31 March 2022 - Flipbook - Page 95
HORSEWEEK
FARMWEEK
MAY 12 2022
95
Shock winners at Down Royal
CONDITIONS HURDLE: Left, ‘Chinx Of Light’
supplied a winner for Omagh jockey, Simon
Torrens in the conditions hurdle at Down Royal.
(FW19-576SO)
Ballyclare teenage
jockey out of
action following
Down Royal fall
By Shaun O’Dea
SUCCESS: Belfast owner, Ray Nicholas has combined with Derrylin
trainer, David Christie to enjoy an ultra successful season and ‘Handy
Headon’, with Ben Harvey aboard, landed the Down Royal May Day
Hunterchase for connections. (FW19-575SO)
By Shaun O’Dea
‘
HANDY Headon’
(5s to 100/30)
supplied
a
change of luck for
Derrylin trainer,
David
Christie
when turning the
May
Day
Down
Royal Hunterchase
into a rout with an
immaculate
round
of
jumping
and
powering away at
the finish with Ben
Harvey aboard. The
Fermanagh
trainer
has had to settle
for the runner spot
in
Championship
Hunterchases
at
Cheltenham
and
Punchestown
in
recent weeks and last
month filled the same
position three times
within five days in
photo finishes.
Christie said: “It’s
good to win one! Up
the straight I thought
we’re going to get
caught again. I made
a mistake with him
and now know he
wants good ground
and to be in front.
He runs in special
padded shoes now as
well. When I bought
him, I was told to
pat him in the stable
every day and didn’t
listen. The seller
knew best and he
gets a pat now every
morning. He might
go to Stratford for
the big hunterchase
meeting,
as
the
fences take some
jumping and the
ground is always
good.”
Racing
got
underway with a
shock 25/1 winner
when the John Ryan
trained,
‘Gaelic
Arc’ bolted home
providing
jockey,
Niall
Prendergast
with
his
second
winner. Always handy
during the race, the
winner hit the front
between the last two
flights and headed
favourite
‘Flaming
By Shaun O’Dea
T
HE Mid Antrim point to
point fixture at Broughshane
concluded the Northern Spring
season on a high note, with top
class racing at a venue in excellent
condition, courtesy of landowner
Philip Mc Burney - a major player in
local transport.
Every effort was made to have
the track in tip top condition, with
considerable
advance
watering
and no problem incapable of being
overcome, including the owner’s
pre-training gallop, which had the
crossings perfectly aligned and
covered.
The Turf Club’s Senior Inspector
of
Northern
courses,
Frankie
Fitzsimmons said: “It’s a real
pleasure to work with someone who
understands the requirements. Mr
McBurney is a real gentleman and
nothing was any bother to stage the
best possible meeting - it makes life a
lot easier for officials.”
The
Larne-based
Crawford
brothers, Stuart and Ben, claimed the
opener with ‘Kinbara’, a very snug
victor on his debut with Ben waiting
until the final two fences before going
for his race and the winning rider also
owning the son of ‘Mahler’.
Trainer Stuart said: “We always
thought a lot of him and he did what
was expected and will now go to the
bloodstock sales.”
Leading producer of young stock,
Moon’ (100/30 to 5/4),
which had attempted
to make all.
Ryan said: “He’s a
funny horse, difficult
to train. He’s free and
hard on himself. He is
going to be a lovely
horse over a fence.
He’s a half-brother to
a French Champion
hurdle winner. Young
Niall
Prendergast
gave the horse a
cracking ride. He’s a
good nice lad.”
Another
shock
result
awaited
punters
in
the
second race, when
‘Drumbaragh’ (33s to
28/1) ran away with
the handicap hurdle.
The
Pat
Martin
trained winner was
forced to assume the
lead when ‘Boing’ and
Sam Ewing fell at the
fifth hampering those
behind, but once at
the head of affairs
always travelled well
and had a massive
lead on the downhill
run to assure victory.
Favourite ‘Junior Bee’
(3s to 11/8) stayed on
late, but could never
make any impact.
All the jumping
races were confined
to riders who had not
ridden 15 winners in
the previous year.
Former
Champion
conditional, Omagh
jockey,
Simon
Torrens was seen to
excellent advantage
when leading three
from home in the
three-mile hurdle and
survived a blunder
at the penultimate
flight to score easily
aboard the John
McConnell
trained
‘Chinx Of Light’ (5/2
to 5/1). ‘Where It All
Began’ and ‘Angels
Dawn’ were second
and third, but well
held when the first
named fell at the last,
bringing down the
other.
McConnell
said:
“He’s a funny sort
of a horse, he’s very
relaxed in the stable
yard. The minute he
gets to hear noise,
he gets quite worked
up. He wasn’t too bad
today, but he still has
a lot left to develop
mentally.”
The
Beginners
Chase produced a
thriller with a threeway finish. Favourite
‘Turnpike Trip’ gave
a display of jumping
in front, despite prior
mishaps, but at the
final fence ‘Sholsang’
led, having been
waited with, but it was
the Gordon Elliott
trained
‘Gallyhill’
that prevailed when
rallying
close
to
home under Conor
Orr
replacing
Ballyclare jockey San
Ewing, who was due
to ride but after the
earlier heavy fall was
taken to hospital for
x-rays.
