SUNDAY’s Randox Ulster National day at Downpatrick was the second to take place behind closed doors but racecourse manager Richard Lyttle and his team didn’t let Covid-19 stop them from looking after the owners of runners in the feature race.

Gift boxes

Gift boxes from Randox and Downpatrick were delivered to owners’ homes and among the many goodies inside was a copy of the colour racecard, a beanie and a mug marking the race, chocolates, small bottles of wine, a travel mug and a cleverly disguised miniature bottle of Bushmills whiskey. A ‘wish you were here’ postcard thanking each owner for having a runner added an extra personal touch.

In the racecard, the chairman and directors of Downpatrick thanked Dr Peter FitzGerald and Randox for their generous support of the racecourse and, addressing owners, said they looked forward to their return to the track.

Dr FitzGerald commented: “We look forward to the Randox Ulster National, to show our commitment to this wonderful sport and to encourage people to take control of their wellbeing with a Randox health check.”

Had spectators been present, we know there would have been great scenes in the winner’s enclosure after the Randox Ulster National as the Darragh O’Keeffe-partnered winner, Fag An Bealach, was trained by Arthur Moore who, is his days as a jockey rode a winner of the feature race for the late Willie Rooney, grandfather of Moore’s son-in-law, Kevin Ross and owned by Moore’s longtime owner Marcus Beresford.

Through their Newtownabbey bloodstock agency, Kevin and his wife Anna purchased the Stowaway mare as a foal at the 2014 December National Hunt Sale at Goffs for €13,000 and gave €21,000 for her 2017 Califet half-sister at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale. They are out of the unraced Old Vic mare Market Niche who is dam also of the Stradbally mares’ maiden winner, Dazzling Glory (by Califet). A half-sister to the Presenting siblings Niche Market and Carnavation, Market Niche comes from the family of Cloth Cap, current favourite for the Randox Grand National at Aintree this day fortnight.

William Flood

Fag An Bealach was bred by William Flood whose Boardsmill Stud sponsored Sunday’s hunters’ chase and, after a Cheltenham Festival at which two of his former charges, Honeysuckle and Mount Ida, won the Grade 1 Unibet Champion Hurdle and the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase respectively, it was great to see this being won by the Jerry Cosgrave-trained Big Leg Up. The seven-year-old Windsor Knot gelding, who was ridden by Simon Cavanagh, is owned by Co Down veterinary surgeon, Ian Moore.

Hunt winner

The distinctive pink colours of Belfast owner Patricia Hunt were also carried to victory on Sunday on the flat at the Curragh where her Noel Meade-trained Layfayette landed the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (Premier Handicap) under Chris Hayes.

The Dundalkstadium.com Race over six furlongs on the Polytrack at the Co Louth track on the Friday evening was won by the Ronan Whelan-ridden favourite, A Case Of You, who was having his first start for north Co Dublin trainer Ado McGuinness and Co Armagh owner Gary Devlin. The three-year-old Hot Streak colt, who won his maiden at Down Royal last September, claimed the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh the following month on his third and final start for John McConnell.