OConnor ends 11-year wait for 12th national title

 

The Galweigan entered the final weekend of the season with a six-winner advantage, and that was extended with O’Connor on the mark on both day’s of the two-day fixture at Ballingarry, winning the five-year-old gelding’s maiden aboard Back To Sea on Saturday.

 

That was followed 24 hours later by an important victory for Time In A Bottle in the mares’ winners-of-three, as her four length victory saw Sam Curling break Robert Tyner’s 17-year record for the greatest number of winners by a handler in a single season.

 

The sport’s winning-most rider, having brought his career tally to 1,416 courtesy of his 45 winners this season, may not feature as frequently in the saddle as was the previously the case, having contested over 390 races in both the 2007/08 and 2010/11 seasons, as more recently it has been a case of quality over quantity.

 

Although the incentive of a twelfth national title has seen him in action more regularly of late, with his 134 rides this season, his most since he rode in 177 races throughout the 2018/19 season.

 

A four-timer at Tallow in February is among the highlights of the season, a campaign where he also rode a treble at Stowlin in May, and became the first rider to break the 1,400-winner milestone in the pointing sphere when Holshot was victorious at Ballyknock in April.

 

That was one of 24 winners that O’Connor won for Sam Curling, with the Tipperary handler proving to be a real boost to his title hopes, as he has foiled Barry O’Neill’s attempt to match his own record of winning ten consecutive national titles.

 

2004 – 59 wins

2005 – 63 wins

2006 – 63 wins

2007 – 75 wins

2008 – 94 wins

2009 – 113 wins (all-time record)

2010 – 101 wins

2011 – 110 wins

2012 – 70 wins

2013 – 70 wins

2015 – 90 wins

2026 – 45 wins

This latest national title has certain come as a surprise to O'Connor.
 

"It's incredible really, never at the start of the season was it in my wildest dreams," he said.

"I think Sam Curling’s dominance this year has really made a big difference. He set off this year with a clear target; his work rate is incredible, and his staff around him, the work they have put in is incredible. The horses stayed healthy and consistent the whole year, so it is Sam I have to thank really.

"There's other factors, also my own family, my own horse’s, John Staunton, there has been a lot of people and horses that have just came together to make it a great season."

Despite holding the upperhand over the last number of weeks, it was only on that final weekend of the season did O'Connor let himself believe that he would be crowned champion. 

"Yes there was one particular point, yesterday when Barry O'Neill shook my hand and said I’m done. That’s the only time.

"You have no idea of the calibre of respect I have for Barry, he’s an incredible man, and until there wasn’t enough races for him to ride in I was satisfied.

"He’s an incredible rider that rides to a high level every day of the week, and when your up against that level of talent you cant take anything for granted."

It has proven to be a bumper haul of titles for O’Connor, as having wrapped up a record extending fifteenth western region crown at Loughrea a week earlier, he added the senior and southern titles to his haul in another memorable campaign.

 

25 winners in the southern region, sees him lift that title for an eleventh time, and his first since 2019, as he finished nine winners in front of John Barry, with Jamie Scallan and Darragh Allen, two former champions in the region, back in third.