1983 saw Tom Costello top the pile of the rider’s championship for the second time. He saw off the challenge of Ted Walsh’s 28 winners to 25. 21 winners had been enough to secure the title the previous year.
Costello took the hat trick having won the Munster & Connaught titles also. Timmy O’Callaghan rode the opening winner of the season on J Hodnetts Salty Breeze at Killeagh on January 23rd and went on to ride a treble. On the same card eventual Champion Tom Costello got off to a flyer with a four-timer on P P Hogans Gallant Star and Shrewd Operator, M Skellys Slippery Prince and P Skellys Peach Clash. Larry Murphy was also amongst the winners on Pitalina in the maiden plate.
At Gowran a week later title runner up Ted Walsh started his season with a winner on Martin Moores Tarkon Spa and completed a double in the final race on Harvestown. The following race turned into a competitive affair with Mrs R McCarthys Brown Trix beating Mrs R Lanigans Door Latch while Richard Kehoe was successful on Leapy Lady on the same card. To add further quality to this meeting the Open was won by Chinrullah who was owned by Mrs R Eastwood and ridden by C P O’Toole.
Northern rider Paddy Graffin made his journey worthwhile to Carrigtwohill when he steered F Newburys Moll Anthony to victory. Martin Brassil on Mount Feddane and Michael Griffin on Tropical Breeze also tasted success.
Former Track Hero
At Castletown Geoghegan the prestigious Barbour Cup saw former Irish Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Tied Cottage come out on top when he won by a distance under John Fowler.
Roger Hurley won the opener at Thurles on Shrewd Operator for P P Hogan while leading breeze-up producer Con Marnane won the maiden on Rock Steady. At the Bray meeting Ted Walsh scored a four-timer on Harverystown, Trinity Air, Modus Operandi and Unbeatable Hand. Northern Champion Ivan Keeling registered an opening race double at Oldcastle aboard Annie Sue and Barbridge.
Don Atkinson- 35th Year riding
Door Latch won the Killeagh maiden under John Queally while Don Atkinson won the second division of the maiden on Blind Ambition beating Jimmy Mangan on Another Chat. Atkinson has been a credit to the point-to-point riding ranks and is still riding actively this season.
Leonard Phillips’ Sparville was successful at the South Tyrone meeting and novice Champion Tony Martin took the last on Raise Your Castle for Mrs T B Connolly.
The Kildare fixture at Punchestown saw Joe Gibbons win the farmers race aboard Pacem for M Dunne, Timmy Jones on The Potwalluper took the Open and the late John Shortt won the maiden on Mrs J Harringtons Fearless Bachelor. George Mernagh secured a winner, a second and a third at Down Royal.
Aintree Foxhunter winners
The Fingal meeting at Fairyhouse saw Caroline Beasley win the Open on Eliogarty. Beasley was the first lady rider to win a Ladies title while the horse and rider won the 1986 Aintree Foxhunters. Willie Mullins enjoyed success across the water in 1983 when Atha Cliath trained by his father Paddy took the Liverpool Foxhunters.
The highlights at Friarstown included an Enda Bolger treble and a Liam Burke double while Pauline Gavin won the novice riders race at Thurles on her own Kanturk Champion.
Summerhill Lady won the Nomination race at Sligo owned by Peter Filan father of Westife lead singer Shane Filan.
At Dromoland Tom Costello won aboard the 1987 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner The Thinker in the maiden by twenty lengths.
P Gormleys Cranlome won the novice race at Lisnalinchy at the East Antrim meeting under James Bryson.
AWARDS VENUE: Newpark Hotel Kilkenny
CHAMPION RIDER: T.S.Costello 28 winners
CHAMPION LADY: Caroline Beasley
CHAMPION NOVICE(7lb Claimers): A.J.Martin
ULSTER CHAMPION: I.J.Keeling
MUNSTER CHAMPION: T.S.Costello
LEINSTER CHAMPION: T.M.Walsh
CONNAUGHT CHAMPION: T.S.Costello
HORSE OF THE YEAR: No award until 1993
CHAMPION SENIOR(OVER 33): No award until 1986
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR: No award until 1985
RIDERS TABLE
28 T.S.Costello
25 T.M.Walsh
14 I.J.Keeling, J.F.Sleator,
13 E.Bolger, J.Queally.
12 T.O’Callaghan
10 A.J.Martin,
9 W.J.Burke, N.Dee, P.J.Healy.
8 G.Mernagh, B.Murphy
7 J.Baragry,
6 P.F.Graffin, D.O’Connor,
5 Caroline Beasley, T.J.Bergin, D.Hassett,
4 M.C.Banks, A.D.Evans,F.Fitzimons, F.Kiernan, P.Larkin, L.Lennon, J.J.Mangan, M.A.Murphy,
3 M.Brassil, Carmel Connaughton, R.Hurley, J.Fennessy, J.Fowler, M.A.Jordan, S.Kerr, J.Leahy, D.Mooney T.J.Nagle, J.O’Callaghan, R.Steele, Rosemary Stewart, Miss S Turner, W.J.Vance, J.Walsh, T.Woods,
2 S.Casey, M.Condon, D.P.Costello, J.Dagg, J.D.Doyle, D.Dundon, Ros Easom, Miss M Fitzgerald, J.Gahan, J.F.Gleeson, M.Goldsmith, M.Green, R.Kehoe, P.M.Kelly, J.Lynch, C.P.Magnier, G.Martin, P.Mawhinney, Miss B.Mitchell, J.McBride, T.O’Brien, A.O’Gorman, P.O’Haire, M.O’Prey, C.P.O’Toole M.Phillips,
1 D.Atkinson, D.Barry, J.G.Bates, R.J.Beggan, T.M.Bergin, Bill Bourns, I.Buchanan, J.Bryson, E.M.Byrne, Miss M Carroll, R.Carmichael, J.Cleary, D.Coakley, B.Cockburn, M.Cowan, P.Doyle, P.Fanning, P.J.Finn J.Flynn, A.Foley, R.Foley, D.Foster, Pauline Gavin, P.Geoghan, G.Gault, J.Gibbons, G.Gleeson, M.Griffin, J.Halpin, A.Halwax, P.J.F.Hassett, F.Holohan, B.Horan, M.Hyland, J.Jennings, I.Johnston, T.A.Jones, C.Joyce, E.Kelleher, P.Kelly, D.Kiely, J.Lambert, G.Lynch, Miss A Lennon, Miss E Maher, C.Marnane, B.Mitchell, D.W.McAuley, R.McCarthy T.P.McCarthy, J.McGeer, R.McGrath, M.McNeilly, W.P.Mullins, R.Lawlor, J.Lombard, G.Lynch, L.B.Murphy, D.M.O’Brien, V.P.O’Brien, M.O’Connell, P.O’Connell, M.O’Connor, P.O’Donnell, K.O’Donnell, A.O’Donovan, P.O’Flynn, M.O’Toole, M.Phelan, J.Quinn, V.Riordan, P.Ronayne, J.Shortt, J.F.Sleator, G.Stack, M.Todd, J.Tuite, J.Tyrell D.Williams, J.Willis, M.Winters, L.Young,
