DISAPPOINTINGLY, the amazing See Double You failed to follow up on his Roscommon win of a week earlier when a well-beaten second at Southwell on Tuesday.

However, at time of writing, the Ronan McNally-owned and trained 16-year-old Saddlers’ Hall gelding was well-entered up to add to his career tally this weekend.

One of the bay’s Armagh yard stable-companions won on Sunday but you won’t find this result in the racing section. The 11-year-old cob Pegasus was partnered by his owner, Ronan’s wife Sheena Kerr McNally, to land the Advanced Intermediate title at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs/Connolly’s Red Mills show jumping championships at Mullingar Equestrian Centre.

Representing the Castle Leslie club, the combination scored easily the fastest of two clears in a third-round jump-off.

Sadness at Paddy’s passing

THE point-to-point, hunting and equestrian fraternity in Northern Ireland were much saddened by the news of the sudden death last Sunday of Paddy Allen.

Paddy took over from his late father Jim in developing, and investing in, the Moira cross-country and schooling gallops, venue twice each year for the Iveagh Hunt point-to-point.

However, it wasn’t just the horse world which was affected by his death as he was very much involved with Waringstown Cricket Club, for whom he once played.

A former sports journalist, Paddy was also a supporter of rugby at all levels and of Glenavon Football Club whose manager, Gary Hamilton, was a personal friend.

A member of Down Royal Racecourse, the 35-year-old would have very much enjoyed following this week’s Open at Royal Portrush as golf was another of his favourite sports.

Paddy, whose funeral service was held in St John’s Parish Church, Moira on Wednesday, is survived by his mother Margaret to whom we extend our condolences.

Mulholland’s punting and Putting!

FOR the week that was in it, one might have funded one’s punting on The Open if one had backed the topically-named Putting Green who won the three-mile handicap hurdle at Perth last Sunday.

The seven-year-old Selkirk gelding was one of three winners in the period under review for England-based, Co Antrim-born trainer Neil Mulholland.

Down Royal feature

THE Listed Her Majesty’s Plate of €50,000 is the feature race on next Friday’s Magners Race Evening at Down Royal. The one-mile, six-furlong contest, which was won last year by the Jim Bolger-trained favourite, Twilight Payment, is backed up by four handicaps, a two-year-old winners of one and an Irish Stallion Farms EBF two-year-old maiden.