Fitzgerald on the up When one of the best-regarded observers of the point-to-point scene in Ireland describes a young rider as "one of the hottest properties around at present," it is time to take note. So it is likely the name of 18-year-old Shane Fitzgerald will come to more prominence in the weeks and months ahead. The Buttevant, County Cork native has built up a formidable alliance with the Wexford yard of Mick Goff, and he supplied the teenager with four winning months in the autumn campaign. Fitzgerald, naturally, would like to make an impression on the racecourse proper, saying: "I'm after getting a couple of rides lately for Colin McBratney and it's nice to get the name out there. "My weight would be something around the 10st 3lb or 10st 4lb mark. "I'll take it as it comes and I won't be looking too far ahead yet, but I'll hopefully be busy at Tinahely at the weekend, anyway. "At the moment things are going very well and the four four-year-olds that I won on in the autumn are all very nice horses. I'd say Clondaw Cracker (subsequently sold to Roger Brookhouse for £120,000) is going to be a very good horse. "I think Clondaw Bisto will go on to do good things, too. Clondaw Westie is very tough. He's very genuine and he'd battle all day. "Everything in the Goff yard are very good to jump, which is a big help to me."
