This article is from page 59 of the 2009-01-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 59 JPG
THE racing season is once more coming under the spell of Tubber jockey Derek O’Connor. His latest feats on the saddle came over Christ- mas when he rode the massive total of ten winners throughout the festive period.
Four of those came on the track — including Leopardstown, Limerick, Tramore and Navan – while the re- maining six came, amazingly, at one meeting in Dromohane, just outside Mallow in County Cork.
There was an historic element to his six winners at the Cork course, as O’Connor became only the third jockey to complete such a feat. On the day, O’Connor had ten rides and his 60% success rate meant he was pleased on his way back to Clare while those who backed him on the day were just as happy.
“Anybody who’d been on me that day would have left with a smile on their face for sure,” he said on Mon- day. “It was a great day definitely. But I’d great support as well from trainers and owners and when you think about it, you wouldn’t be able to manage something like that with- out that kind of support.”
JS Oyobeu oom abNOM Yee D) maelemssQuomcitce nificant considering he had been out of action for six weeks after he dislo- cated his shoulder at Roscommon on November 2.
“I’m delighted with the way things have gone since I came back,’ he added. “The season is only a couple of months old and I’ve been missing for a fair chunk of that but after the
Christmas run I’m up to 20 winners, which is decent enough for this time of year.”
The highlight of that Christmas run came at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day when he landed the €30,000 Bumper.
‘There was a bit of pressure going into that one. A packed house and big purse and an important race, but thankfully everything went right and we got the result we were looking for.”
O’Connor will remain on the point
to point circuit for the coming weeks and months in a bid to continue the winning streak he has built up and maintain the Christmas momentum.
“It’s the point to points that I’m in- terested in really. That’s what I’ll be concentrating on for the next while
and hopefully Pl be able to build on the Christmas form.”