AS remarked by chair Peter Stewart to a gathering of his fellow Downpatrick directors, sponsors and racecourse supporters at a pre-lunch reception on Friday, manager Richard Lyttle usually has the weather onside on racedays but not so as the season ended.

Peter and his wife Patricia were among those who ran from the car-park through the torrential rain that started to fall in that part of Co Down a couple of hours before racing commenced.

It had such an effect on the going that it changed from good-to-yielding for the opening maiden hurdle to soft for the second.

In his address, Peter thanked the board, administration staff, course staff, owners and trainers, the Turf Club, Horse Racing Ireland and those who acted as stewards throughout the year for their input into another very successful season.

He also paid tribute to the many sponsors who support Downpatrick, many of whom were present at the reception.

Having apologised for the weather, Richard Lyttle also thanked the sponsors who had supported Downpatrick so much during the season that virtually every race was sponsored. During his address, Richard told those gathered in the Brownlow Suite that the board and management were putting together a design team to widen the track.

The advertisement in the racecard which carried the names of sponsors had been updated during the week to acknowledge the track’s success as Northern Ireland’s ‘Sports Venue of the Year 2018’, an honour alluded to by the racecourse manager.

Having asked Moyra Donaldson to read from her poem on The Byerley Turk (see elsewhere on this page) and before inviting people down to the Hospitality Suite for lunch, Richard showed a new video for Downpatrick which was mainly shot during the racecourse’s very successful family day.

With an opening background track of Van Morrison’s Days Like This we were reminded of a summer of sun, fun and ice-cream.

Among those from racing who featured in the video was Gordon Elliott who was present at the reception and lunch.

Later in the day, Peter Stewart awarded Gordon with his prize as the track’s leading trainer for 2018 with 16 winners and the Co Meath handler represented Gigginstown House Stud, the leading owner.

Davy Russell, who partnered the Elliott-trained Silver Star to land the J.P. Corry Building Suppliers Hurdle on Friday, was crowned champion rider with 10 wins.

Among those in the Hospitality Suite on Friday was sponsor Sam Waley-Cohen, CEO of Portman Dentalcare which had over 100 guests at the meeting.

On Saturday, Sam was at Chepstow where he won the near three-mile handicap chase on the Neil Mulholland-trained The Young Master.