IT’s rare you see so many others genuinely delighted for connections of a winner but it was a case of smiles and cheers all around as Karen Ferris returned to unsaddle Lusis Naturea, following their three-length victory in the Hovis Handicap Hurdle at Down Royal last Friday evening.

The seven-year-old Multiplex gelding is trained by the rider’s husband Eóin Barry for their good friend Karen McNeilly and her partner, farrier Paul Traynor, who led up the bay and rides him out most days.

This was a first winner on the track for Fermoy native Eoin and the first, since her first, 12 years ago for Karen.

“We’re all a big team really,” said the rider who has partnered four winners in point-to-points.

“It’s tough trying to make it in racing these days so Eoin, who is also working in farming, just has five stables at my parents’ place near Dundrod where we have a small gallop and my mother [Mary] does the mucking out, etc.

“Karen, who has a couple of pointers herself, has a longer gallop just down the road which we use and we also bring the horses to Skryne. The horses have all been running well which is great.”

Karen is doing an equine massage course which she hopes to complete shortly but, due to a lot of injuries over the years, she needs a bit of treatment herself and her father Brian was driving her home from a physiotherapy session when I spoke to her on Wednesday evening. She and Eoin were married three years that day.

Sadly, Karen informed me, when I asked after him, that Ben the dog who attended their wedding, passed away last year but they have more now to keep them company.