Woodford makes light of conditions

Trainer Martin Brassil seems to have a potentially-decent prospect on his hands in Woodford County who lit up the first session of the two-day Kinsale point-to-point meeting at Farrangalway on Saturday evening by winning a particularly-competitive renewal of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On a rain-drenched session that also saw Derek O’Connor bringing his hunt racing tally to a remarkable 800, Woodford County (5/2) made smooth progress off the pace from three out to take the lead approaching the final of the 15 obstacles. The runner-up Petie McSweetie was beaten when erring here as the previous Saturday’s Ballybunion second then forged clear to oblige by two lengths with a one and a half length gap to the third-placed Bashful Beauty.

“This horse still has a lot of developing to do and we will probably send him to the Doncaster sales in August, that’s provided that he’s not sold in the interim,” reported Brassil of his wife Deirdre’s British-bred.