The above video is footage from The Pigeons Point to Point in 1996.
Francis Kiernan won the first race on the card, the Hunt race aboard Cappajune.Francis’ wife is Ita Kiernan who is currently the secretary for the Westmeath Hunt.
Result
1st Cappajune (F Kiernan)
2nd Cloughan Boy (P J Gilligan)
3rd Mordella Lass (G Elliott)
Gordon Elliott recorded a double on the day, his first winner of the day came aboard Baby Whale when winning the 4 & 5 geldings maiden.Elliott then won the concluding race on the card the six year old and upwards maidenaboard Murcheen Durken.
Result
Division 1 Mares Maiden
1st Baby Whale (GElliott)
2nd Geneva Steel (A JCostello)
3rd Rathcarrick Lass (R Pugh)
Note: Keep an eye out for Paul Gilligan’s fall the second last.
Six Year & Upwards Maiden
1st Murcheen Durken (G Elliott)
2nd Coshla Expresso (D P Costello)
3rd Tassagh Boy (B Cash)
Division 2 of the Mares Maiden was won by Slavica in the hands of J P Shaw.
Result
1st Slavica (J P Shaw)
2nd Ballybricken Castle (D Duggan)
3rd Handsome Maid (P J Kelly)
Timmy Hyde was also on the score sheet when winning the Open aboard Frazer Island.
Result
1st Frazer Island (T P Hyde)
2nd Voldi (J S Vance)
3rd Talk To You Later (R J Barnwell)
Former Irish Pointers posted a big performance under Paul Carberry in winning the Welsh Grand National. A Nenagh maiden winner on his debut he was trained by Colin Bowe to win his maiden although many may wonder why the Monbeg name which is associated with the Doyle brothers is attached to this horse. He was owned by Eamon Doyle and at that time Donnchadh Doyle was working with Bowe so both team Doyle and team Bowe can take real credit for producing this youngster who has gone on to win a Coral Welsh National.
Florida pearl, one of the most high profile horses to have begun his career in Irish points died on Saturday 5th May at the age of 20.
The son of Florida Son began his career by landing a Lismore 4yo maiden under Tony Costello in 1996. He went on to win 16 times under rules including 4 victories in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown. He amassed over £800,000 in prize money and was retired in 2004.
He has spent his retirement at the Irish National Stud who revealed recently that the star chaser had been put down.
The Stud released a statement which is included below:-
We are saddened to inform you that on the evening of May 5th 2012 a decision was made on veterinary advice to euthanize Florida Pearl.
The twenty-year-old gelding, in residence at the Irish National Stud for five years, was diagnosed with a condition known as haemangisarcoma, a word deriving from "malignant cancer of the blood vessels". It is a rare condition which swiftly affects many organs once it spreads from its primary focus - in this case it originated in the spleen.
Florida Pearl was a firm favourite among visitors to the INS and earned his retirement after a career which contained Grade 1 wins in seven seasons. One of the greatest steeplechasers we have seen, his speed was also obvious in his Cheltenham Championship bumper success.
Out thanks and sympathies go to the O'Leary family and the Mullins family who have many memories to treasure.
