Old rivals off to a flier in Toomebridge The new point-to-point season began with a bang on Saturday as Derek O'Connor and Jamie Codd both recorded doubles at Toomebridge, Co Antrim. The crowd were treated to the pair fighting out a battle in the concluding geldings maiden for seven-year-olds plus, and it was O'Connor who drove Robert Kerr's Chariot Warrior (7/2) home by a length from Codd on The Bolder Boy. Derek O'Connor said: "To come to Toomebridge at this time of year and race on soft ground is lovely because we normally race on good ground. "We are going to have good, competitive racing straight away. People will be willing to run their better horses on this nice ground. It's a good start. "I got a right kick out of it because myself and Jamie are old stagers at this stage! It was nice to fight out the finish with him, it was nip and tuck." O'Connor had two rides on the card and also scored in the preceding race - the mares' maiden for five-year-olds plus - on Boomtime Banker (3/1). Sam Curling's charge was unleashed before the last to win by three lengths. O'Connor said: "She is a little track mare I'd say, this was a stepping stone to go for a little bumper." Codd teamed up with handler Denis Murphy for his brace. Gale At Sea initiated it in the opening mares' maiden for four-year-olds. The Milan filly was in charge after the third last and came in by six lengths, on debut, at 9/4. Jamie Codd said: "She was very good and she has been showing us a bit at home. I'm delighted, you're always a bit cagey first runner of the year but she had plenty of work done. "She's a nice filly who likes that soft ground. She'll be a very fun mare for someone, hopefully get her sold now." French-bred Yes Des Taillons went for home after the second last in the five-year-old and six-year-old geldings' maiden and took the honours by five lengths at 3/1. Denis Murphy said: "We ran him in Tralee (when he fell in May) and to be honest we never should have run at the time because he had a stop-start season. "This time we had a clear run with him. He ran like we thought he was last year - he has lots of class and he did it very well. "Alan Harte owns him and I imagine he will go to the Sales. He will be a nice horse going forward. "Ground isn't an issue to him, he'll go on any ground."
