STAMULLEN, Co Meath trainer John McConnell is becoming a bit of a standing dish at Downpatrick and he saddled two winners at the track last Friday evening.

The second of these, the eight-year-old So You Think gelding Wild Shot, landed the Downpatrick Racecourse Helping Festina Lente Find A New Home in the colours of Co Tyrone owner, Cathal McGuckin.

This was the horse’s eighth success, following six victories on the all-weather and one more at Tipperary.

Up to Wednesday evening, McConnell had 13 runners in Ireland and Britain since then with his sole winner the six-year-old Scorpion gelding Grey Market who, on Saturday, justified his position at the head of the market in the near three-mile maiden hurdle at Hexham under Brian Hughes.

Britain’s champion jump jockey rode two other winners in the period under review.

Plenty of flat jockeys were on the mark in the same period but special mention must be made of Dylan Browne McMonagle who won the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind Stakes (for fillies) on Saturday at Naas on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Tranquil Lady.

Lecale’s Destiny one to note for Natalia

IT was quiet on the breeding front over the past week with Pennyforapound one of just two horses to catch the eye.

Trained by Rebecca Curtis and ridden by Ben Jones, the eight-year-old Winged Love gelding recorded his second track success when landing the two-mile-seven-furlong novices’ handicap chase at Worcester last Thursday week as the 2/1 favourite.

Pennyforapound, who won both his point-to-points when trained by Colin Bowe, was bred near Newry by Pat Elmore out of the Presenting mare, Recession Lass.

Prior to his Worcester win, the bay had finished third in four starts over fences this year.

The second horse to catch the eye was the Natalia Lupini-trained Lecale’s Destiny who, on his debut, was beaten three lengths into second by the 15/8 favourite Warren Beach in the opening seven-furlong median auction maiden for three-year-olds at Gowran on Wednesday afternoon.

A bay gelding by Mehmas, Lecale’s Destiny was bred by Pat Turley out of the 2011 Naaqoos mare Destiny’s Kitten.

Natalia Lupini trains in Banbridge, Co Down.

Jenkins strikes at Sedgefield

CO Antrim trainer James Jenkins had a welcome winner on Tuesday at Sedgefield where he sent out his own French-bred Iltone to land the two-mile-one-furlong bumper under Lilly Pinchin.

This was a first racecourse start for the Cokoriko gelding who had been trained by Graham McKeever for Shane Wilson when falling in a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at a Fairyhouse point-to-point last month, his only outing between the flags.