Image © Healy Racing
Ballindaggin rider Cormac Byrne continued his most productive season to date at Necarne when partnering City Chief to victory in the novice riders’ Open.
The impressive six-and-a-half-length success for handler Cormac Abernethy was Byrne’s fifth winner of the season and his second aboard the experienced gelding, having also guided him to success at Kirkistown in March.
Byrne had ridden City Chief into fourth at Toomebridge the previous weekend, however he felt the quicker ground there had not suited the nine-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding.
“I’d only ridden him the week before in Toomebridge and I suppose with the quicker ground, he probably didn’t let himself down the same,” Byrne explained.
“After jumping the first on Friday, I knew he was getting a hold of it and he just jumped and travelled everywhere. He won easy really.”
The victory continued a fine term for the 20-year-old, who currently sits fourth in the under-21 standings with five winners from 38 rides this season.
Three of those victories have come aboard the Sean Doyle-trained Gale Force Jet, with the pair striking at Ballycrystal, Monksgrange and Tinahely earlier this season.
The seven-year-old has proven an important horse in Byrne’s development and he admitted the gelding has become one of his favourite rides.
“He’s been great for me,” Byrne said.
“The lads kept him there and he’s just such a solid ride. He jumps unbelievable and he travels through his races.
“You never go too hard on him, he has his own clock really. He’s just so enjoyable to ride and he’s a good horse around the yard as well.”
Despite his successful partnership with Gale Force Jet, Byrne admitted his latest success aboard City Chief was probably the winner he enjoyed most this season.
“Actually, winning on City Chief on Friday because from riding him the week before, I probably wasn’t expecting it.
“He won so well and I had time to enjoy it up the run-in.”
Recent opportunities for northern handlers such as Abernethy and Gerald Quinn have also seen Byrne become a more familiar face on the northern circuit.
“The racing is the same crowd really no matter where you go.”
“I’d say the northern point-to-points are a better day out in terms of spectators. They seem to get bigger crowds and it feels more of a local day out.”
The opportunity to ride City Chief initially came as something of a surprise, with Abernethy only contacting Byrne on the Friday afternoon, 24-hours before his narrow-margin Kirkistown success earlier in the spring.
“Cormac rang me on the Friday afternoon to see would I ride him and I said absolutely.
“I actually assumed he had a novice rider for him already, so I hadn’t rang for the ride when I saw the entries.”
Byrne only made his race-riding debut at Damma House in November 2023 aboard Hurricane Le Dun for Sean Doyle, before partnering his first winner less than a year later when steering Doyle’s Mister Romantic to victory at Peppard’s Castle in October 2024.
Having ridden three winners during his first full season, Byrne admitted he had set only modest targets coming into the current season.
“At the start of the season, I said if I could ride three winners again, I’d be over the moon, so to better that with five, I’m absolutely delighted.”
Based full-time with Doyle, Byrne also schools regularly for all the Doyle brothers at Monbeg, rides out for Gearoid O’Loughlin in the afternoons and, when required, helps a number of local Wexford handlers.
“I still do a good bit of schooling for plenty of lads during the winter.”
After initially planning to take a year out following secondary school, Byrne instead stayed on full-time in Doyle’s yard and has steadily built experience between the flags since.
Although he has had only limited opportunities under Rules to date, Byrne hopes to pick up a handful of bumper rides over the summer months to keep ticking over.
“Hopefully I might get one or two bumper rides or a few things like that and keep the fitness up as best I can.”
While looking forward to a short break at the end of the season, Byrne admitted he still enjoys the routine of working with young horses during the summer months.
“I’m looking forward to the holidays but I enjoy the breakers as well. It’s the same but different, I suppose, it will be nice to be able to do something at the weekends without any points on.”
As a taller rider, Byrne acknowledged that turning conditional is unlikely to be an option and he is happy continuing as an amateur.
Byrne is hopeful of a few more competitive rides before the season draws to a close, particularly with improving ground conditions expected to suit several of the Doyle yard horses, while his ambitions for next season remain straightforward.
“I just wanted to match my winners this year. If I could do that again next year, I’d be happy enough.
“I just want to ride as much as I can and hopefully the winners will come with that.”
“I just want to ride as much as I can and hopefully the winners will come with that.”
