STUART Crawford sent out 10 runners between last Thursday week and Wednesday just past and while most of them ran well, only one had her head in front where it mattered, Mongibello, who landed the mares’ ‘National Hunt’ novices’ hurdle at Perth last Thursday week.

That Authorized seven-year-old ran in the double green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede as did the three ‘Green’ horses Crawford saddled in the Goffs Defender Bumper on Tuesday at Punchestown where Green Hint finished second under Stephen Connor.

He may not have had the rub of the green himself, but the former Crawford-trained Jasmin De Vaux did land the Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle at the Co Kildare track on Wednesday for Munir and Souede and Willie Mullins.

Also on the training front, Noel Kelly’s charge Turkey And Ham struck for the Strange Coalition Syndicate on Thursday at Kilbeggan where, the following evening, the Mark McNiff-trained Joe’s Turn landed the extended three-mile handicap hurdle.

A lot seemed to happen last Thursday week including at Bangor where the Tilly Conway-bred 10-year-old gelding Digby (Tobougg – Calissee, by Ocean Of Wisdom) won the three-mile handicap chase.

At Southwell last Sunday, the five-furlong handicap was won by the Andrew McNally-bred four-year-old gelding Ziggy’s Missile (Blue Point – Shafaani, by Green Desert).

Northern winners in the saddle

BALLYMOTE native Darragh Keenan was the jockey to follow this week as he partnered five winners between last Saturday and Wednesday, landing a double at Wetherby on Sunday from just two rides

Also on the flat in Britain, Patsy Cosgrave rode three winners while Oisin Orr struck twice.

At home, Dylan Browne McMonagle partnered four winners over last Friday and Saturday, recording a treble on Friday at Limerick for his boss Joseph O’Brien who also provided him with his winning ride at Navan on Saturday in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farm EBF Salsabil Stakes on Wemightakedelongway.

Jumps season

Over jumps across the water, Danny McMenamin partnered a winner last Thursday week at Perth, which brought his seasonal total to 70, while Caoilin Quinn moved on to the 29-win mark when scoring on the weights in the opening two races on Saturday at Sandown. Brian Hughes signed off for the 2024-25 campaign with 80 wins to his credit.

In mentioning Sandown, we should acknowledge the input of Harold Kirk into Willie Mullins’s achievement of holding on to the British champion trainer’s title.

On the home scene, Deckie Lavery won the bumper on Thursday at Kilbeggan where, the following afternoon, Jody McGarvey, who later in the week announced his retirement from the saddle, was on the mark in the opening maiden hurdle.

With no local point-to-point last weekend, there were no locally-owned and/or trained winners to write about.

However, we must make reference to Downpatrick’s Toni Quail landing the winners of two at Ballysteen on Saturday for her boss Sam Curling which sees her in joint-top spot in the leading lady riders’ table with five wins.

TRAINERS Jamie Sloan and Noel Kelly are listed among the sponsors of tomorrow’s Mid Antrim point-to-point at Toomebridge, a fixture which in 2005 was held at Loughanmore where the concluding six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden was split to give a seven-race card.

Both divisions were won by horses partnered by southern riders, the first half going by three lengths to the Andrew Lynch-ridden Aghawonan while Jim Keeling guided Our Fella to a six-length victory in division two. The four and five-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of the William McLernon-ridden Full Kwai Ma.

Brian Hamilton recorded a double in the two mares’ maidens, landing the four and five-year-old opener on Ring Street Roller and the six-year-old and upwards maiden with Smilingvalentine. There were wins also for Daniel Millar, on Sett Aside in the confined winners’ of two, and for Rachel McGuigan who partnered Eglish to victory in the open.

Spring 2015

The Mid Antrims moved to Broughshane for the first time in the spring of 2015 when two riders recorded doubles. Derek O’Connor landed the adjacent hunts maiden on the Stuart Crawford-trained Merrydown Black and the winners of two with the Norman Lee-trained Festive Day.

Noel McParlan matched that feat on Ian Ferguson’s charge Kinley in the five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden and, in the open, on Mr Bolt who was trained by his father Sean. Jamie Codd landed the opening four-year-old maiden on Born Survivor, who was trained by his late brother William, while Paul McAleese gave Paul Power the leg up on his five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden winner Kinnacally.

THE amazing phenomenon that sees no racing locally for weeks and then there’s two northern meetings close together will raise its head again next week, starting on Bank Holiday Monday with the Club Mixers/Student May Day Races fixture at Down Royal.

Last year, the final two races on the card, the C&C White Maiden Hunters’ Chase and the Energise (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race, were won by the Caroline McCaldin-trained Ballyphilip and Stuart Crawford’s charge Marlacoo while Coleraine native Jody McGarvey landed the Club Orange Beginners’ Chase on the 9/4 favourite Magic Tricks.

Don’t forget, there’s racing next Friday evening at Downpatrick where there’ll probably be Club Mixers and students as well.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t one locally-trained or ridden winner at this fixture last year so there’s a record that can be greatly improved.