POPULAR Banbridge veterinary surgeon Hugh Suffern was among the attendees at Wednesday night’s annual general meeting of the Northern Region of Eventing Ireland at the La Mon Hotel & Country Club.

Towards the end of the meeting committee member, and thoroughbred breeder, Elizabeth ‘Hammy’ Hamilton presented Hugh with the John Martin award as his Tullyraine Equine Clinic had been chosen as the winner for its advancement and promotion of the sport in 2019.

Exeter

The previous afternoon, at Exeter, the Suffern-bred Endless Flight won the near two-mile, three-furlong handicap hurdle for the mother and daughter team of trainer Sue and jockey Lucy Gardner. The six-year-old Winged Love gelding, who was making his handicap debut in the colours of the trainer’s husband Des, won by nine and a half lengths from the favourite, Flagrant Delitiep.

Endless Flight, who was winning for the first time on his ninth start, is the last of 11 foals out of the King’s Ride mare Lady Oakwell whose previous produce include the three-time track winner Posh Bird (also by Winged Love) and the dual track winner Ballykelly (by Insan) both of whom won a point-to-point. Lady Oakwell’s 2008 gelding by Winged Love, Curraghbower, was successful four times between the flags.

Market Rasen

Another northern-bred National Hunt winner during the period under review was the Willie Mullins-trained newcomer Panic Attack who, last Thursday week, impressively justified 5/2 favouritism under Paul Townend in the listed mares’ bumper at Market Rasen.

A four-year-old by Canford Cliffs, the bay was bred close to Banbridge by John and Margery Adams and is the second of four recorded produce out of the Galileo mare Toto Corde Meo who won a point-to-point, a bumper and was placed twice over hurdles.

A first runner for Mullins at the Lincolnshire track, Panic Attack was slashed to 8/1 joint-favouritism for the champion bumper at Cheltenham following her 10-length success.

On the flat, there were wins at Newcastle last Friday for the Peter Murphy-bred Curfewed (four-year-old gelding by Most Improved ex Evening Sunset, by Dansili) and, at Wolverhampton on Sunday, for the Max Ervine-bred Seaforth (eight-year-old gelding by Acclamation ex Hendrina, by Daylami).