TYRONE native Barry McHugh didn’t take too long to notch up his first success since his recent return to action following injury.

Having partnered four placed horses following his comeback ride at Chester on July 9th, McHugh landed the opening five-furlong handicap at Nottingham on Tuesday evening on the Adrian Nicholls-trained favourite, Abate.

The previous Thursday, Oisin Orr partnered two winners for Dermot Weld at Leopardstown where Sam Ewing landed the RACE Academy apprentice handicap on the Michael Mulvany-trained Red Heel. Orr was also on the mark for Weld on Monday at Ballinrobe where Dylan Browne McMonagle recorded a double.

Downpatrick

The first northern-born National Hunt jockey to strike during the period under review was Downpatrick’s Caoilin Quinn who landed a novices’ hurdle at Worcester last Thursday week on the 3/1 shot, Drumlee Watar.

The eight-year-old Watar gelding, who is trained by Quinn’s boss, Warren Greatrex, was bringing up a hat-trick over timber since having surgery on his wind. As his name would suggest, the chesnut began his racing career with Sean and Noel McParlan for whom he won a five- and six-year-old geldings’ maiden at Loughanmore on his debut in May 2018. Just over two weeks later, Drumlee Watar was sold at Tattersalls Cheltenham, knocked down for £65,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock.

Derek Fox, Brian Hughes and Danny McMenamin rode winners at Cartmel on Saturday but, while all three were back at the Cumbrian track on Monday, only Hughes managed to score, recording his 31st success of the season on the Donald McCain-trained Presentandcounting in the two-mile, five-furlong handicap chase.

Saintfield’s Racehorse to Riding Horse class

IN the week that was in it, it’s good to know that Joan Cunningham is once again running a Racehorse to Riding Horse class at Saintfield Horse Show on Saturday, August 14th which will again be sponsored by Lisburn trainer George Stewart.

On the same weekend, Comber-based Julie Morris of Racehorse To Riding Horse Ireland is organising a two-day show for raced and unraced thoroughbreds at Lullymore Equestrian Centre in Rathangan, Co Kildare. We are assured that there will be a class for everyone. See the organisation’s Facebook page for details.

Entries close on Wednesday next, July 28th, for Balmoral Show which is taking place at Balmoral Park from Wednesday, September 22nd to Saturday, September 25th.

The ITBA is sponsoring the popular Racehorse to Riding Horse class.