The
Paul
Fahy
trained ‘Diggin Deep’
certainly lived up
to his name when
claiming the feature
chase. Jockey Cian
Cullinan found his
saddle had slipped to
one side on the first
circuit, but kept going
in front, correcting
the
saddle.
The
12-year-old was a
very game winner,
readily holding the
always
prominent
Broughshane point to point ends
Ulster season on high note
Wilson Dennison, having had to settle
for second in the first race won the
next two races. Such was the talent
and breeding of horses on the day,
that top trainer Gordon Elliott was
himself in attendance, supplying the
runner up ‘Zettabyte’ in the geldings
maiden denied by a short head by
the Dennison-owned, ‘Richhill’ and
was no doubt in search of future
talent. ‘Ballybentragh’ completed
the brace for the Templepatrickbased owner, with the pair trained by
Colin McKeever, while owner, Wilson
Dennison said: “Every one is for sale.”
The David Christie trained ‘Some
Man’, unlucky to slip up the previous
weekend at Crumlin, bounced back
to winning form, recording his fifth
win of the season partnered by Rob
James and is currently the top Irish
horse calculated on victories.
The Derrylin trainer said: “We’ll
have a think if there are any other
options available before the end of
the season.”
Numerous horses held chances
approaching the second last in the
mares maiden, but it was the Brian
Lawless partnered debutante ‘A Law
Of Her Own’ that kept on best in the
closing stages to score.
Rob James completed a double
when landing the final race of the
season on the Tony Martin trained,
‘Royal Juniper’. The Meath trainer
dominated the points scene for
decades before reaching the top level
of the trainer’s ranks and always
put fear into bookmakers at point to
points or on the course. It was good
to see him back and a winner in the
local region, where he was always a
name to follow.
RESULTS
Broughshane point to point
First Race: 1) Kinbara (Ben
Crawford) 5/1; 2) Ballystone; 3)
Tommy Cullen. 12 ran. 1/2 - 3.
Second Race: 1) Richhill (Cormac
Abernethy) 8/1; 2) Zettabyte; 3)
Cardamon Hill. 8 ran. short head - 2.
Third Race: 1) Ballybentragh
(Cormac Abernethy) 7/2; 2) Joseies
Dylan; 3) River box. 7 ran. 1 1/2 - 11.
Fourth Race: 1) A Law Of her Own
(Brian Lawless) 7/1; 2) Isabella Bee; 3)
Victoria Avenue. 8 ran. 1 - short head.
Fifth Race: 1) Some Man (Rob
James) 4/6 fav; 2) Vis Ta Loi; 3) Nick
Lost. 7 ran. 2 1/2 - 11.
Sixth Race: 1) Royal Juniper (Rob
James) 5/1; 2) Viking’s Way; 3)
Drumlee Brexit. 11 ran. 2 - 1 1/2.
‘Mister Bells’, while
favourite ‘Pat Coyne’
was never on terms.
Fahy said: “He’s
completely
ground
dependent
the
quicker the going,
the better. The owner
works for me and
led up the horse. We
might take him to
Britain, the likes of
Perth.”
The
concluding
bumper
provided
another shock 20/1
winner from 40/1,
when ‘Single Edition’
made every yard of
the race for trainer
Nigel
Slevin
and
jockey, Carl Millar.
Meanwhile
at
the Curragh, Mrs
Patricia Hunt whose
family have a very
long
association
with Down Royal
and
committee
members, saw her
star
‘Layfayette’
complete a hat-trick
of victories, winning
the very prestigious
Group 2 £120,000
Mooresbridge Stakes
for
trainer
Noel
Meade, with regular
rider Chris Hayes in
the saddle.
BALLYCLARE teenager, Sam Ewing will be
side-lined for six to eight weeks following
fracturing his pelvis in a fall from ‘Boing’ in
the handicap hurdle at Down Royal on May
Day.
The rider was removed to hospital, but
having spent several days in hospital, is
now recovering at home. Ewing missed out
on a winner when Conor Orr replaced him
aboard the Elliott trained, ‘Gallyhill’, which
won the Beginners Chase at the meeting.
The 18-year-old, who is a rising star of the
jump jockey ranks, is based with Gordon
Elliott and a product of the pony racing
circuit, having won both the major races
- the Dingle Derby and Golden Mile - prior
to being tutored by top flat trainer Ger
Lyons. Sam rode in excess of 60 winners
on the flat prior to deciding on his first
love as a National Hunt jockey, having
spent considerable time working with his
father, Warren with point to point horses,
but when his weight allows will still take
mounts on the level.
Warren Ewing, a former champion rider in
his day on the Northern circuit, who now
produces high class horses on the point to
point circuit and sells them to top trainers,
said at the weekend: “Sam will be out for six
to eight weeks having sustained a fractured
pelvis in the fall. While it’s a serious injury,
it could have been worse and while he’s
uncomfortable is in good form and can’t
wait to get back in action.”
Ewing Junior rode his first jumps winner
at the Lisburn course and has successfully
transferred his immense talent in the
saddle to jump racing and even got the
honour of riding dual Aintree Grand winner
‘Tiger Roll’ in a Navan flat for Elliott to add
to his CV.