FLAT jockey Paddy Mathers recorded his first win of 2024 in the final race at Wolverhampton last Saturday evening and made it two for the year on the same horse in the penultimate race at the same track on Tuesday evening. The wins came on board the Fiona McSharry-trained Berkshire Phantom, a four-year-old Expert Eye gelding who was a 4/1 shot on the first occasion but was sent off as the 11/10 favourite to score over the same seven-furlong trip on Tuesday, doing so by a nose.

At Dundalk last Friday evening, Dylan Browne McMonagle landed the mile maiden for three-year-olds with the once previously-raced Joseph O’Brien-trained Nerano, who justified his starting price of 2/9 when winning comfortably by five lengths, and the 12-furlong handicap on the Ray Cody-trained War Correspondent.

Australia

The Donegal native was set to miss last night’s action at the Co Louth track as he is in Australia having been booked by Ciaron Maher to ride two horses earlier today at Royal Randwick – Another Wil in the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Handicap over 1,600m and Odinson in the $2m Inglis Millennium over 1,100m.

Over jumps, Brian Hughes’ chances of retaining his title are being really scuppered by the weather but he did manage to partner a winner at Catterick last Friday. On Tuesday, he recorded his 86th success of the season when landing the listed mares’ bumper at Market Rasen on the Ben Pauling-trained Diva Luna.

Derek Fox marked his return from injury at Musselburgh on Saturday by partnering the Lucinda Russell-trained Inis Oirr to victory in the featured near four-mile bet365 Edinburgh National by 21 lengths. The following afternoon, at the same track, the Co Sligo-born jockey landed the featured bet365 Champion Chase, a handicap over an extended two and a half miles, on the Russell-trained Corrigeen Rock.

There were wins also for Caoilin Quinn at Ffos Las on Thursday week last and for Danny McMenamin at Carlisle on Monday.

Delighted

I was delighted to see the Stuart Crawford-trained Ottizzini win the bet365 Scottish Stayers’ Novices’ Hurdle at Musselburgh last Saturday in the hands of Sean Quinlan. This was a second success over hurdles for the seven-year-old who is owned by three of her four registered breeders viz Victoria Brann, Catherine Gabbett and Anthea Smyth. The Sea Moon mare is out of Izzini (by Dr Massini) who won three bumpers and a novice hurdle under Steven Crawford.

Let me tell you – and you can believe this – delight was not what I was feeling when I saw the Crawford-trained, J.J. Slevin-ridden, Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Brucio take over on the run-in at Leopardstown on Sunday from my weekend Nap, Minx Tiara.

Begrudgingly, I will say this was an impressive win by the Authorized six-year-old who got off the mark on her previous start at Catterick last month.

Breeding

On the breeding front there were wins for the Berry Farms/Susie Berry-bred eight-year-old Quick Draw (Getaway – Sept Verites, by Turgeon) at Wincanton last Thursday week; for the Barbara Hanna-bred five-year-old Sixmilebridge (Affinisea – Luck Or Logic, by Haatef) at Sandown on Saturday; and for the Patrick Murphy-bred five-year-old Rossbridge (Affinisea – Rossbridge Lass, by Clerkenwell) at Ludlow on Wednesday.

Two Grade 1 winners over the weekend who started their careers on the local point-to-point scene were Nickle Back (Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday) who was disputing the lead when falling two out in a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tattersalls in December 2020 on his only start for Jerry Cosgrave, and then Ballyburn (Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday) who, in the colours of the meeting host and race sponsor Wilson Dennison, landed a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Loughmore in October 2022 on his sole outing for Colin McKeever.

Kirby death overshadows British points

ALTHOUGH there were three point-to-points in Ireland last Sunday we couldn’t immediately identify any of the winner having local connections.

Across the water, where, of course, the action was overshadowed by the death of Keagan Kirkby at Charing, we spotted that the Tom Foy-bred Camdonian was one of six Irish-bred winners on the seven-race card at Duncombe Park.

Now trained by Jack Teal having started his career with Dan Skelton, this eight-year-old Shantou gelding is the third of seven recorded foals out of the point-to-point-winning Bob Back mare Miss Garbo who comes from the family of Java Fox and Hartstown. On Sunday, the bay won the level 2 conditions race as the 1/2 favourite in the hands of Christy Furness.

Bluegrass team up for St Patrick’s Day at Down Royal

BLUEGRASS Horse Feed has been announced as official sponsor for the St Patrick’s Day meeting at Down Royal on Sunday, March 17th.

Bluegrass manufactures nutritionally sound and innovative formulas for more than 25 specialist feeds.

Partnering with the world-leading Kentucky Equine Research in the United States, Bluegrass is devoted to the advancement of equine nutrition.

Adam Short, Sales, Marketing and Equine Nutritional Advisor at Bluegrass Horse Feed, said: “We’re thrilled to be returning to Down Royal and partnering with a brand with which we share such a strong affinity.

“This sponsorship reinforces our commitment to the industry and we’re proud to continue to build on this relationship with Down Royal. We’re looking forward to enjoying some high-quality racing on St Patrick’s Day!”

Kathryn Holland, Commercial Manager at Down Royal, said: “Sincere thanks to Bluegrass Horse Feed for sponsoring this highly-anticipated St Patrick’s Day meeting. It’s a great synergy and we look forward to another successful collaboration.”

Recalling Comber success for riders

THE North Downs are due to run the first of their spring meetings at Kirkistown today but, back in 1994, the hunt staged just one fixture, at Craigantlet on April 2nd, so we’ll look at those results later in the season.

In 2004, the Murdoch family’s course in Comber attracted large crowds to the North Downs’ meeting on Saturday, February 14th, when the seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden was divided to give a seven-race card.

An interesting mix of local and visiting riders partnered winners. Among the first group was Brian Hamilton who landed the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden on Christys Pet and division two of the concluding maiden with Influential. The first division fell to the Jimmy Henry-partnered Commanche Whorl.

The card commenced with a winners’ of two restricted to novice riders which was won by James Griffin on board Lord Rockfield. Second in that opener, Andrew Duff went on to claim the six-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Between times, following an argy-bargy finish to the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, Derek O’Connor came out on top with Forresto. That odds-on favourite was disqualified with the win going to the Saul McHugh-partnered Vest And Veins. The ladies’ open was won by Lotto Lolly who made all under Liz Doyle.

2014 winners

The first of the North Downs’ meetings in 2014 was held at Kirkistown on Saturday, January 18th, when only seven horses ran in the seven-year-old and upwards maiden. First home of the two finishers on heavy ground was the William Thompson-ridden Clough Ranger.

There were seven starters and two finishers also in the open where the winner was the Brian Hamilton-trained, Deckie Lavery-ridden, Cecilia Magill-owned Warne who had made a winning point-to-point debut in the same race two years previously.

In 2014, the Bob Back gelding was to go on and win two hunters’ chases – at Fairyhouse under Lavery and at Aintree in the hands of new owner, Robert Waley-Cohen’s son, Sam.

On a day of small fields, Harley Dunne landed the opening five and six-year-old mares’ maiden on Grace Tara. Fellow Wexford rider Jamie Codd recorded a double which he initiated in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Waddingstown and completed in the winners’ of one with Bally Beaufort. Noel McParlan won the six-year-old geldings’ maiden on News For Pascal.