SUCCESS in a schooling bumper at Moira five days earlier left the Gary McGill-trained Dollys Destination primed for victory in the two-mile handicap hurdle at Navan last Sunday.

The six-year-old Dubai Destination mare led close home before beating Encore Lui and The Moyglass Flyer, two of five J.P. McManus-owned runners in the race, by two and a half lengths and one length.

The bay, who had finished second on her previous start at Cartmel in late June, had previously carried McGill’s colours to victory in a bumper and mares’ novice hurdle at Hexham.

Dollys Destination was ridden by Donegal-born 5lb claimer Conor Orr who was also on McGill’s other runner at the Co Meath track, Electricitywork, who finished second, beaten by three and a quarter lengths, to the 7/2 favourite, Theatre World, in the opening two-mile, six-furlong handicap hurdle. Aidan Gunning’s five-year-old Arctic Cosmos gelding had also finished second on his handicap debut at Downpatrick last month.

Fly Number One makes an impressive debut

THE Oscar gelding Fly Number One, who was bred in Co Antrim by Michael Millar, made an impressive debut when landing the bumper at Sandown on Saturday by six lengths.

The Nick Gifford-trained bay, who was sent off a 10/1 chance, is the sixth of seven recorded foals out of Kahysera who was placed over hurdles. That 2001 Kahyasi mare was an own-sister to the nine-time winner Fruity O’Rooney and a half-sister to the Cadeaux Genereux mare Heart whose eight victories included the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.

Other Northern-bred winners over jumps in the past week included the Roy McMurray-bred Court Baloo (by Court Cave ex Tremplin, by Tremblant) who won the three mile two furlong handicap hurdle at Kelso on Saturday. One of Brian Hughes’s four wins in the period under review came on the Jane Buchanan-bred Windsor Avenue (by Winged Love ex Zaffarella, by Zaffaran) who claimed the two-mile, four-furlong novices’ chase at Carlisle on Monday for trainer Brian Ellison.

At Fairyhouse the following day, the Philip Rothwell-trained Enduring Love recorded his first success on his eighth attempt when landing the ladies’ handicap chase which was run for the injured Susan Leahy. The Joanna Walton-ridden 25/1 shot is a seven-year-old Winged Love gelding who was bred by Gerry Cosgrave out of the unraced Exit To Nowhere mare Strong Lady, a half-sister to the five-time winner Aranleigh (by Insan).

Shanacoole Prince, a six-year-old son of the Drumhowan Stud-based Primary made a winning racecourse debut on Tuesday at Hereford where he won the two-mile National Hunt novices’ hurdle for the Kim Bailey yard.