WHILE this column regularly mentions success for jockeys born in Northern Ireland and neighbouring counties who have moved either south or to Britain, last Sunday saw a first win for a young rider who travelled in the opposite direction.

From Glasnevin on the northside of Dublin city, Dylan Johnston recorded that important inaugural victory at Downpatrick on Sunday on the 18/1 shot Willyouwalkwithme who he was riding for the second time in succession.

The six-year-old Morozov gelding, who was bred in Ardglass by Kieran Magee out of the Winged Love mare Scent With Love, is trained by his Ballyclare owner Harry Smyth for whom Johnston rides out most afternoons having first spent his mornings at Noel Kelly’s yard in Draperstown.

Phoenix Park

“My parents have no interest in horses but, back in the day, one grandad used to ride out for a trainer in the Phoenix Park while the other is obsessed with racing!” said Johnston. “I started on ponies in a local riding school and, when I was 13 or 14, I began riding out at weekends for Ado McGuinness.

Too heavy

“I then went to RACE and was sent to Ken Condon. However, I was always going to be too heavy for the flat so I moved to Mouse Morris as I needed to get into a jumping yard. I started off with an amateur licence and had a couple of spins in point-to-points. As I was still light, I decided to turn pro and I moved north to work with Stuart Crawford who gave me a few rides, including over in England where I finished second one day at Carlisle.

“At the same time, I was schooling horses for Colin McBratney, who gave me a good few rides, and I was tipping away before the first lockdown. After leaving Stuart, I went to work with Colin and then Keith Watson. I was planning to move to the north of England but, through Danny Fitzsimmons, I got in contact with Noel Kelly and started going in there two or three days a week. I ended up living in Ballyclare through Norman Boyle and he was the one who suggested that I get in touch with Harry.

“It was disappointing that I didn’t have my first win on St Patrick’s Day at Down Royal for Noel as I was going well on his Wake The Giant in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle but fell when challenging for the lead at the last.”

Both Kelly and Watson sent out winners at Fairyhouse last Friday week, as did Natalia Lupini with the Leslie Laverty-bred Dandyville.

There were wins also for the in-form Andy Oliver and Mark McNiff at, respectively, Limerick on Saturday and Downpatrick on Sunday and for Paul Traynor plus owner Karen McNeilly and amateur rider Cormac Abernethy at Navan on Wednesday.

Gowran Park winners

Lee Smyth sent out two winners on consecutive days from his Drumnabreeze Stables this week. On Monday, at Gowran Park, Siobhan Rutledge made all the running on David Adam’s Duquesa Beach.

At Sligo on Tuesday, Leigh Roche repeated those tactics to land a division of the six-furlong handicap on Eamon and John Donnelly’s Dolce Sicily.

Apprentice Dylan Browne McMonagle, who made his Royal Ascot debut on Wednesday, rode four winners between last Thursday week and Tuesday just past, while other young jockeys also on the mark in Ireland were Luke McAteer and Sam Ewing.

Across the water, and also on the level, Patsy Cosgrave (three), Paddy Mathers and Martin Harley have all visited the winner’s enclosure recently as has jumps jockey Brian Hughes on two occasions.

Belfast’s Patricia Hunt saw her colours carried to victory twice in the period under review and, on both occasions by the same filly, Female Approach.

First up, the Noel Meade-trained daughter of Camelot won a division of the mile-and-a-half handicap at Fairyhouse the Friday under Chris Hayes. The following afternoon, Colin Keane was in the saddle when the bay followed up over a very slightly shorter trip at Limerick.

Female Approach was a 7/1 chance at the Co Meath track but was sent off as the even-money favourite to complete the double.