Downpatrick hosts festival

Downpatrick hosts festival

16 June 2021

THERE was no shortage of racing at Saturday and Sunday’s two-day festival of racing at Downpatrick with one race divided at the declaration stage for both days.

For the first time ever we had a total of 16 races with runners from as far away as Waterford and Cork. There is no question owners and trainers want to run at the local venue.

For the first time in over a year owners were allowed to be present, but even so the enclosures and stands were bare.

Honours on Saturday went to jockey James O’Sullivan, as he recorded a double on two favourite.

His first success came in the opening Mares Maiden Hurdle when he produced Butterflyvespire at the final flight to beat big danger Optional Mix and Hanoi Jane, which had attempted to make all the running under Armagh jockey Shane O’Callaghan. Peter Fahey trains the winner in Co Kildare.

O’Sullivan, who had been getting rides for lots of different trainers lately, then joined forces with Co Meath trainer Tom Gibney in the Virtual Live Racing Handicap Chase and won on Robin De Roost, beating Pat Coyne, trained by John Queally in Waterford, with Brain Hamilton’s Dynamic Allen staying on late to finish third.

There was a good finish to the Laffy Handicap Chase with 25/1 outsider Paris Texas, Aiden Kelly in the saddle, just beating the 5/2 favour Ask Corry and Twilight Girl, owned by J P McManus. The winner was a rare runner at the venue for former amateur now trainer Padraig Roche.

Also over fences was the Opportunity Beginners Chase and here we had another outsider with 22/1 shot Aarrycan, trained in Co Meath by Liam Cussack and ridden by Eoin Walsh, beating Hell on Earth and Oryx Hustler. 

Also confined to conditional jockeys was the Opportunity Handicap Hurdle and Chris Timmons brought 10/1 shot Itslonglong Road with a well-timed run to beat Sweet Sixteen, trained in Cork by James Dullea, with Top Line Tommy, trained in Tipperary by Edward O’Grady, third.

The winner is trained in Co Meath by John McConnell, who has a good Downpatrick record over the years.

An absence of 471 days made no difference to Biko, trained in Co Meath by Pat Martin, and ridden by Cork jockey Maxine O’Sullivan. The partnership were easy winners of the Ladies Pro/Am Bumper. Second was newcomer Winning Kate, the mount of Philomela Elvin, with Lisa O’Neil third on Reverse Polarity, SP: 15/8 fav, 9/2, 5/2.

The first division of the (QR) Handicap Hurdle went to recent winner Arizona Flyer, trained in Cork by no other than Michael Winters and ridden by Chris O’Donovan, who was having his first  race at Downpatrick. The 9/2 favourite came home ahead of Game Catch, trained and ridden by Waterford’s Paul Power with Newtown Pery and Aine O’Connor third.

In the second divide it was good to see Limerick trainer Michael Hourigan back in the winner’s enclosure, where he used to be a regular. His charge, Icee MBA, in the colours of his wife, with Tom Hamilton, the Scottish amateur in the saddle, got the better of long time leader Natural Breeze, ridden by Ben Harvey for Lisburn owner John Leckey. Third past the judge was John Barry riding Nutturidge.

With a ladies’ race, two opportunity races and two races confined to amateur riders, there were few fully-fledged riders in action at this meeting nor indeed on Sunday’s card.