A packed out Cork Racecourse in Mallow played host to the opening round of the 2019 Gentlemen’s League/FEGENTRI Championship, which is kindly sponsored by OSARUS and DYNAVENA.
Five nations were represented for the opening leg, including point-to-point regular Stephen Connor, as he lined up for the two-mile Qualified Riders Handicap Hurdle at Thursday’s Student’s meeting, as he was joined on the start line by fellow series competitors Dave Prichard for England, Tracy Menuet for France, Elliot Öhgren for Sweden and Mark Galligan for USA.
It was another point-to-point regular, Tom Hamilton, who ended up winning the two-mile contest aboard Evanna McCutcheon’s Our Jerry, however as he does not feature as part of the series, top points in the opening leg went to English rider Prichard, who finished in fifth.
Connor completed in eighth, Galligan was one place further back in 9th, whilst Menuet and Öhgren finished in 11th and 12th places respectively.
For many of the competitors, it was a first experience over Irish hurdles, but the atmosphere on the day, with more than 3,000 students, who had packed out the stands for the RedFM Student Raceday, adding to the riders experience.
Gonzague Cottreau of the organising Gentlemen’s League Series was happy to have got the 2019 series underway.
“The atmosphere at the racecourse was amazing with more than 3000 students who had gone to extreme lengths in some cases to look the part for their day at the races! After the race, the riders enjoyed a drink at the party which had been going on at the racecourse all day before heading to Cork city for dinner.
“As always the Irish club were extremely welcoming and helpful for us and our riders and went beyond measures to make sure everything went smoothly and that we had an enjoyable time while visiting of which we can’t me more grateful,” he added.
The five riders will next reconvene in France on May 4th at the point-to-point in Chateau-Gontier for the Cross Country race which was won last year by Ireland’s 2018 representative Ray Barron.
Two of the three rounds during May will be over Cross Country courses, with the series visiting Le Lion D’Angers on May 30th, after a high profile Steeplechase race at Auteuil on the Grade 1 French Gold Cup card.
Following a short summer break, the series returns for leg four over the hurdles course at Waregem in Belgium on August 27th, followed a month later by a trip to Italy and a hurdle race in Marano close to the Alps.
The third consecutive hurdle race takes place in the series’ most eastern venue at Pardubice in the Czech Republic on October 13th before moving westwards once again for a Steeplechase at Compiegne in France on November 8th, and the series finale at the Barbury point-to-point in December.
Cork race 21/03/2019%u25B6%uFE0F Cork Racecourse Mallow , Ireland %uD83C%uDDEE%uD83C%uDDEA Video of the 1st step of The Gentlemen's League Fegentri 2019.
Posted by The Gentlemen's League on Monday, March 25, 2019
