Chalky White gets off the mark for Dullea in Thurles

AWAY from Cheltenham there were a few Northern-bred National Hunt winners in the period under review, with two of these scoring last Thursday week.

First up, Chalky White landed the two-mile handicap hurdle at Thurles for the James Dullea yard. The Getaway gelding, who was visiting the winner’s enclosure for the first time following three previous runs over hurdles, and two in point-to-points, was bred at his Brentford Farm near Comber by David Mitchell. The six-year-old is the first of just three recorded foals out of the Moscow Society mare Ardnavalley who was placed seven times over timber.

Later that day, at Carlisle, the Nicky Richards-trained Lanty Slea, who was making his debut, won the three-runner bumper by a nose from the 4/5 favourite, Honda Fifty. The winning five-year-old Beat Hollow gelding was bred in Co Antrim by Peter Boyd and is the second of five foals of the Craigsteel mare Catleen who won a point-to-point and two hurdle races.

Hat-trick

Recently moved to Britain, Adrian Keatley sent out his first winner from his North Yorkshire base when Drumconnor Lad landed the opening extended two-mile handicap chase at Ayr on Saturday. Still carrying the colours of Co Antrim’s David Keys, the 10-year-old Winged Love gelding was bringing up a hat-trick and recording his sixth racecourse success. Bred by Martin Abernethy, Drumconnor Lad is the second of five foals out of the Shahrastani mare Drumconnor Lady.

The later extended three-mile handicap hurdle saw the Alistair Whillans-trained Wind Of Hope add a second hurdle win to three point-to-point victories. The 11-year-old gelding was bred by Gail Kidd and is the only runner out of the Topanoora mare Ciara’s Run. Gail and her husband John have had a very successful 12 months having bred seven individual winners. They are all by September Storm who used to stand at their Ballyash Stud near Loughbrickland.

Bred by show jumper Vincent Digby, Rose Of Arcadia won the bumper at Taunton on Monday on her first start for Colin Tizzard. The Arcadio mare ran in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud who purchased the bay for £170,000 at Tattersalls’ Cheltenham sale on December 13th last. Five days earlier, when trained by Danny Fitzsimmons for Pat McCartan and ridden by Deckie Lavery Rose Of Arcadia won a four-year-old mares’ maiden at Tattersalls on her only start between the flags.