Nina brings cheer to rain-sodden punters

Nina brings cheer to rain-sodden punters

13 June 2012 - by BY RAPHAEL MASON

A WET, miserable afternoon greeted racegoers to Downpatrick’s Bank Holiday meeting last Tuesday with the weather more akin to mid-February than early June.

 Tyrone trainer James Lambe saddled the first of his two winners on the afternoon when Daytime Dreamer arrived with a late challenge under English-based jockey Brian Hughes to get the better of favourite Bank The Bucks by half a length in the handicap hurdle.

Hughes was three lengths down in fifth place jumping the final flight and hit the front on the 9/1 chance in the dying strides with Black Rock Lake (6/1) close up in third under Tim Carroll.

Hughes and Lambe notched up their double in the handicap chase when 14/1 shot Kingsmoss got the better of 11/10 favourite Drumlister under Paul Townend by a nose with Robbie Colgan back in third on Ian Ferguson’s Fort View Wings.

Townend looked likely to reward favourite backers halfway up the straight but Kingsmoss kept on well under a driving Hughes to deny the Arthur Moore trained runner-up.

Fourteen runners faced the starter for the maiden hurdle with Wexford raider Good Time In Milan stepping up on recent form under jockey John Cullen for a two and a half lengths win for trainer Donal O’Brien.

Outsider Hu Ha Jo visited the winner’s enclosure for the first time in nearly four years in the Plenty To Do Handicap Hurdle. Jason McKeown and Clonsilla Affairs looked like giving the winner plenty to do racing down the hill at the three furlong marker but fell on the flat when looking a big danger to the winner.

Paul Carberry, on Noel Meade’s Athronan, stayed on under pressure without troubling the 25/1 winner, trained at Straffan in Kildare by D. J. Barry.

A good round of jumping certainly helped Shabra Charity’s effort in the beginners’ chase under jockey Matt Bowes. Oliver Brady’s Monaghan raider made her challenge at the third last and forged clear after the last to win by eight and a half lengths.

Former classy hurdler Aitmatov was among the field of runners but disappointed some way down the field in the hands of Paul Carberry.

Nina Carberry notched yet another Downpatrick victory when giving J P McManus’ Mount Sion a positive ride in the hunters’ chase.

Enda Bolger’s Limerick runner held a prominent position before taking the lead three fences out and responded well under pressure to deny Jason McKeown on Kanesh by just under three lengths.

Katie Walsh was fancied to land the ladies bumper on Shark O’Hanlon’s previous course runner-up Ironmill Lad but had to settle for second place when Adrienne Foley and 8/1 shot Superior Quality combined to thwart a late challenge by the runner-up by half a length.

Cosmic Wonder finished five and a half lengths back in third for Gordon Elliott in the hands of Nina Carberry.

The winner, trained at Loughbrickland by Neil McKnight, was stepping up on a good run at Tipperary last time out.

• Next meeting Friday, July 13.