Powell delighted with first success

Powell delighted with first success

6 March 2024

THRILLS and spills were the order of the day at a cold but dry day at Tyrella on Saturday when the East Down Foxhounds held their second meeting of the season.

The final race on the seven race card was the INHSC Maiden Race for six year-old and upwards race for novice riders.

This race provided a great finish between two locally owned and trained horses in Hymie Weiss and Some Bro with only a neck between the duo as they passed the judge Peter Stewart. Kakadu Park and Alan Harney were back in third.

Hymic Weiss was providing 20 year-old Eoin Powell from Camlough with his first winning ride. 

Eoin had his first ride at last year’s Newry meeting and this was only his seventh ride having finished on all these rides.

The winner was purchased by Eoin’s father Patrick for his son to ride and this was his first success as an owner.

The winner is trained at Newry by Liam Lennon and it was great that Liam was able to be present for his first success in some time.

Liam spent a period in hospital last year so had not been able to attend meetings recently.

Dromara trainer Caroline McCaldin has her charges in fine form at present and she added another two to her tally for the season.

Only three took part in the Robert McCoubrey winner of two race and here Noel McParlan made every post a winning one on Slievehill, that won at the previous meeting for McCaldin and her owner husband Alan.

Always second best was Divilskin, ridden by Barry O’Neil with Erin Dunseith well back on Knocky.

This was McParlan’s tenth winner of the season on the local circuit, three ahead of the suspended Dara McGill.

The McCaldin double came in the Tasca Tankers adjacent winners race when Ballybrittas won in the colours of her father Wilson Dennison, ridded by Oran McGill.

Ballybrittas that also won at the previous meeting proved too good for recent North Down winner Voleur De Terres and Noel McParlan.

Penthouse Poppet took third after rider Shane Cotter made an amazing recovery at the final fence, this one owned by Crossgar’s Kerri McBratney, the other two runners were pulled up.

The F S Herron five/six year-old Mares Maiden race saw a good finish with Gordon Elliott’s only runner of the day Ocean Bay prevailing by a neck over Anni Don, ridden by Jack Henderick with Mrs Mc Go back in third.

The winner provided rider Harry Swan with his first local success between the flags, he is a son of former champion jockey Charlie Swan.

Twelve took part in the opening Dennison Commercials four year-old maiden race and here record breaking point-to-point jockey Derek O’Connor drove his wife Carol’s Baldwin the Brave that he also trains home ahead of City of Diamonds, ridden by Barrie Stone with Cher Monsieur back in third.

With 19 of the 25 entries declared in the G Curran and Co Accountants five/six year old geldings maiden race it was divided.

The first division saw Bold Fury owned and trained at Craigavon by Ross Crawford, the mount of Tom Killeff, make the running.

Still clear over the last, the leader crashed out when looking sure to win.

Bad luck on Tom as this would have been his first winner, it’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow somebody good and victory went to Gone With Tide, ridden by Barry Stone for David O’Brien.

Second home was Bold Recruit in Warren Ewing’s colours, Daytime Friends third.

In the second division, jockey Eoin Mahon recorded his first local success when Our Shane, trained by former jump jockey Ian McCarthy for Hilltown owner Gary O’Hagan, got home two lengths ahead of Dark Solider, ridden by Brian Lawless.

The Clonmel Kid, a rare ride by Rob James for Warren Ewing, third.

Best turned out in all races courtesy of Glencairn Stables.

It was good to see former secretary David Stanford present also Mrs Brownlow over from Portaferry.

Thanks once again to the Corbett family for the use of their premises over the past 60 years.

This Saturday the first race is at 1.30pm at the North Down meeting at Kirkistown.