Alan O'Sullivan's three weekend winners honour his brother Michael in the best possible way

For all of us involved in point-to-points, the most important thing about last weekend was seeing Alan O'Sullivan in the winner’s enclosure at Kildorrery on Saturday and Bandon on Sunday.

I can't imagine what life has been like for the O'Sullivan family since that terrible day at Thurles early last month. I can only say that Alan, like his late brother Michael, is an amazing man.

When speaking at Michael's funeral, their father William said how Michael would want the family to support Alan in whatever decisions he made and "to find joy in his achievements". William said he would wish the same for his cousins, friends, and jockey colleagues.

Alan has shown great strength of character, bravery and determination in returning to the saddle. He's honouring his brother in the best way possible by continuing his riding career.

It was fitting he teamed up with his uncle Eugene, who did so much to boost Michael's early career, to win with Made U Look at Kildorrery.

The pair won the five-year-old maiden at Bandon with Kiely's Place, and Garry Ahern supplied Alan's third winner of the weekend, Our Story, who did well to take the winner of one on his seasonal debut.

Kiely's Place and Alan O'Sullivan (nearest) win at BantonCredit: Pat Healy

It was another weekend that saw many fine performances in the four-year-old division. Perhaps the most impressive was the Gary Murphy-trained Moments In Time, who was already well in control under Barry Stone when his nearest rival Carrillo fell at the last in the geldings' maiden at Borris House. He was left a long way clear of the Cormac Doyle-trained favourite I Walked The Line.

Moments In Time is a son of Kingston Hill and a half-brother to A Perfect Day, who was trained by Doyle last season and sold after finishing second at Dawstown in May. He won a novice hurdle at Wincanton by 13 lengths on his only start so far for his new stable.

Runner-up I Walked The Line has a strong pedigree. He's out of a sister to The Tullow Tank, who won two Grade 1 novice hurdles. The dam, Autumn Clouds, is also a half-sister to Grand National winner Many Clouds.

Gary Murphy and Barry Stone also won the first division of the four-year-old mares' maiden with Chosen Comrade, a filly by Walk In The Park. Also on the mares' front, the Harley Dunne-trained Ask Hobbs impressed me when picking up well from two out for Bertie Finn to beat my runner Teenage Kiss at Ballycahane.

After that defeat, I rode Hardly Surprising to make a winning debut in the four-year-old geldings' maiden. He's a half-brother by Affinisea to Fiddlerontheroof, who started with Shirley Berry in pointers and won a bumper for John Joe Walsh before becoming one of the stars of the Colin Tizzard stable, winning the Tolworth Hurdle and finishing second in the Brown Advisory Chase and Newbury's Ladbrokes Trophy. It's still early days with this fellow. I was happy to get him off on a winning note.

Other notable winners included the Ellen Doyle-trained Milan filly Divine Diva, who won the opening race at Kildorrery for Brian Dunleavy, and Warren Ewing's French-bred gelding Lazare Combo, who won the only race run at Tyrella, where the rest of the meeting had to be abandoned because of a lack of ambulance cover.

Jack Hendrick reached a landmark when Nevershedatear made all to win the second division of the mares' maiden at Borris House for owner-handler and Wexford hurler Tom Byrne. 

This was the 100th point winner of Jack's career and he completed a double on Port Authority for Matthew Flynn O'Connor in the five-year-old geldings' maiden.

Jack had his best season last term with 27 wins from 155 rides. He has 18 on the board from 83 rides this season, so he's well on course to better last season's total. He shares third place in the table with Jamie Scallan, the pair only five behind last year's joint champions Rob James and Barry O'Neill on 23.

There’s nothing like your first

Every winner is important to a rider, but there's nothing quite like the first one. Two riders made the all-important breakthrough last weekend. Luke Kelleher rode Loyal Praetorian to win for his uncle Gerry Kelleher at Bandon, and James Costello partnered the Tony Martin-trained Lyreen Og at Borris House. 

Every time you see a new name on the list, it's a boost for the sport. In some cases, it will be the start of a great career. Whatever happens later, it's an occasion that will live in the memory.

It's a big achievement, whether the rider concerned is a youngster with a family tradition of involvement with horses, or someone who has been bitten by the bug and developed an ambition to ride in a race. 

Whether you've ridden one winner, or count them in the hundreds, you're part of the community. If we can take any comfort from an event as awful as Michael O'Sullivan's death, it's that we belong to a community that comes together to be supportive.

Alan O'Sullivan's return to the saddle was a big moment for him, and his family, but we all share in the joy his father spoke about at Michael's funeral. The whole racing world united in sympathy for the loss of our former colleague. It will be an emotional occasion next Tuesday when the Cheltenham Festival starts with the Michael O'Sullivan Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

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Michael O'Sullivan to be honoured at the Cheltenham Festival with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle run in his memory 

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