The feature of the season at Downpatrick Racecourse is the Ulster Grand National sponsored by Toals Bookmakers with this year’s renewal staged on Sunday writes Joe Kavanagh.
The race has attracted a total of fifteen entries including a quartet trained by Mouse Morris with all the Morris trained horses owned by Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary under his Gigginstown House stud operation name. Band Of Blood, Rogue Angel, Allied Victory and Ravished comprise the team and the high profile owner will be hoping to record an Ulster double having claimed the St. Patrick’s day feature chase at the Maze on Tuesday with Roi Du Mee. All four O’Leary owned horses have also been entered for the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
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Former top jockey Willie Robinson who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Mill House (1963) and the Aintree Grand National on Team Spirit (1964) while also partnering the Queen Mother owned Laffy to claim the Ulster Grand National in 1962 pictured with Gary and Laura Toal of Toals Bookmakers sponsors of the Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick on Sunday.[/caption]Navan trainer Noel Meade has the locally owned Bose Ikard engaged and again holding an entry in the Irish National and the dual course winner of hurdles having finished third in the Munster National last season. Gordon Elliott who collected the Leading Trainer Award at the course last year has the JP Mc Manus owned Riverside City entered while Paul Nolan has entered Jupitor – third in the Punchestown National Trial.
The locally trained team comprises of a duo trained by Stuart Crawford – Man With Van and Ardmillan, Heavenly Brook, a Clonmel winner earlier this month, Keep On Track and Waltz Legend.
The Visit Toals.co.uk Rated Hurdle has attracted entries from the majority of leading trainers including Gordon Elliott who has five engaged. Willie Mullins is doubly represented, Edward O’Grady, Michael Hourigan while Shark Hanlon has entered Hidden Cyclone which contested the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival finishing sixth in the Grade 1 contest.
The seven race card (first race 2.10pm) includes the Ulster’s Real Mc Coy Handicap Chase marking the pending retirement of the nineteen times Champion Jump jockey while AP again gets his head in front with the fashion contest for the best hat on the day named “ Hats Off To Mc Coy “ and the prize supplied by the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast.
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