IT was good to see David Christie saddle a rare four-year-old winner last Saturday at Kirkistown and that Sometime Soon relieved bookmakers of some money when scoring on his debut under Barry O’Neill.

Three of the five other races were also won by northern-trained horses and though the concluding older geldings’ maiden fell to the Alan Fleming-trained Internal Transfer, that Kayf Tara six-year-old was ridden by Scarva native Steven Clements.

Also on Saturday, Armagh-born jockey Brian Hughes recorded a treble at Wetherby, three days after landing a four-timer at Ayr where Stuart Crawford sent out Victoria Says to win the maiden hurdle. Ridden by Patrick Corbett, the five-year-old Shantou mare runs for the Brann/Cuming/Gabbett partnership. Hughes partnered his 59th winner of the season in the novices’ chase at Hexham on Wednesday on the Tim Easterby-trained Very First Time, sent off as the 1/9 favourite.

A rider of a different sort whose endeavours are followed closely by members of the East Antrim Hunt and point-to-point committee is Jonathan Rea. The 30-year-old from Ballyclare, who brought up a hat-trick of World Superbike titles in September, was presented with his MBE by the Duke of Cambridge on Tuesday following his naming in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours list for his services to motorcycle racing.