DISAPPOINTINGLY, there were no northern-trained winners at Down Royal’s two-day Festival of Racing but at least Alaliya, while trained in Co Galway by Gerry Lynch, claimed Friday’s Allianz Handicap Hurdle in the colours of Lisnaskea’s Margaret Hannigan.

Pat Sloan attended Friday’s meeting with husband Joe to present the prizes following the WKD Hurdle (Grade 2) and so wasn’t able to be at Wetherby where her Guitar Pete landed the Listed bet365 Handicap Chase for the Nicky Richards yard. First trained here by the late Dessie Hughes and then by his daughter Sandra, the seven-year-old Dark Angel gelding had finished second five times in six previous starts for his new handler.