THE deceased Winged Love sired two winners in Britain last Friday week with Coeur Blimey landing the near two-mile bumper at Ascot.

The four-year-old bay/brown gelding scored by a length from the Loughanmore graduate Ballyandy giving 7lb to the winner.

Coeur Blimey was bred by veterinary surgeon J.P. King and is the fifth of seven recorded foals out of the Opening Verse mare Eastender. Her previous produce include the six-year-old Boolavard King, who twice finished third in bumpers in Ireland and was second over hurdles at Southwell at the start of the month, and the 2010 bay Just Get Cracking who has won a handicap hurdle and a novice chase at Tramore and was most recently second behind On The Shannon in a novice handicap chase at Naas in early November.

Like Coeur Blimey, both geldings are by Winged Love, sire also of Baywing who completed a hat-trick of handicap hurdle successes when winning over nearly three miles at Uttoxeter on Friday, justifying odds-on favouritism in the process.

This six-year-old gelding was bred by Hugh Suffern Bloodstock out of the Champ Libre mare Cerise De Totes who comes from the family of Kadou Nonantais and Galant Nuit.

Among her previous winning produce were the ill-fated Mister Mat gelding Leading Attraction and the eight-time winner Isidora Bleue (by Fill My Hopes).

Another on the mark at Uttoxeter was Templeross who landed the bumper by 10 lengths in the hands of Ryan Hatch. The Presenting gelding ran once between the flags here for owner Wilson Dennison and trainer Colin McKeever when falling in a four-year-old maiden at Loughanmore in April.

Saintfield ride

IT was a case of third time lucky last Saturday when, following two postponements, the Saintfield Christmas Charity Ride took place in Co Down.

“After all the wind and rain, we had beautiful weather on Saturday,” commented ride organiser Joan Cunningham. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have as many people mounted as in former years but we had some great Santa outfits and a powerful crowd turned out to meet the ride in Saintfield.

“Next year is our 10th anniversary so we will be going all out to get a record crowd of mounted Santas next December!”

Christmas wishes

I WOULD like to take this opportunity to wish all readers a very Happy Christmas. If you go to Down Royal on Saturday, enjoy the day’s racing; if you are watching racing on TV from the comfort of your armchair, try to stay awake; if you go hunting instead, sit tight.