Carberrys give Elliott big double

Carberrys give Elliott big double

14 March 2012

BROTHER and sister Paul and Nina Carberry combined to give Meath trainer Gordon Elliott a double on the first of Downpatrick’s two meetings this month.

Not for the first time, a recent skiing accident resulted in the mercurial Paul having to endure a few weeks on the sidelines, but showed he was back to his best with a confident winner in the run-up to a big week in the Cotswolds for the Cheltenham Festival.

Elliott’s recent Musselburgh winner, Oscar Hill, was a warm order for the novice handicap hurdle sponsored by Denis and Patricia Tumelty of the Roadhouse Bar in Ballyalton and supporters of the 5/4 favourite knew they had backed a winner a long way from home.

Carberry set off in front as the tapes went up and built up a massive lead by the halfway stage. Things got no better for the chasing pack, who made little impression at the business end of the race, allowing Carberry to ease to a 31 lengths success from the Philip Rothwell-trained Mylerstown.

Elliott’s double came in the bumper and this time Nina Carberry was in the saddle for another wide-margin success when odds-on chance Spring Lane (4/5) coasted to a 16 lengths success, going one better than when finishing runner-up in a recent Catterick bumper.

Ballymena trainer Ian Ferguson saddled Leighnmohr to land a narrow head success in the opening race on the card with jockey Ben Dalton seen to good effect in the saddle when driving the five-year-old gelding to victory over 25/1 chance Carsonstown Bridge under Martin Burke. The runner-up held a two lengths advantage jumping the final flight, but a sloppy jump proved costly with Seriatim taking third spot for Larne trainer Roy Wilson.

“He’s won a point-to-point, a bumper and showed he can battle when winning today.

The ground is the key to his chances as he doesn’t like it too soft,” said winning trainer Ferguson in the winners’ enclosure.

Charlie’s Vic was a heavily backed favourite in the mares’ novice hurdle for Draperstown trainer Noel Hynds, despite carrying a penalty following an eye-catching success at Punchestown last time out. Jockey Derek Fox sent the chestnut daughter of Old Vic to the front around the halfway stage and kept enough in reserve to win by four lengths from Nanna Maura and Eddie O’Connell.

It often pays to keep on the side of previous course winners at Downpatrick and Call Box showed his form lines around the track to be worth noting when rewarding favourite backers in the handicap hurdle. Ben Crawford’s mount drifted across to the stands’ rail on the run up the hill, but never looked like losing. The winner will now be aimed at the Ulster Grand National back at Downpatrick later in the month.

Ryanair owner Michael O’Leary’s top stable stars will be bidding for Cheltenham glory during each day of the Festival and the Gigginstown House Stud machine visited the winners’ enclosure once more courtesy of the Paul Nolan trained Undone who had half a length to spare when denying favourite Sky Pilot in the maiden hurdle under Mick Doran.

• Next meeting: Ulster National, Sunday, March 25.