Crossgales Ophelia and Benny Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
We had a second Westerner winner in as many races at Wexford with well-backed 6/1 shot Crossgales Ophelia looking good when taking division one of the Island Mares Point-To-Point Flat Race.
Following on Love Envoi thirty five minutes earlier, Crossgales Ophelia was another for the Castle Hyde Stud stallion.
She built on reasonable point-to-point form when last seen out in 2019, making light of a lengthy absence for her trainer and jockey, Benny Walsh.
Walsh owns the seven-year-old with his wife Jenny and after a three and a half length win over Shanavoun Lady (11/2 into 4/1) the local operator said: “She is a bit free going and I tried to get her to relax and in fairness to her she relaxed well. She got me there early and I thought myself that she was there way too soon.
“When she got going I didn't want to disappoint her. We thought a lot of this mare as a four-year-old. Lily-Mae Berry and MJ have done an amazing job with her in the yard."
For her part Mrs Walsh said: "She has had her problems but we are delighted with her. We have about twenty point-to-pointers in training and are based right beside Lingstown point-to-point track.
“If the point-to-points could get back going now we would be happy. We might run a few on the track now if the points don't come back soon.
"We expected her to run well. It's a long time since she ran but she has always had ability and we kept the faith with her.
“We knew we had a good one if we could ever get it out of her! She might have been tiring a bit at the end but she hasn't run in a long time. We might go breeding with her, but we'll see, we'll enjoy today first."
Crossgales Ophelia and Shanavoun Lady finished no less than fifty three lengths clear of the third, Beckys Angel
(DM & EM)
