Excellent Crowd Attends Downpatrick Races For May Meeting
The feature chase produced the promised clash of champions with the Willie Mullins-trained Billaway beating local hero and favourite Vaucelet with the trainer’s son Patrick aboard writes Joe Kavanagh.
The clash of champions attracted a very large crowd to the track while the inaugural Northern Region Point-To-Point Awards was staged at the meeting the same evening.
The winner was always at the head of affairs but dropped to third in the final mile prior to a renewed challenge. The local horse had led four from home but had no answer to the winner over the final two fences.
(Photos by Jim Masson/Down News ©).
Mullins Junior said: “He’s a real three mile chaser and was brilliant today. He’s a super horse that has gone to all the big tracks and races and given the owners endless fun. He actually won his first hunterchase at this course.”
Billaway has now won ten races and in excess of £100,000 in prize money. The success supplied the Champion Jumps trainer and his son with a double having claimed the opener with favourite Williamstowndancer.
The very small mare is leased to the syndicate owners by the breeders with Mullins Senior having trained the dam and the mare has already gained graded black type and looks progressive going forward.
Mullins Junior said: “She was (very good). She was very keen… in Aintree I dropped her in because she can be so keen and she didn’t go at all, but today she was in my hands everywhere, even though we were going a super strong gallop.
“She hurdled fantastically, she is like a cat. She’s not big, one of the smallest in the yard. Even the last hurdle where she was wrong, she was quick at it.”
Gorthill with former local champion rider Noel Mc Parlan in the saddle and trained at Dromara by Caroline McCaldin landed the maiden hunterchase having been in front for most of the race, the task made easier when Nevernmindsestranger unseated his rider at the penultimate fence.
McParlan said: “He’s a very tough horse and the trainer was confident he would go well.” Mc Caldin added: “Richard Lyttle and his team are brilliant here. I think that is five winners under rules now.
“They are all special because it very rarely happens!. I train 16 and it is a labour of love… it is a hobby and a very expensive one. This was always the aim for him.”
Lakefield Flyer with Jody Mc Garvey aboard made all with a great display of jumping to win the Caughoo Beginners Chase for trainer Shark Hanlon currently in France and due to saddle Hewick with Rachael Blackmore booked in the French Champion Hurdle on Saturday.
Leading trainer at the track Gordon Elliott recorded a double. Set Point (5s to 11/4 favourite) partnered by Ben Harvey claimed the handicap hurdle from the rallying locally-trained I Don’t Get It after another local hope Willyouwalkwithme appeared set to score when leading at the final flight but was outpaced late filling fourth.
The brace was completed when the very strongly supported favourite The Wallpark with Harry Swan aboard won the bumper leading in the dip prior to stretching clear.
Swan said: “He looks a real stayer. I’d say he didn’t handle the track as well as we thought. I think he will improve again off that. He was off the bridle a long way out, but I think he is still a bit green.”
Trainer Tom McCourt and Thomas Reilly combined to win the handicap hurdle for claiming riders with Tick Along bred locally by John Kidd former Chairman of the NI Breeders Association.
The winner lead three from home and kept on well to spring a 25/1 shock result. McCourt said: “She’s in a chase at Limerick next week. If she is none the worse, she will go there. She jumps very well. Tommy (Reilly) has a good record around here.”
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