A NOTABLE week for Downpatrick breeder Brian Kennedy started last Saturday when the Dark Angel gelding Gabrial won the Betway Lincoln at Doncaster under Tony Hamilton.

Trained by Richard Fahey for Marwan Koukash, the six-year-old bay was recording his seventh career success having signed off the 2014 campaign with a win at Leicester in late October.

“He’s a good horse,” said Brian who bred the winner at his Meadowlands Stud, “especially over his proper trip!” Gabrial is the second of six foals out of the Mtoto mare Guajira following the Beat Hollow colt Beat The Winds who won two races in France. He won his first two starts at two, finished third to Frankel in the 2012 Sussex Stakes and won a nine-furlong handicap at Meydan in January 2014.

Earlier at Doncaster, Chatez landed his sixth race for the Alan King yard when claiming the mile handicap. Successful twice over hurdles, this Dandy Man four-year-old was bred by Brian’s nephew Colin Kennedy but was consigned through Meadowlands to the 2011 foal sale at Newmarket.

The Fahey-trained Personal Touch, who won the six-furlong handicap at Chelmsford later in the afternoon under Sammy Bell, wasn’t bred by Brian but he did buy that six-year-old Pivotal gelding’s dam Validate in 2010.

On Tuesday, the Co Down man read of the death of Fujiyama Crest, the Roi Danzig gelding who brought up Frankie Dettori’s magnificent seven at Ascot in September 1996.

Twenty three this year, the dark bay was bred by Brian out of the 1978 Cavo Dora mare Snoozy Time.

Kennedy has 12 broodmares of his own at Meadowlands Stud and acknowledges the input into his breeding regime of his nephew Richard Fitzsimons who works with BBA Ireland.