Image © Healy Racing
Shane Cotter prevailed in a final weekend showdown between the last two winners of the Under-21 championship.
Shane Cotter prevailed in a final weekend showdown between the last two winners of the Under-21 championship.
The defending champion, David Doyle, had appeared to be in pole position to retain his crown in mid-April, as after riding his thirteenth winner of the season at Tullaherin on April 19th, he led Cotter by four winners.
However, it has been the 2024 champion that has finished out the season best of all, and having outscored the defending champion David Doyle, by six winners to one over the three weekends between April 25th and May 10th, the momentum had swung back in Cotter’s favour.
The Ballynoe native entered the final weekend of the season one winner in front of his Tipperary-based rival, and he managed to double that advantage when teaming up with Wexford handler Tom Byrne in Saturday’s opener, the four-year-old mares’ maiden aboard Sam Smoke.
Her three quarters of a length victory pushed Cotter two clear of Doyle, and with the pair drawing a blank on Sunday when they were both in action at Tattersalls, that is how they finished.
Cotter becomes the first rider since fellow Cork native Shane Fitzgerald to win the Under-21 crown for a second time, following in the footsteps of Timmy Murphy, Davy Russell, Derek O’Connor and Barry O’Neill, who are all two-time champions in the category.
Unsurprisingly, it was his boss, Denis Murphy, who supplied the bulk of his ammunition, with the Ballyboy handler responsible for 13 of his 16 winners, in a season where Cotter rode three doubles at Tinahely in October, Fairyhouse in April, and most recently, on the opening day of the two-day fixture at Necarne in May.
Away from the pointing fields, the 19-year-old enjoyed an early career highlight when he teamed up with Welsh trainer Cath Williams to register his first Cheltenham Festival success aboard Ask Brewster in the Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase.
The pair bravely held off the Patrick Mullins-ridden Road To Rome by a neck, and Cotter remained in the saddle when Ask Brewster contested the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, ultimately finishing in ninth position.
Shane will be presented with his trophy at the 45th annual point-to-point awards, hosted by the QR Association, which takes place at Whites Hotel, Wexford, on Saturday, June 13th. Tickets can be purchased here.
Shane will be presented with his trophy at the 45th annual point-to-point awards, hosted by the QR Association, which takes place at Whites Hotel, Wexford, on Saturday, June 13th. Tickets can be purchased here.
