THE road from Sligo to Downpatrick has long been a lucrative one for Mark McNiff who saddled a 145/1 treble at the northern venue.
He has been operating at a near 20% strike rate in Downpatrick since 2013, for a healthy level-stake profit.
His Atlantic Breaker has been somewhat of a standing dish in the north, having been placed in four of his previous five Downpatrick appearances. The seven-year-old gelding stepped up on those efforts to land the Balloo Maiden Hurdle.
Paddy Kennedy rode him into the lead after the last and he strode away by nine and a half lengths at 11/2.
McNiff said: “He never runs a bad race. Everything that beats him goes on and wins. He was third here the last day. Dorans River went on and won a good novice hurdle, the horse that beat him half a length for second (Penance) won in Ballinrobe.
“He has had that many tries you were getting fed up fancying him. I thought he would have won a maiden hurdle seven starts ago. He’s a horse with plenty of ability.
“He hasn’t been that straightforward to ride, we tried a different bit on him the last couple of runs and they were his best two runs. There’s more control on him.
“He’ll keep going. His owner (Sean Conway) always goes to Galway so he may go there for a handicap.”
Andratx (4/1) continued his winning run with a decisive victory in the rated novice hurdle. Andrew Ring was on board and had few worries as his mount readily asserted after the last to win by eight and a half lengths.
This was the four-year-old gelding’s third win in a row for owner Francesca Carton and afterwards McNiff said: “The horse that ended up favourite (Whats The Plot) was (almost) 10 lengths behind us with only a 1lb difference in the weights the last day they met. We had course form along with it.
“He’s a grand little horse. The plan was to come here after Ballinrobe, which was a good while for a summer horse, so that worked out. Maybe we’ll go for a mile and a half at Galway on the Wednesday on the flat.”
Ashjan (7/2) completed the treble in the East Down Hunt Club Handicap Hurdle. He closed on the leaders before the final flight and picked up well for Steven Kelly on the run-in to deliver by two and three-quarter lengths for the Real Deal Syndicate.
It was Kelly’s second racecourse victory with the first one also coming in the north on board Angus Milan at Down Royal in February 2016.
When asked about training horses to go well on Downpatrick’s undulations, McNiff quipped: “I train them on the beach, it is extremely flat!”
Ben Button, on his first start for Willie Mullins, was all the rage for the Molson Coors Handicap Hurdle.
However, the 8/11 favourite caught a tartar in The King Of Brega (11/1) who beat him into second by seven lengths for the BMW Partnership from Drogheda.
Henry de Bromhead booked Dylan Robinson for the ride and the jockey said: “He travelled and jumped well and galloped to the line.”
LENNON’S WINNER
Co Down trainer Liam Lennon saw his own Bell Of The Ball bounce back to form in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. She was pressed in the closing stages by Pat’s Pearl but Rachael Blackmore drove her home by half a length.
The seven-year-old mare brought up a few bets as she was backed from 12/1 to 8/1.
Lennon said: “She’s had her wee issues. She’s in foal to Court Cave so I think probably that could be the turning point.
“I was using Rachael at the start, before anybody knew her, in point-to-points and stuff. It’s good to be able to get her. She was always confident today.”
There was a cracking finish to the Eire Og GAC Fundraiser Maiden Hurdle as Immortal Bridge (8/1) just saw off 50/1 outsider Caerleon Kate by a nose.
Mark Walsh, in the J.P. McManus silks, said: “He learned a lot the last day. Joseph (O’Brien) and myself said we would pop him away good and smart.
“His head was down at the right time. He’ll probably go handicapping now.”
KATIE WALSH
John Kiely’s Decision Time was patiently ridden by Katie Walsh to take the spoils in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Flat Race.
The six-year-old came through to lead over a furlong out and hit the line five and a half lengths to the good for owner Liam Gleeson.
Walsh said of the 3/1 shot: “She has been unlucky in a couple of bumpers. She ran well at Wexford when I rode her and we rode her handier in Tramore and she didn’t get home.
“When you ride them like that and it works out you are a hero and if it doesn’t work out you are a villain!”
ACTING STEWARDS
B. Fitzsimmons, R.S. Martin, D. McCorkell, B. Polly, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
CAERLEON KATE (C.A. McBratney): Just failed by a nose at 50/1. This was a marked improvement on previous form.