LEADING Britain-based Corinthian David Maxwell enjoyed a cross-Channel double last weekend.

On Saturday, the Downpatrick native landed the Livescore Bet Best Odds Daily Maiden Hurdle on his Harry Derham-trained Queensbury Boy, who justified odds of 4/9 by eight and a half lengths.

The now six-year-old Doyen gelding made a winning track debut under the owner/rider in a Chepstow bumper in December 2023, the pair then having to settle for second next time out in Punchestown Festival bumper the following May. Queensbury Boy was having his first start since then on Saturday.

The following afternoon, Maxwell struck in the second race at Auteuil, a four-year-old conditions hurdle over roughly two-miles, one furlong, on Lascar Du Mathan, who is trained in Picardie by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.

This was a second career start for the Doctor Dino gelding who, on his only other appearance, landed a three-year-old hurdle at Compiegne, where he was ridden by James Reveley.

Staying in France, more specifically at Chantilly on Thursday week last, the opening three-year-old claimer over a mile was won by the McNally family’s home-bred Drumroy Girl. This daughter of Wooded, who was having her third start, is out of the winning Siyouni mare Ajou, the dam of two other winners.

On the same afternoon, but at Taunton, the bumper was won in comfortable fashion by the Tony Charlton-trained Sinchi Roca, who was making his racecourse debut.

By Getaway out of the hurdle-winning Gold Well mare Quri, a half-sister to the great Brave Inca, the five-year-old was bred by the late Dennis Macauley, whose daughter Victoria and her husband Eamonn O’Donovan won a four and five-year-old maiden at Larkhill in early December with the chesnut on his only other start.

The Jane Buchanan-bred Glenmount (Court Cave – Zaffarella, by Zafaraan), a seven-year-old half-brother to five track winners headed by Windsor Avenue (by Winged Love), recorded his second of the year when landing a conditions race at Charm Park on Sunday while at Newcastle on Monday, the Patrick McElroy-bred 12-year-old gelding The Paddy Pie (Beneficial – Salsita, by Fijar Tango) won the near three-mile handicap chase.

IT wasn’t ideal having just the one race at Tyrella last Saturday, but it did at least mean that there was more time for everyone present to have a chat with Frankie Fitzsimons, who was spending his last day working for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

And there couldn’t have been a better venue as Downpatrick-based Frankie hunted for years with the East Downs and partnered many winners at Tyrella during his days as an amateur.

He took up the role as an assistant stewards’ secretary at the start of the 2000 point-to-point season, having previously filled the honorary positions of a judge and steward.

Frankie was accompanied to the meeting on Saturday by his wife Clare, who was by his side for two presentations, one by the East Downs’ joint-Masters Donna Quail and Pat Turley, and the other by the IHRB represented by Paul Murtagh, Denise O’Neill and Ray Bergin.

Among those spotted watching on were Billy and Celia Magill, who made a rare appearance in support of Frankie.

“They haven’t got rid of me entirely you know,” said Frankie, “as I’m a member of the Turf Club and an INHS representative. I’m on the stewards’ panel for Down Royal, Downpatrick, Dundalk and a lot of tracks in the northern half of the country, so I’m looking forward to a busy summer.”

Recalling MacMahon Comber double

THE North Downs race at Kirkistown this afternoon but, on February 19th, 2005 the pack held its second point-to-point of the year, and third of the season, at Mount Alexander, Comber, where the concluding seven-year-old and upwards maiden was divided to give a seven-race card.

Division two was won by Brian Hamilton, who thus brought up a double he had comfortably initiated in the confined hunt winners of one. Well-beaten into second in that opener, Clare MacMahon had little trouble in landing the ladies’ open on Fnan, the combination scoring the first of five wins from five starts that season. Other riders to partner winners were J.D. Moore, Jim Keeling, James Smyth and Andrew Duff. There were only 42 runners in total at Kirkistown on Saturday, March 14th, 2015 and just four in the open where the Brian Hamilton-trained, Deckie Lavery-ridden Warne beat another local favourite, Chosen Time, by one and a half lengths. Hamilton and Lavery went on to land the concluding older geldings’ maiden with Canadian Steel.

Chosen Time’s trainer, