Donnchadh Doyle’s ascendancy to the top of the training ranks in point-to-pointing has been meteoric, as he saddled his 200th winner in the sphere at Tinahely on Sunday, just nine years after he sent out his first winner.
Guily Billy achieved that milestone for the Monbeg operator when he made all of the running to run out a decisive winner of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at the Co. Wicklow venue, in what was his 12th winner in a strong start to the current campaign.
It was Adios Alonso, a horse owned by his younger brother Cormac, who himself is now a successful handler, that proved to be Doyle’s first winner in his own name when the Saffron Weldon gelding came home in front in a five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Taylorstown in April 2011.
Since then it has been those younger age maidens that he has focussed on, building his operation into one of the largest in the country.
So much so that during the 2018/19 season, Doyle, who is still only in his early 30’s, ran 82 different horses in the one campaign, a season which has proven to be his numerically most successful to date with 32 winners.
That season followed what has undoubtedly been one of his greatest feats to date when he sent out no fewer than seven winners on the one day in March 2018, with a four-timer in Ballyarthur, a double at Lingstown, in addition to the victory of The Big Getaway at Horse and Jockey.
The latter named is one of a long list of quality performers to have emerged from Doyle’s yard, with the former champion point-to-point handler, a prize that he shared with Colin Bowe in 2015, having matched his successes in the point-to-point fields, with impressive results in the sales ring.
Of the Monbeg graduates, Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Topofthegame sits towards the fore, alongside many exciting prospects like The Big Breakaway and recent Down Royal scorer Farouk D’Alene, whilst Talkischeap, Secret Investor, Spiritofthegames, Top Ville Ben and Monbeg Notorious have all enjoyed big race success.
Donnchadh is extremely proud to have trained his 200th @irishp2p winner today at Tinahealy and realises this would not be possible without the help of all his hardworking staff over the years.ðŸ?†ðŸ%u017D‰ðŸ‘?ðŸ‘? https://t.co/5eOAknYPHQ
— Monbeg Stables (@MonbegStables) November 15, 2020
