success.
Among the winners at Farmacaffley on Saturday, when combining with Donnchadh Doyle’s Blue Rebel to land the four-year-old maiden, and with it move onto 99 winners in the sphere, the Wicklow native did not have long to wait to register his personal milestone victory.
That came aboard his own Ballycrystal Boy in a division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Borris House 24 hours later.
The Crystal Ocean gelding, who he paid €42,000 to secure at last year’s Derby Sale, was well-backed ahead of his debut, and he justified his favourite’s tag by defeating Cian Collins’ Local Resident by two lengths.
The win also continues a fine start to the 2026 four-year-old season with the team of four-year-olds that he trains out of Ballycrystal Stables in Wexford.
He had already saddled and ridden County Prospect to win the Punchestown four-year-old maiden and Jessber’s Jury in the corresponding race at Nenagh last month.
Lawless has successfully combined both roles this season, with Lola De Magny his first winner in that role at Ballycrystal in December.
Prior to that, the 26-year-old was better known for his exploits in the saddle, initially riding for his father Ger on horses owned by himself and his brother Seán.
Moira 2017 was a day to remember as Lawless partnered his first winner between the flags aboard Delgany Lass trained by his father Gerard Lawless.
Lawless has since progressed and struck up a very successful relationship with Matty Flynn O’Connor who has provided him 30 winners. The pair now share the yard at Ballycrystal stables.
Lawless has had plenty of success and shared the Under-21 title with Ben Harvery in 2020.
His best season to date was in the 2021-22 season where he partnered 22 winners.
Lawless has been associated with some smart prospects, which have included Deeply Superficial who realised £385,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December sale after winning at Lingstown and Stay Away Fay who was sold to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for £305,000 after winning his maiden at Lingstown also.
