YOU don’t have to think too hard about what to do next Friday as there’s racing at Downpatrick where the Northern Region of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is taking advantage of the occasion to hold their 2024 awards lunch.

Relatively locally-based, Patricia Hunt and Liam Cosgrave both bred winners on this card last year.

One of these, Tell Nobody Nothin, who landed the opening maiden hurdle, was ridden by Sam Ewing while the other, Portnacoo, was trained by Harry Smyth.

Last Friday at Down Royal, where there was racing again last evening, there were no locally-bred equine winners while the only locally-bred human to strike was Simon Torrens who landed the Hovis Ireland Mares Maiden Hurdle on the 2/1 favourite, Arctic Flame.

There were locally-bred winners elsewhere. At Wexford on Friday, the two and a half-mile handicap chase was won by the Kieran Magee-bred seven-year-old gelding Battle Of Ridgeway (Califet - Scent With Love, by Winged Love) who was ridden by Liam McKenna.

At the Curragh on Saturday, the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race supported by Ballylinch Stud was won by the Andrew McNally-bred four-year-old filly Mo Ghille Mar (Zoffany - First Love, by Galileo).

The following afternoon at Brighton, the concluding At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap over seven furlongs was won by the Pat Turley-bred eight-year-old gelding Amathus (Anjaal - Effige, by Oratorio).

On the jockey scene, there was a win for Patsy Cosgrave at Chelmsford on Thursday week last and one for Luke McAteer at Tipperary on Sunday.

Across the water last week, Oisin Orr has been riding his share of winners lately, including one on Friday at Newcastle, where QuinnBet was the title sponsor. He also visited the winner’s enclosure once at Wolverhampton on Tuesday and twice at Hamilton on Wednesday.

The in-form Dylan Browne McMonagle brought his 2025 tally in this country to 73 on Monday at Roscommon where he landed the opening extended seven-furlong conditions race for two-year-olds on the Joseph O’Brien-trained 7/4 favourite, Summer Is Tomorrow.

TRAINERS and handlers are reminded of the deadline for the lodgement of hunter certificates for the first two Northern Region meetings of the 2025/26 point-to-point season.

If you’re planning on running a horse at Toomebridge on Saturday, October 4th, the certs need to be lodged with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board by the close of business on Monday week, September 15th.

If you’re waiting for the fixture at Portrush on Saturday, October 11th, then the deadline is Monday, September 22nd.

THE Newtownabbey-based Kevin Ross Bloodstock purchased a number of recent winners for Paul and Clare Rooney starting with Sticktoyourguns, a two-year-old Without Parole colt who landed a seven-furlong maiden on his debut at Sandown last Friday.

At the same track the following afternoon, A Bit Of Spirit recorded his third win from five starts when justifying favouritism in the Group 3 BetMGM Solario Stakes for two-year-olds by a nose. Then, at Southwell on Tuesday, the Rooneys’ colours were carried to victory in a mile handicap by another market-leader, Run With It.

SOMEHOW, I managed to miss the fact that the 10th annual St Patrick’s Coast Endurance Ride took place last Sunday when there was much appreciated sponsorship from equestrian companies and others.

The organisers noted the following:- The weather, though a little windy, stayed dry all day; about 100 riders took on the 16km and 32km courses for pleasure riders and the 32km, 40km and 64km courses for competitive riders; the beach section on the 32km route gave riders truly stunning views.

There were smiles on every face all day, exactly what this ride is all about; nearly 80 volunteers helped with road crossings and countless other duties; nearly 50 farmers and landowners gave access to their land; the racecourse at Downpatrick once again gave riders the privilege of finishing up the track - after the recent wet weather this was an honour not taken for granted. The evening was one for the books with a pig roast to beat all pig roasts while well over 100 farmers, landowners, stewards, riders and partners joined the organisers for the prize-giving celebration.

NOTED here previously but not aired at the time, the three-part Sky Original documentary Death Of A Showjumper detailing the death of Katie Simpson and the trial of Jonathan Creswell, will launch on Sky Documentary (9pm) and NOW tomorrow evening.

IF you want a bit of exercise today, to get yourself fit for the point-to-point season, the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland is running its final one-day event of this year today at Ian and Alison Wilson’s Vesey Lodge outside Newtownabbey.

This fixture will be the last with Adam Stevenson as cross-country course builder.