Lightning Bolt to strike in style at Downpatrick

Lightning Bolt to strike in style at Downpatrick

3 June 2015

A FORMER Crossgar footballing favourite is thriving in the ‘Sport of Kings’.

Niall McCarthy, who starred for Kilmore Rec in the Amateur League and for Loughinisland GAC, has turned his attention in recent years to horse racing and he has his sights set on taking one of his horses, Mister Bolt, to the Foxhunters’ Chase at Aintree next April.

The 10 year-old gelding has won his last seven races and has been crowned joint champion point-to-pointer in Ulster.

The target now for the horse is the hunters’ chase at Downpatrick under rules this Friday night and what a night for the McCarthy clan that could be.

Mister Bolt is trained at Cabra by Sean McParlan and Niall is at the stables every morning before most of us are out of bed to ride his and other horses out and he couldn’t be happier.

“Horse racing is and always has been my first love,” he enthused. “I enjoyed playing football, but there is nothing to beat the buzz of a horse coming to the last fence with a chance of winning the race. 

“My only wish every time one of the horses runs is that he will come back safely. Winning is nice, very nice, but the safety of the horse is much. much more important.

Expect the rafters to be lifted at Downpatrick this Friday night if Mister Bolt and jockey Noel McParlan come up the hill on the last circuit with an unbeatable lead.