BOOK your place today, and pre-booking is essential, if you are interested in attending any of the course-specific Open Days at one of the CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise) campuses next week (Tuesday, October 6th to Saturday, October 10th).

The campus best known in the horse world is Enniskillen where, at their Open Day next Saturday, one can learn about their wide range of equine courses on a campus that is equipped with excellent facilities from three specialist yards to a modern rider performance hub. Study is available from Level 2 to BSc (Hons) Degree with options to study full-time, part-time, through an apprenticeship or online.

If you have a passion for food innovation and technology, check out the Open Day at Loughry Campus, Cookstown next Tuesday. There are many opportunities for study, from full-time Level 3, Foundation Degree or Honours Degree courses to industry-based apprenticeship training.

If you are interested in horticulture and looking for opportunities in the land-based sector, then book in for the Open Day at Greenmount Campus, Antrim next Wednesday when you can also learn about Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in floristy and veterinary nursing. On Friday next, you can explore CAFRE’s Honours Degree and Foundation Degree options in agriculture.

CAFRE have courses to suit school leavers at Year 12 or Year 14, career changers and lifelong learners.

Year 12 students are encouraged to apply early to be considered for a Level 2 or Level 3 course in agriculture, equine, floristry, food, horticulture, land-based engineering or veterinary nursing starting in September 2027.

For Year 14 students completing UCAS applications and planning course options for September 2027, the Open Week provides a great opportunity to find out about degree level study, as CAFRE offers Ulster University-validated Foundation and Honours Degrees in agriculture, equine, food and horticulture.

For more information on Open Week and to book, visit the events section of www.cafre.ac.uk

THE 2026/2027 point-to-point season commences today with the Mid Antrim meeting at Toomebridge, venue for the first fixture of the 2016/2017 campaign when local regional handlers only won two of the six races.

Colin McKeever struck in the opening four-year-old maiden with the Wilson Dennison-owned, Derek O’Connor-ridden Prairienative, while Ray McGlinchey saddled his wife Mary’s Smiling Jessica to land the following five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden in the hands of Jamie Codd.

The latter doubled up in the open on the Jim Dreaper-trained, Alan Potts-owned Sizing Solution, with another Co Meath trainer, Dermot McLoughlin, legging Mark O’Hare up on Thomas Carey’s Hazinowings who landed the winners of one.

Ten years earlier, the season had begun at Loughbrickland on October 7th, with the Mid Antrims running the following Saturday, when Jamie Codd and Andrew Kinirons partnered a winner apiece.

However, local riders dominated with wins for Jimmy Henry, Noel Hynds, James Smyth (on appeal) and James Gault.

Oliver has double win celebrations

THE final flat meeting of the year at Down Royal on Monday was marked by a double, in his own colours, for trainer Andy Oliver and another for jockey Paddy McGettigan.

The former landed both divisions of the Pravha Handicap with the Billy Lee-ridden 11/4 favourite No More Hiding and the Ben Coen-partnered 4/1 shot Connecteo.

Oliver had also been on the mark at the Curragh two days earlier, when the Gary Carroll-ridden Saxony Charms made it fifth time lucky in the concluding Equiwinner Patches Fillies Maiden over a mile and one. The Saxon Warrior three-year-old is owned by Oliver and Team Valor International.

Back to Down Royal, where McGettigan initiated his double in the seven-furlong Molson Coors Beverage Company Handicap on the Ado McGuinness-trained Minaun View, who scored by half a length in the colours of Co Down’s Conor Kelly. He brought it up in the Molson Coors Beverage Handicap on Pillar Of Hope, who scored by four and a half lengths for his Co Donegal owner/trainer Paul Sweeney.

End of Downpatrick season

WHILE the team at Down Royal have now turned their attention to their BetVictor Festival of Racing (October 30th and 31st), the team at Downpatrick are getting ready for their End Of Season Raceday on Friday next, October 9th.

Sam Ewing won the Listed Listowel Races Supporters Club Lartigue Hurdle last Thursday week on the Ray Cody-trained Game Point, while Luke McAteer was on the mark the following evening at Dundalk where he landed the opening six-furlong claiming maiden on the David Marnane-trained three-year-old San Giulio, who was a 40/1 shot on his second start.

On Sunday, Orán McGill had the rare pleasure of riding a winner under Rules of Racing at the Curragh, where he partnered the Aidan Howard-trained Fianna to victory in the concluding Kwiff Superchanged Betting (QR) Handicap over a mile and two. The following day at Roscommon, Simon Torrens rode Howard’s charge Inver Bay to win the near two-mile handicap hurdle.

British winners

ON the flat in England, Darragh Keenan recorded a treble at Southwell on Saturday and Barry McHugh rode a winner at Hamilton on Monday.

Under National Hunt rules, it was a good week for Brian Hughes, who recorded a hat-trick at Perth last Thursday week, partnered one winner at Market Rasen on Saturday and landed a double at Sedgefield on Tuesday.

The final leg of his Perth treble came in the Equine Products UK Best Turned Out Handicap Chase on the Gail Kidd-bred seven-year-old gelding Upfordebate (Mount Nelson - Mrs Peachey, by Brian Boru).

Peter FitzGerald’s colours were carried to victory on Monday at Roscommon on the home-bred four-year-old filly Culldoo (Doctor Dino - Paradia, by Authorized).

There was a win on Tuesday at Sedgefield for the Margaret McKenna-bred four-year-old gelding Red Shea (Crystal Ocean - Lady Rene, by Leading Counsel).

The Colin Kennedy-bred three-year-old gelding King Cherry (King Of Change - Nefetari, by Kodiac) then won at Kempton on Wednesday.

In addition to local owners mentioned elsewhere, the McElholm Family Syndicate’s El Domino won at Cork on Tuesday and there were winners at Sligo on Wednesday for the Patrick Carberry-owned Only For Our Man and the Conor McGlone-owned Chanceawetmorning.

McKenna takes the plaudits down under

MANY congratulations to racehorse owner, and sometimes leader-upper, Conor McKenna (see also P51) who became the first player to win two AFL Premiership titles as Brisbane Lions beat the Fremantle Dockers (96-89) in the Grand Final at the MCG in Melbourne last Saturday.

Before a crowd of 100,023 at the famed cricket ground, McKenna scored another exceptional goal from a bouncing ball, which had the television commentators lauding the Tyrone native. “That’s a goal! Unbelievable! Freakish McKenna... Well, he’s a freak. He won goal of the year for a similar goal. He kicked a better one last week and that might be the best of them.”

Thirty-year-old McKenna, who won an All-Ireland medal for Tyrone in 2021, says he intends to play on down under, but will hardly contest a match as exciting as this year’s final as the Lions were losing by 17 points with three minutes to go, but somehow managed to win their third title in a row.

Shortly after the final hooter, McKenna had to save his trainer father Pat from security, who weren’t all that impressed with his hurdling technique onto the pitch.