Locals win big at races

Locals win big at races

23 November 2022

DESPITE recent wet weather, the course at the North Down meeting at Kirkistown on Saturday was in good order.

The meeting, the last of the Autumn season in the northern region, proved to be a good one for locals as they won five of the six races on the card.

First race of the day was the Dennison Commercials four year-old Maiden race and saw 13 of the 29 entries go to post.

Well fancied to win on his debut at the East Antrim meeting in October when finishing fourth, The Hero Next Door, ridden by Downpatrick jockey Deckie Laverty, was always up with the race.

He kept on well to beat Wilson Dennison’s Kerryhill, ridden by his stable-jockey Cormac Abernethy.

Well adrift in third was Peter Flood’s Sally Attwell, ridden by Paul Bannon.

The winner is owned by Mary Turley, wife of winning trainer Paddy, recording his first success of the season from very few runners.

The Tattersalls NH five year-old Geldings race provide a good close finish with just a neck separating the first two past the judge Trevor Armstrong.

Victory went to the Claire Crawford owned Round the Square, ridden by the popular Larne jockey Ben Crawford and trained by his older brother Stuart.

Second here was the Barry O’Neil ridden Gordon Elliott trained Zettabyte.

Well back in third was another Crawford trained runner Langdale Lane, a first runner for Belfast owner Peita McAlister, this one ridden by Stephen Connor.

Peita is the daughter of the late well known owner Seamus, (nine ran).

A neck also separated the first two past the judge in the Dunlop Homes winner of one race.

Victory here went to Global Assembly, in the colours of Belfast bookie Ray Nicholas.

Second here was the always up with the pace Wearelongterm, ridden by Barry O’Neil.

The only other finisher was Dromara owner Alan McCaldin’s Ballymagee, ridden by Noel McParlan.

The winner was the only ride of the day for the highly rated Wexford jockey Rob James.

David Christie trains the winner at Derrylin.

A good week for David and Ray as their charge Ferns Lock, ridden by Barry O’Neil won the first Hunters Chase of the 

season at Fairyhouse on Tuesday at the age of five, so one to follow.

In the Wilson’s Auctions Mares Maiden race, the closing stages saw a battle between Intersky Sunset and Visible Attraction for honours with the former just proving best at the post.

Yet another second on the day for the rider of Visible Attraction Barry O’Neill, who later had to pay two visits to the steward’s trailer resulting in a three-day ban. 

The winner is owned and trained at Templepatrick by Karen McNeilly, a sister-in-law to top owner/trainer Warren Ewing.

Dara McGill, the successful rider, was recording his fifth winner of the season.

Time for Joy took third for trainer Ross Crawford, ridden by Stephen Connor.

The James Murdock Contracts Open race saw a good class line up of ten taken part with victory going to the recent Loughbrickland winner January Jets, in the colours of Shane Wilson, ridden again by Derek O’Connor.

The Graham McKeever trained runner proved to be the ready winner over Hardline, ridden by Luke Gallagan, looking for his first winner.

Dylrow, owned and trained by David Christie took third ridden by Barry O’Neill.

Sean McParlan’s Le Malin took four under Deckie 

Lavery with Noel McParlan riding the race sponsor’s Welsh Saint.

The final race on the card was the older horses Maiden race sponsored by Bar-Owe Racing.

Here we had the only non-local success of the day with the Claire O’Connell runner O’Connell, with Paul Bannon in the saddle wining in good style over Sean McParlan’s Drumlee Brexit, and Captain Cal, ridden by Eoghan Finnegan.

A welcome success for the Co Meath trainer.

Best turned out in all races courtesy of Franco Hughes away bookmaker at point-to-point.

Acting stewards: David Aiken, Raymond Martin and Robert Steele.

At Haydock on Saturday Downpatrick jockey Caoilin Quinn recorded his biggest success to date when he rode Botox Has to victory in the Betfair Stayers Hurdle.

The winner is trained by Gary Moore with whom Caoilin is now based and this was his second success of the week.