Pa King has become the latest rider to join the exclusive 100-club, as he is the 60th rider in the history of Irish point-to-point racing to ride 100 winners between the flags.
The Tipperary native brought up his milestone winner when teaming up with the Willie Murphy-trained Go To Court to land the Bobby Fitzgerald & Powers Of Tullaghought six-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden at Mainstown on Sunday.
The daughter of Court Cave had finished second under King at Lingstown in November, and a return to a sounder surface, saw the six-year-old bounce back to form following a disappointing effort at Boulta in testing conditions last month, as she defeated Uppertown Poppie by six lengths.
The 100th point-to-point winner comes just over 14 years after King made his debut between the flags at Kilmuckridge in November 2004 and he later recorded his first success in the sphere when getting off the mark aboard John Halley's Templars at Butlerstown in 2006.
Crowned champion novice rider two years later at the culmination of the 2007/08 season when King had ridden 16 winners – his single best season total to date, King, is from a family steeped within point-to-point’s, with his brother Johnny well-known for his successes as a point-to-point rider, his brother James, is a successful trainer, whilst he is also a nephew of leading handler Pat Doyle.
Among King’s 100 winners to date, he has partnered some well-known names at the early part of their career, including the likes of Parsons Pistol, Pandorama, Any Currency, Tina Kelly Lad, Alfa Beat and Draycott Place.
