Great day for locals despite the weather

Great day for locals despite the weather

25 May 2022

DESPITE the poor weather, there was a decent crowd at Friday’s evening meeting at Downpatrick and lots of bookmakers present, even though there was also a meeting at the Curragh.

It was good to record four locally owned and trained winners while we also had locally bred winners and placed horses on the seven race national hunt card.

There was plenty of good close finishes and the first of these came in the second race on the card, the Tote Jackpot Is Back Handicap Hurdle.

In this race Willyouwaltzwithme, bred at Dunsford by Kieran Magee and running in the colours of Ballyclare owner/trainer Harry Smyth, set out to make the running.

However, he ped back with the final two lights to be taken, Kingfisher Lane, owned and bred by Comber’s Elizabeth Hammy Hamilton, ridden by JJ Slevin, moving into the lead.

But on the race to the judge Shane Fitzgerald put in a renewed effort on the longtime leader to just fail by a neck, with Ask The Leader, trained at Derrylin, a morning paper reserve, owned by Enniskillen’s Kiernan Mahon just a head back in third under Darragh O’Keefe.

The winner is trained at Larne by Stuart Crawford, SP 33/1, 9/2 fav 12/1.

The second local success of the evening came in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, when Journey West proved to be a smooth winner over Waterford trained Porky Rush and Lily Light Foot.

The winner was a first success for Donacloney owner Mrs Acheson, a daughter of the late popular owner Frances Savage, and it was good to see her well known green red sash, white sleeves and cap back in the winners enclosure.

Like Mrs Savage, Mrs Acheson has her horse in the care of Raffrey based Colin McBratney who is a great supporter of the local track.

Shane O’Callaghan, who is based with Ted Walsh and who actually recorded his first ever winner at Downpatrick when based with Anthony McCann, was the successful rider.

Good to see local lads being used as Shane is from Co Armagh.

Also in action in this race was Belfast born Jordan Canavan who rode Kalamkan for Neil Gault.

The third local victory came in the 2 mile 7 furlong Handicap Chase, a race that provided another close finish with only a neck between first and second past the post.

At the most recent Downpatrick meeting jockey Tom Reilly brought a long losing spell to an end and since that he has added another to his tally, with regular jockey Sam Ewing out with a broken pelvis. 

Newry trainer Liam Lennon called on Tom’s services to ride School Lane that formally raced with little success for his breeder Francie Doyle of Rathfriland but has been winning point-to-points and under-rules since changing hands.

Under a strong rider here by Tom, just got the better of the Mark Walsh ridden Follow The Crowd, also runner-up at the recent meeting at the track, back in third was Grangeclare Native who was bred near Belfast by Graham Morrow, SP 7/2, 11/5 fav 16/1.

Only six took part in the Frank and Brian Fitzsimons Memorial Hunters Chase with Wexford runner Er Dancer falling at the fourth last fence when level with the very easy winner Handy Head-on.

That winning rider Ben Harvey had set out to make all on.

With the race in the bag Ben eased his mount off in the closing stages, and was chased home by the Harry Swan ridden Whisper in Court, despite being under pressure a long way from home. Noel McParlan got Pegase Amour past the post in third, SP 6/4, 10/1, 80/1.

The winner is owned by Ray Nicholas and trained by David Christie, who has excelled in these races. This season he also saddled on The Sod to win this race last year.

Rachel Blackmore made the journey up to the track to ride Queen Jane for Waterford trainer Henry De-Bromhead in the opening maiden hurdle race and she won in smooth style on the 7/2 shot, beating Will You Win and Stuart Crawford’s luckless The Flier Begley, a regular runner at the venue, a win is overdue.

Co Longford trainer Paul Flynn saddled Na Caith Tobac with Keith Donoghue in the saddle to win the beginners chase beating Majavango and Winding River in a good finish, having made a lot of the pacemaking before dropping back.

Billy Bryson’s Sam Lorenzo finished a good fourth under Neil Gault, nephew of the owner/trainer and informed me post race that he got the ride as professionals turned down the ride due to the horse’s tearaway style of running, SP 7/1, 16/1, 9/2.

Final race on the card was the bumper and here we had another cracking finish with Jodie Townend, that great little lady rider, just forcing the Malcolm Denmark bred and owned 11/8 fav home by a head over The Grey Dove and Jumping Susie.

Willie Mullins trains the winner in Co Carlow. Sadly this race was marred by the fall in the closing stages of Talking To Myself giving rider Rosalyn Hogan a nasty fall in the process.

The 16 time unbeaten Honeysuckle will parade at the course on Saturday, June 11, the first stage of the two day meeting.

Of course Honeysuckle was formally trained at Katesbridge by Gerry Cosgrave for Mark O’Hare.

Karen McLeigh, the course accountant over the past six years, is leaving for pastures new.

Former motocross star Mark Morrow celebrated his birthday at the meeting instead of at the big motocross meeting near Saintfield.

Also celebrating birthdays were director Peter Magill’s wife, Cecilia, and former trainer, Russell MacNabb.