TWO northern-based trainers struck down south last week with the first being James Lambe who sent out Rattling Jewel to land the seven-furlong handicap at Listowel on Friday.
Carrying the colours of John O’Mahony and ridden by 7lb-claimer Gavin Ryan, the seven-year-old Royal Applause gelding, who was sent off a 14/1 shot, went clear a furlong out but then just held on to score by a neck from the 13/2 favourite, Sagittarius Rising.
Rattling Jewel won the same race last year when trained by Joseph O’Brien whose brother Donnacha was in the saddle.
On Monday, at Galway, the Andy Oliver-trained Presenting Meghan, a newcomer by Presenting, landed the Weatherbys General Stud Book EBF Mares INH Flat Race in the hands of Riche Deegan.
The five-year-old bay, who is owned by Jason Trotter and William Hogg, is a full-sister to Competitive Edge whose four wins included a Grade B handicap chase at Gowran and who was twice Grade A-placed over fences.
NORTHERN handlers were quick to register hunter certificates for their charges in advance of the start of the 2019/2020 point-to-point season with 30 already registered from the Mid-Antrim Harriers who host the first meeting of the campaign on Saturday, October 5th, at Toomebridge.
Nineteen of those Mid-Antrim certs are for geldings trained by Colin McKeever at Loughanmore for owner Wilson Dennison and, of that number, 17 are for four-year-olds.
As usual, the words ‘Bally’ and ‘hill’ feature in their names. Most of the Dennison horses were bred in Ireland but one, Ballyatty (by Kayf Tara), carries a GB suffix while four were bred in France.
Neil Gault and Noel Kelly are others who have multiple horses ready to run with Mid-Antrim certs, while certificates have also been issued by the Newry (10), Co Down hunt (nine), North Down (seven), Iveagh (six), East Down (three), Route (two) and Tynan & Armagh (one) hunts. Noticeably missing at this stage are any issued by the East Antrims.
Gransha team welcome support
IT may be too late to get there but we’re sure any late support will be welcomed by the team at the Gransha Equestrian Centre, Bangor where all proceeds from today’s show will go the much-needed service, Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
There is a retrained racehorse class among the numerous flat classes for horses and ponies, with the veteran class being for horses and riders with a combined age of over 60!
There are also performance and working hunter classes for horses and ponies, a family/mini pony section, horse and pony Derby jumping and an in-hand section for both horses and ponies.
All expenses such as prizes, rosettes, printing and toilets have been sponsored, and the judges are all giving their time for free.
It is hoped that young show pony rider Ellie McDonnell, who was airlifted from the family farm in Portaferry to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast with life-threatening injuries in July, will be able to attend the show.