CROSSGAR trainer Colin McBratney had an extra reason for saddling a winner at Downpatrick last Saturday as among his entourage was his 26-week-old grandson Caleb who, of course, featured in the photographs with Shipwreck, winner of the Molson Coors Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old Shantou mare, who runs in the colours of the Templeburn Racing Syndicate, was bred in Co Louth by Thomas Matthews out of the unraced Bob Back mare Skeleton Coast who comes from the family of Waterloo Boy. At time of writing, the bay held three engagements for this weekend.

The second afternoon of the track’s Festival of Racing got off to a great start for the local fans when Brian Hamilton sent out the racecourse debutant Hillary John to land the opening Bet Now With The Ladbrokes App Maiden Hurdle over two miles, three furlongs.

Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, the seven-year-old Gamut gelding ran in the colours of the Up The Hoops Racing Club whose main man, Paul Burns, was born and raised in Downpatrick although these days he is mainly based in England.

“Paul was working as a stalls handler in Dubai and saw a video on Facebook which really caught his eye. It was put up by Eddie Ahern and showed him schooling a horse over ditches and banks that Paul thought was a half-bred. Anyway, it turned that this was a thoroughbred that Eddie was thinking of riding in the Golden Button.

“Paul decided to buy the horse for a young relation of his who works in my yard but he proved to be a bit free so we sent him pointing and he won a maiden for the lads at Necarne in May on just his third start. He seemed to handle that bit of better ground and he could go on and win again. Gavin rode the horse as he’s friendly with Paul in England.”