OISIN Orr had two nice winners from four rides for his boss Richard Fahey over the first two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, of this week’s Craven meeting at Newmarket.

The first of the pair to strike was the Havana Gold gelding Our Havana who landed division two of the concluding seven-furlong handicap on day one by a neck. The three-year-old was recording his first win on his first start of the season having run four times at two.

Orr brought up his double in one of Wednesday’s feature races, the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, a seven-furlong race for three-year-old fillies, on Pretty Crystal. This chesnut daughter of Dubawi, who too was making her seasonal debut, ran five times last year, winning a Ripon maiden first time out on June 1st.

Also on the flat, Dylan Browne McMonagle won both divisions of the concluding extended 10-furlong handicap at Dundalk last Friday evening on the Paul Flynn-trained pair, Power Drive and Jazz Forever; the following day, Luke McAteer landed the five-furlong handicap at the Co Louth track on the David Marnane-trained Jered Maddox.

Over jumps

Over jumps, Brian Hughes moved on to the 119-win mark for the campaign following a double on Saturday at Newcastle where Danny McMenamin partnered his 47th winner of the season.

On the breeding front, there were two jumps winners of local interest at Fakenham last Friday, the Colm McHenry-bred eight-year-old gelding Tip Top Tonto (Milan – Sarahs Quay, by Witness Box) and the CAFRE-bred five-year-old gelding Bond Broker (Doyen – Indian Love, by Danehill).

On the level, the McCracken Farms-bred four-year-old gelding Three Yorkshiremen (Maassat – House Of Rose, by New Approach) won at the morning meeting at Chelmsford last Saturday, a day before the Stonethorn Farm-bred five-year-old gelding Galashiels (Australia – Glenmayne, by Duke Of Marmalade) landed a listed race over a mile and a half at ParidLongchamp.

Locally-bred

There were two locally-bred point-to-point winners who caught the eye. The first was the Jane Buchanan-bred six-year-old gelding Glenmount (Court Cave – Zaffarella, by Zaffaran) who justified favouritism in an Intermediate race at Hornby Castle on Saturday) while the Stephanie Metcalfe-bred Always A Reason (Elusive Pimpernel – Gaye Annie, by Tikkanen) won a five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Dromahane on Sunday.

Maxwell and Quinn both complete National safely

WHILE the winning connections were interviewed extensively on Saturday following the Randox Grand National at Aintree, it was amazing to see two Downpatrick natives, who both rode in the race for the first time, being featured on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday the following morning.

Before he headed off to Plumpton, where his day didn’t go to plan with one non-runner, one pulled up horse and one unseating, Caoilin Quinn was in the studio, talking about his prominent ride but ultimately 18th-place finish on Nassalam in the big race and his season to date. And he did so wearing his CosyRoof jacket.

As required by the rules, Caoilin had walked the course with BHA jockey coach Mick Fitzgerald along with the other Downpatrick participant, amateur David Maxwell.

As ever, the latter gave some wonderfully entertaining interviews before and after the race and, more importantly, the London property investor finished a highly-creditable sixth on his own Henry de Bromhead-trained Ain’t That A Shame.

As he told Luck, and the programme’s viewers, he wasn’t heading to Plumpton as his sole intended ride at the east Sussex track, Jatiluwih, had been withdrawn due to unsuitable ground.

First ride

Back to the Randox Grand National where Sam Ewing fared best of the locally-born jockeys when fourth, on his first ride in the race, on the Gordon Elliott-trained, Ronnie Bartlett-owned Galvin, while Jody McGarvey pulled up the Willie Mullins-trained, J.P. McManus-owned Janidil having jumped the last. Co Sligo native Derek Fox, a dual winner of the race, knew his fate early as he was unseated from last year’s winner, Corach Rambler, at the first.

Torrens takes two

THE petting farms seemed popular with children who attended the fibrus Family Race Day last Sunday at Down Royal where there were no locally-trained winners but Castlederg native Simon Torrens did partner two winners.

The jockey’s double was initiated in the Fibrus Say Bye Bye To Buffering Beginners Chase on Dreal Deal who, in the days trained by the currently-suspended Ronan McNally, won twice on the flat and three times over hurdles.

The Arvico gelding landed the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in January 2021 while his last victory prior to Sunday came in a two-mile handicap at Dundalk in December 2022 when he scored by three and a half lengths under Dylan Browne McMonagle.

On Sunday, Dreal Deal was having his sixth start for Co Meath-based John McConnell who trains the nine-year-old for Mark Devlin, Philip Smith, Nigel O’Hare and Claire Wylie. The bay was scoring for the first time on his sixth outing over fences.

We liked McConnell’s comment when discussing the winner: “The lads took a good punt on buying him, so it’s great for them. I’m thrilled to get a win because he was making me look a bit stupid!”

The Torrens double came up in the concluding three-mile, two-furlong Switch Today At fibrus.com Handicap Chase on the J.P. McManus-owned, Philip Rothwell-trained Weihnachts. The 10-year-old Beat Hollow gelding’s previous three wins had also been over fences and under Torrens.

A one-time huntsman with the Co Downs and so based not too far in those days from Down Royal, Meath trainer Ian Donoghue recorded his double on the track with O’Faolains Glory in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle and Tankardstown Diva in the Choose Fibrus Broadband Handicap Hurdle.

HAVING seen its branding festooning Aintree for three days, it’s good to know that the Randox livery will be front and centre next Friday evening at Downpatrick, for the re-scheduled Randox Ulster National meeting. Entries close on Monday for the fixture, which is scheduled to have a 4.20pm start. While there have been some changes to race conditions since the original date of Sunday, April 7th, sponsors such as Redweld Stables, Grant Bros Developments Ltd, Toals Bookmakers, Boardsmill Stud and WKD maintain their support.

The second race, a maiden hurdle for horses who have run at least three times over hurdles and have a rating of 109 or less, is being run as the Billie & Bertie FitzGerald Memorial Hurdle. All those who had pre-booked tickets for April 7th have been contacted to transfer their bookings to the new date or receive a full refund. For those who wish to book tickets, the team at Downpatrick have extended their Early Bird general admission offer until midnight tomorrow, Sunday, April 21st. At time of writing, a limited number of Dunleath Suite VIP Cocktail Lounge tickets were available to book online.