in the

At the startI wa so nly havinga bitof craic withthe breeding,but mgettinginto etterpedigree with winning maresandtryingto improveallthetime.

“I hadnowinnersfor along timeandnowthat’s sevenI’ve hadinthe last18months with Eoin.

“I will keep Ma Hoey,then

Reigningchampionpoint-topointmareLaFeline wasa notable absentee fromlast weekend’s thirdmares’openof the season atBallyvodockand herhandler, SamCurling, reported that theeight-yearold ha dsuffered as ma ll setbackwhenfinishingsecond at Aghabulloguelastmonth.

TheFrench-bred hasbeen theleadingplayerinthe mares’ opendivisionintheopening monthsofthe season,dominatingraces at Lisronaghand Corbeagh Houseinthe autumn eithersideof beatinggeldings inopencompanyatBoulta.

“Shegot abadcutinAghabulloguewhich hasheldusup,” Curlingsaid. “She rode outon Monday morning forthefirst timesinceandsheshould hopefully be backforthe beginningofMarchandthe mares’ openin Ballycahane [on March5].”

Despiteher absencethe mares’ openatBallyvodock stillproducedahealthyfield of eigh t. Ul tim at ely,it was Getawayrooney,who had contestedtheCorbeaghHouse and Lisronaghraces wonbyLa Felineinthe autumn onher re tu rnfrom at wo -year absence,who stepped upto recapture thepromiseshe showed in2020to winon Sundayforthe JasonO’Reilly stable.

Hallof FamerFlood gets standingovation

William Flood wasinducted intotheITBAHallof Fame at theirannual nationalbreeding and racingawardsstagedin the Heritage HotelinLaois on Saturdayevening.

Bestknownforhisfamily’s Boardsmill Studin County Meath, Floodhas alongassociation with point-to-pointing throughhiscontributiontothe INHS Cand IHRB ,andis chairmanoftheINHSC’s point-to-pointcommittee.

Therewas astandingovation fromthe300-strongattendees ashe waspresented withhis awardbyITBAchairperson CathyGrassickand the Minister forAgriculture, Food andthe Marine,Charlie McConologue.