UNLIKE last Saturday at Hazeldene, where there was a class restricted to thoroughbreds, the bluebloods have to take on their sport horse counterparts today at Tullymurry, which is just down the road from Downpatrick, and 10 will be doing so across the grades.
These include the Gilchrist family’s nine-year-old mare Millstream Mahler (Mahler - Millstream Express, by Presenting) who, on 26.5 penalties, won last week’s class. The bay ran unplaced in two bumpers, a maiden hurdle and four point-to-points between early April 2021 and late April 2022, when trained by Hugh Finegan.
The former Stuart Crawford-trained pair Woodbury Tampa (by Born To Sea) and Kingfisher Lane (by Court Cave), finished second (29) and third (34.6) respectively, under Anna Sloan and Lucca Stubington, in the Treo Eile-sponsored nine-runner class.
In open company, the best result recorded by a thoroughbred at Hazeldene came in the EI90, where Abby Cummiskey finished second on Getaway Stevie. This unraced six-year-old gelding by Getaway was bred by Aaron Metcalfe out of his King’s Theatre mare Fox Theatre.
Down Royal becomes live music venue
DOWN Royal is set to bring together the thrill of live racing and a top-class DJ set finale with the launch of Racing and Raving, an exciting race evening sponsored by Ampion Electrical Testing and Solar, taking place on Friday next, July 17th. Once the last race has run, the racecourse will transform into a live music venue for all racegoers, with Richie Blacker taking to the stage at 8.30pm for a two-hour set, bringing the curtain down on the evening in style.
This new fixture is designed to offer racegoers the best of both worlds, competitive racing followed by a lively, festival-style atmosphere, making it an ideal night out for friends, families and colleagues alike. Chloe Ferris, Commercial Director at Down Royal, said: “We’re delighted to launch Racing and Raving, in partnership with Ampion Testing. It’s a fresh addition to our racing calendar and a great excuse to stay on after the last race for a great night out. With Richie Blacker headlining, we’re expecting a brilliant atmosphere, and we’d encourage racegoers to make a full evening of it.”
Conor Kelly, Director at Ampion Electrical Testing and Solar said: “Ampion is really pleased to be sponsoring Racing and Raving at Down Royal. It’s exactly the kind of event we love being part of. We can’t wait to see everyone there.”
‘Doggie’ Royal daytime next month
LOOKING further ahead, Dog Royal, sponsored by Gain Elite, is returning to Down Royal on Sunday, August 9th.
This family-friendly event invites dog lovers of all ages from across Northern Ireland to come together and celebrate their furry companions in style.
Dog Royal promises a jam-packed programme of activities for four-legged friends and their owners alike.
The day will feature flyball demonstrations, gun dog demonstrations and scent demonstrations, offering something for every dog and every owner to enjoy. Beyond the canine competitions, attendees can browse a range of shopping stalls, enjoy a variety of food and refreshments, and soak up the atmosphere of one of Northern Ireland’s most beloved racing venues.
Dog Royal is the perfect summer day out for the whole family, with dogs very much included.
Healthy and happy
Hannah Morgan, Business Manager at Gain Elite said: “At Gain Elite, we are passionate about the health and happiness of pets across Ireland, and Dog Royal is a wonderful opportunity to bring that passion to life.
“We are thrilled to sponsor such a fantastic community event at Down Royal Racecourse and look forward to celebrating the incredible bond between dogs and their owners with everyone who joins us on the day.”
Emma Meehan, CEO at Down Royal said: “Dog Royal is one of our most popular events in the calendar here at Down Royal and we can’t wait to welcome dog lovers back again this August.
“Whether you’re coming for the flyball demonstrations, the scent demos, or just a day out with your dog, there is something here for everyone. We are extremely grateful to Gain Elite for their support and look forward to a fantastic day.”
Jump jockeys keep among the winners
IT was a quiet week on the racing front for locally-born/connected jockeys, especially on the National Hunt front with just Derek Fox, Caoilin Quinn and Danny McMenamin riding winners at Perth last Thursday week, at Market Rasen on Sunday and at Uttoxeter on Tuesday respectively.
Also across the water, but on the level, Darragh Keenan visited the winner’s enclosure at Yarmouth last Thursday week and at Brighton on Tuesday, while Oisin Orr was on the scoreboard at Doncaster last Friday and at Ripon on Monday. Paddy Bradley recorded just the one win, which was at Lingfield on Monday. At home, it was a quiet enough period for Dylan Brown McMonagle, who only partnered two winners and they were both at Naas on Saturday. There were single successes for Paddy McGettigan (at Bellewstown on Friday) and Luke McAteer (at Tramore on Tuesday).
Downpatrick going up and at it
EVEN reading the list of activities taking place during next Tuesday’s Family Raceday at Downpatrick left me exhausted, so we imagine there will be a few wrecked minds and bodies among the racecourse team on Wednesday!
Many activities are free, thanks to sponsorship from J. Murdoch Contracts (Animal Magic Pet Corner, CAFRE (Horse Education Centre), Anglo Printers (indoor activities all day), Tullyraine Equine Clinic (children’s show jumping) and Fibrus Broadband (penalty shootout)). Hopefully, there will be better results on the track for local owners, trainers and jockeys this year compared to 12 months ago, when that number was a big, fat zero.