LINGSTOWN ON Sunday last saw the largest crowd in years turn up for the Killinick Foxhounds meeting at the south county Wexford track.

On what was a beautiful spring day, the course was in a position to display itself in all its finery, with the regulation course and the extended Banks course in operation. With a bumper entry of 168, three divides saw nine races in total with 113 declarations.

With the ground riding on the quick side, it was noticeable that many jockeys took the sensible decision to race at a steady gallop and allow their horses to jump around safely. With a fine treble, local jockey Jamie Codd was the toast of the day when taking the opener, the winners of one, on 'Close Review', a division of the five-year-old geldings maiden on 'Its Ironic', and the final race, the six-year-old geldings maiden, on 'Katie's Prince', all for different yards.

Codd's treble was started in the winners of one contest on the Ger Corrigan-trained 'Close Review'. This seven-year-old 'Close Conflict' gelding was winning his second point-to-point at his tenth attempt for the Blackwater-based handler. Kept well off the pace by Codd on the first two circuits, the horse came through well to justify favouritism and beat the long-time leader, 'Theroadtocroker', comfortably in the end.

Ger Corrigan stated: ' he won it well, we were waiting on good ground. He looks like a summer horse, but before we do anything, he will be back here in three weeks for another winners' contest'. This was a real family victory as the horse was led up and owned by Corrigan's son, Martin, who was beaming from ear to ear when unsaddling.

Codd later joined forces with his brother, William, in the first division of the five-year-old geldings maiden when winning on 'Its Ironic', a 'Dr Massini' gelding which ran in the colours of William Devereux. This was run at a very steady pace, with the winning horse never really showing until the end and doing well to get into the business end of the race after a bad mistake at the third last.

William Codd indicated: 'we were confident that he would win here, he ran too keen on his debut but he did it well here'. This horse will most likely be seen in other colours and race from a different yard next time as indications are that he will be sold.

Codd's treble was secured in the final contest, the six-year-old geldings maiden, when joining forces with Eoin Doyle, who sent 'Katie's Prince' on the journey from Carrickon-Suir to win. Codd again bided his time with the 'Anshan' six-year-old and came through to shade the leading pair, 'Redbridge Flyer' and 'Spiker The Biker', at the last.

The fall of Ashleigh Gault-Murphy's 'Redbridge Flyer' at the last made it a more simple victory for Codd. Plans for the horse are a little fluid with Doyle stating: ' he is a grand horse, who enjoys good ground. I need to talk to the owners, as he might go to Cheltenham for the sales'.

The day's highlight was the Nomination Banks race over the newlydeveloped Banks course. Local organizers are keen to use this as much as possible and intend having a race over the course at every meeting.

Last Sunday's race is easy to re-tell as the eleven-year-old 'Lord Nellerie' made every post a winning one when taking the lead from flag fall and winning comfortably from the game 'Gothic Love' in second and 'Not Too Pushed' in third. Trained in Co. Tipperary by David Nagle, the French-bred son of 'Panoramic', a six-time track winner, was well handled by E v a n McCutcheon who also owns the horse.

The five-and six-year-o l d mares maiden saw the first division fall to some new names on the scene, with Billy Gahan and his son, Paul, teaming up to win the race with 'Overnight Queen'. Gahan only trains two horses at his home base in Monageer, and he indicated that this home-bred six-year-old daughter of 'Zagreb' might go for a winners' contest next.

The complexion of this race changed when the leading pair, 'Ill Trio' and 'Garryvarren', crashed out, allowing the progressive mare, 'Overnight Queen', to shade the Jamie Codd-ridden 'Bridie McBride'. This was the 18-year-old Gahan's first winner and, as he currently works for Denis Murphy, he is hopeful of getting plenty more mounts in future.

The second division of the same contest fell to the Andrew Doyle-ridden 'Sarah Collins', in the colours of Killinick man, John Stafford. This daughter of ' Commander Collins' was towards the front all the way and held off the challenge of Benny Walsh and 'Get The Word' by two lengths. This six-year-old's victory was a welcome change of luck for the Duncormick-based Darragh Berry, who indicated afterwards that the mare would now go to the track for a bumper.

Seán Doyle seems to have his horses in good form and he followed up a recent Tinahely win with a victory for 'Whatamix', a five-yearold son of 'Amilynx', in the second divide of the five-year-old geldings maiden. Mark Slevin had the Co. Carlow-owned horse in the lead all the way and he finally opened the grey gelding's account at the seventh time of asking.

The seven-year-old and upwards race was also divided, and here, Noel Dempsey from Oulart saw his 21-year-old son, Jonathon, ride the eight-year-old 'Daar Alzaaman' gelding, 'An Bothar Bui', to victory. Running in the colours of Dempsey, the restricted trainer could send this horse to the track after this.

The other divide of this race saw Benny Walsh at his best as he led all the way on 'Star Gale' to win in the name of J.P. Berry. Bred by the Murphys from Blackwater, the sevenyear-old son of 'Supreme Leader' never looked like being caught at any stage.

Winner of one: 1, M. Corrigan, Close Review (J.J. Codd); 2, S. Donohoe, Theroadtocroker (S.C. Byrne); 3, T. Shiggins, Father Murty (B.O. Walsh). Dist.: four ls., two ls.; eleven ran.

Five-and six-year-old mares maiden (Division 1): 1, M. Gahan, Overnight Queen (P. Gahan); 2, R. Barry, Bridie McBride (J.J. Codd); 3, M. Berry, Monaleigh (A.J. Doyle). Dist.: half a length, one length; 14 ran.

Five-and six-year-old mares maiden (Division 2): 1, J. Stafford, Sarah Collins (A.J. Doyle); 2, L. Kelly , Garrynisksupreme (S.C. Byrne); 3, P.C. Carter, Slaney Conflict (M.T. Slevin). Dist.: two ls., five ls.; 14 ran.

Five-year-old geldings maiden (Division 1): 1, W. Devereux, Its Ironic (J.J. Codd); 2, C. O'Connor, Noble Steel (R.A. Latta); 3, K. Leech, Tico (P. Power). Dist.: two ls., neck; eleven ran.

Five-year-old geldings maiden (Division 2): 1, E. Kearney, Whatamix (M.T. Slevin); 2, W. Devereux, The Amarillo Kid (J.J. Codd); 3, S.J. Court, Elembridge King (G.L. Murphy). Dist.: one length, two ls.; eleven ran.

Open lightweight: 1, E. McCutcheon, Lord Nellerie (E. McCutcheon); 2, A. Doyle, Gothic Love (A.J. Doyle); 3, L. Kelly, Not Too Pushed (S.C. Byrne). Dist.: four ls., six ls.; 17 ran.

Seven-year-old and upwards confined maiden (Division 1): 1, S. Berry, Star Gale (B.O. Walsh); 2, M. Asple, Logan Road (A.J. Doyle); 3, P. Manning, Noble Witness (J.J. Codd). Dist.: 20 ls., three ls.; ten ran.

Seven-year-old and upwards confined maiden (Division 2): 1, N. Dempsey, An Bothar Bui (J.J. Dem; 2, J.J. Stafford, Go Dennistown (H. McPhillips); 3, L. Murphy, Fair Astronomer (C.L. Murphy). Dist.: one length, one length; ten ran.

Six-year-old geldings maiden: 1, P. Doyle, Katie's Prince (J.J. Codd); 2, C. Slevin, Spiker The Biker (N.T. Slevin); 3, D. Berney, Bleuvito (S. O'Rourke). Dist.: two ls., 15 ls.; 15 ran.