WHILE Co Meath’s Gordon Elliott quickly returned to the ranks of winning trainers at Downpatrick last Friday week with two winners, it was a good day also for local handlers three of whom sent out a winner apiece.

First to strike was Colin McBratney who saddled James Murdoch’s So Near So Farhh to land the two-mile, three-furlong Franco Hughes Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle. The six-year-old Farhh mare, who was ridden by James O’Sullivan, had been backed in from 25/1 in the morning to 14/1 at the off.

Although drifting out again to 10/1, the Harry Smyth-trained Willyouwalkwithme was another to attract support in the market (20/1 to 4/1) before winning the following Northern Ireland On Course Bookmakers Association Handicap Hurdle by four and a half lengths.

Ridden by Shane Fitzgerald, this six-year-old Morozov gelding was bred by Kieran Magee out of the Winged Love mare Scent With Love who is dam also of the Nigel Twinson-Davies-trained three-time winner, Another Frontier (by Darsi).

The on-course bookmakers also sponsored the near three-mile handicap chase which was won by the Bryan Cooper-ridden Archies Charm. The six-year-old Shantou gelding, whose previous success had been recorded in a maiden hurdle at Limerick last November, is trained for David Aiken by Brian Hamilton who hopes the bay will develop into an Ulster National horse.

Other bookmakers whose names featured in race titles on Friday were Bill McIlroy and Bar One Racing, while Irish Stallion Farms continued their support of the track. Racecourse manager Richard Lyttle, who was among those at the one-day event at the Lusk Equestrian Centre in Knockany on Saturday, was delighted with the day and is looking forward to the season’s finale on Friday, October 8th.