Commercial market has taken over but last weekend proved the traditional grassroot connections are still there

In an era of point-to-point racing that has come to be dominated by the commercial buy-to-sell model, it was encouraging to see two of last weekend’s winners between the flags were produced to gain their maiden successes by individuals with long-standing connections to the respective families.

At Turtulla, Amyr won the Gain Equine Nutrition, Kirby’s Pharmacy & Ballinroe International Transport older mares’ maiden under John Barry for her owner, trainer and breeder Evanna McCutcheon. The daughter of Mahler is the first foal out of Nhakira, a mare who won twice between the flags, including at Bandon in March 2014 when she was partnered to success by McCutcheon.

Nhakira provided her then owner, trainer and rider with some notable sport during her racing career, and developed into something of a banks specialist to boot, with the daughter of Naheez proving to be an admirably consistent individual, being placed six times including over the now defunct banks course at Athlacca.