Style galore at Downpatrick as sun shines on Ladies’ Day

31 August 2016

NOW firmly etched as the biggest event in the local social calendar, this year’s ladies’ day fare at Downpatrick Racecourse didn’t disappoint, with the ultimate in glitz and glamour on show alongside an array of fine hats, colourful dresses and gents in dapper suits.

The track opened a newly refurbished bar and held their prize-giving ceremonies for best dressed lady and gent in a specially adapted marquee which went down a treat to those who managed to pack into it and get a prime position as the winners were announced.

Celebrity judges Emma Carswell, the current Miss Northern Ireland, and Mr Ireland 2016, Darren King, were on hand to help chose the winners and it safe to say no-one among the bumper crowd envied their task.

However, once all decisions had been made, Stacey Caldwell from Banbridge was voted best dressed lady, winning herself a VIP trip to New York, while the best dressed gent award went to Chris Mallon who bagged himself a trip to Abu Dhabi for the Formula One Grand Prix.

The winner of a weekend to London for the best undo hairstyle went to Crossmaglen’s Colleen Burns.

On the track there were successes for local trainers Colin McBratney and Brian Hamilton.

Crossgar trainer McBratney helped get punters off to a great start when saddling Cathal McGovern’s Newry-owned 7/4 favourite Mountain Kingdom to win the maiden hurdle with Paul Townend doing the business in the saddle.

“I didn’t think he got up the hill here last time out, but Paul was confident all the way round that he’d get up the hill alright. He’s a good man to have on your side,” said McBratney in the winner’s enclosure.

Wexford trainer John Fogarty bashed the bookmakers when landing a big touch in the handicap hurdle with Tornado Watch who was having his first start for the trainer.

The Selkirk gelding was available at 25/1 early in the day and returned at 13/8 favourite following sustained market support throughout the day.

The trainer’s brother Mikey did the steering and pushed Tornado Watch to lead after the second last flight before racing clear up the hill seven lengths ahead of Ben Dalton on Maighnealta with Canny Tom third for Gordon Elliott.

The biggest roar of the day came towards the end of the second of the handicap hurdles when a trio of runners flashed past the post.

After judging the photo-finish the Wexford trained Coolfighter under David Splaine was announced the winner by a nose from Davy Russell on Our Brian and a short head back to Jack Kennedy on Rendezvous Peak.

Trainer Noel Dooly wasn’t convinced his runner had won but was delighted to see Coolfighter win his fourth hurdle race on the trot.

“I thought we were third as the other two were coming at him. He was half a length up with five strides to go and just managed to hold on. We’ll see how he is in a day or two and he might go to Listowel after that,” said Dooly.

The second local success came when Bertie Bell and Davy Russell combined to win the maiden hurdle for Ballynoe handler Brian Hamilton.

The booking of Russell for Bertie Bell caught the eye and punters who supported Hamilton’s runner in to 11/8 favourite at the off always had reason to believe they would collect as Russell exuded a confident demeanour aboard the Kalanisi gelding.

At the post the pair had just over a length in hand of Forever Dylan and Brian Hayes with a further twelve lengths back to Mikey Fogarty on No More Monkeys.

“Davy rode a winner for me a while back at Gowran Park and he’s a hard man to get. I rode against him a while back. He rode horses for James Lambe and once he turned professional I got the opportunity to ride James’ point-to-pointers and managed to win a championship,” said Hamilton in the winner’s enclosure.

Kilkenny trainer Mags Mullins saddled former Mervyn Torrens inmate Odit to win the beginners’ chase on his first start over steeplechase fences when battling up the home straight under jockey Danny Mullins to get the better of Noel Meade’s Wes Hardin who had looked a possible winner after the last fence.

The 11/4 favourite had a length in hand at the winning post and Mullins expressed herself well pleased with his effort.

“He has run well here on a couple of occasions and has a bit of scope for the larger obstacles so we’ll keep him at it,” she said.

The handicap chase went the way of Donagh Meyler who steered Arthur Moore’s 8/1 chance Mitebeall Forluck to a fourth career success when getting the better of James Larkin’s Louth raider House Limits (6/1) by a length and a quarter. Brian Hayes and Tisamystery were half a length back in third for Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead.

There were only five runners for the day’s concluding race, the Racing Post Flat Race, with plenty of on-course whispers for three of the runners.

Local jockey Declan Lavery took the mount on Jonathan Fogarty’s Get It Back who was well supported to add to Tornado Watch’s earlier success while Bridge Native (5/4 favourite) had plenty of market confidence with the booking of Katie Walsh looking significant.

However, the other ‘whisper’ took the honours with John McConnell’s Meath-trained Fourknocks coming with a well timed run up the centre of the home straight to earn Stamullen jockey Tom Reilly his first track winner, coming seven and a half years after riding his only point-to-point winner for McConnell.

Fourknocks was bred locally at Tullymurry by Kevin Maginn and he was on hand to lead the horse into the winners’ enclosure.

Next meeting: Friday, September 23.

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