MICK Neville, who trained with success in Doneraile, Co Cork, was recalled twice this week for me. I had lunch with Elaine Farrell, daughter of Edward who raced Hamer’s Flame, one of many good winners trained by Mick.

He also trained a well-known racemare in the seventies called Helenium (Khalkis). She won four times on the level and the same number of times over hurdles, her biggest success coming in the Irish Benson and Hedges Hurdle at Fairyhouse. She also performed with distinction on her trips to England and was placed at the Cheltenham Festival in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle under John Brassil. While her four winners never included a runner who matched her own ability, she is still remembered today as the third dam of Ornua, the first Grade 1 winner for his Group 3 Queen’s Vase winning, Group 1 St Leger runner-up and Group 1 Melbourne Cup-placed sire Mahler (Galileo) who stands at The Beeches Stud. Ornua won the Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree, having been runner-up at that level previously at Sandown.