Profitable day for punters at Tyrella point-to-point meet

11 March 2020

THE East Down Hunt’s second point-to-point meeting of the season took place at David Corbett’s Estate at Tyrella on Saturday when, despite the recent wet weather, conditions were good.

The meeting proved to be a good one for local owners, trainers and riders as they won four of the six races.

One of the most exciting races of the day, despite only four going to post, was the Adjacent Hunt race, sponsored by William McDowell, of Seaforde, in memory of his father, Tom and Stephen Magee in memory of his father, Joe, who used to make a habit of winning the race.

Notable that the previous evening at Dundalk, Stephen just failed to record his first success as a trainer when his Above Us Only Sky was just beaten by a head at 16/1.

In the hunt race, Ballynoe jockey Ross McLeigh, as he did when winning on the Liam Gibney-owned grey, Dento Des Obeaux, at the recent North Down meeting, set out to make the running, but with three fences to take was chased by another North Down winner in Double Smart, Declan Lavery’s only ride of the day.

The leader, who was jumping well, held the advantage until the closing stages when Lavery drove his mount home for victory with Dento Des Obeaux followed home by Aaron Stronge’s Kraken Tale and Sam Hanna’s Is This It.

The winner is owned by Ards’ couple Stephen and Yvonne Pearson, and is trained in Downpatrick by Paddy Turley, who was winning the race for the second year in succession.

Six of the eight entries took part in the Robert McCoubrey Memorial winner of three race and here, Well Bill, runner-up to Like A Demon at the January meeting at the venue, reversed the placings with Evalabrune D’or and Lee Byrne back in third.

Owned by Armagh’s Clare Watson, the winner is trained by her son Marshal, who was at Gowran Park with one of his stable runners.

This horse is one of only two pointers in the stable, both now having won in recent weeks. For winning rider, Daire McConville, from Portadown, it was an eighth winner between the flags.

Twelve went to post in the Bluegrass and Dengie 5-6 mares maiden race and here we had a smooth winner in Ballela in the colours of Banbridge owner, Liam Cosgrove, who bought the horse back in August 2018.

Trained at Katesbridge by his brother, Gerry, the winner was ridden by Mark O’Hare in what was his only ride of the day.

Going by Gerry, the winner, who likes any going, will now be sold.

Interesting that Liam, who bred Apinchofluck, now owned and trained by Gerry Quinn, the former jockey, fell early in the race.

Second place went to Mullaghmore Wave, trained by Alan Fleming, no longer the private trainer to Barry Connell, with Res Judicata third.

Eleven went to post in the Irish National Hung chase committee six year-old and upwards maiden race for novice riders and here, Tardreee, in the colours of Templepatrick owner, Wilson Dennison, was sent into a long, clear lead and was always well clear as he came home by 15 lengths from Gigiplan Two Seven, ridden by Cathal McCormick, on his second local ride of the day.

Red Lion, owned and trained by Co Antrim’s Richard Irwin was third. The winner is trained at the owner’s estate by Colin McKeever and was ridden by Ballymena’s Paddy McGuigan for his second success. To me, he is a rider that deserves to get more rides than he does at at present.

Largest field of the day was the 16 runner Albert Bartlett maiden race and as a result of a false start, all riders received a two-day ban.

Victory went to Oscar Elite, trained in Wexford by Cormac Doyle and ridden by his stable jockey, James Hendrick, the combination winning from the Warren Ewing-owned and trained Here We Have it, ridden by Jordan Gainford, now riding the majority of his winners.

There was a dead heat for third between Tommy’s Oscar and Pasvolsky, Chumlee and Dan Nevin were unlucky to be carried out by a posse horse when still in the lead.

Six of the 12 entries went to post in the Dennison Commercials four year-olds auction race and only three finished, victory going to Greenrock Abbey, owned and trained by Wexford’s Denis Murphy.

Monkstreet was second ahead of Bolamore Bridge. No less than 59 horses took part in schooling after the last race.

Among the best turned out in all races, courtesy of Glencairn Stables, were locals Robyn McCluskey, from Dromara and Sam Dickson, both involved with Colin McBratney yard at Raffrey. Acting stewards were Max and Margaret Ervine, James Armstrong and David Aiken.

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