OVER the two days of the 20th Festival of Racing at Down Royal, there were three North of Ireland winning owners: Patricia Hunt, the Early To Late Syndicate and Claire Watson – one successful trainer in Keith Watson, and one winning breeder, Jane Buchanan.

The last-named was attending the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Churchill Downs but watched the televised coverage of the concluding Daily Mirror bumper in which the Gordon Elliott-trained Kalanisi gelding Malone Road made a very impressive racecourse debut in the ownership of Cheveley Park Stud.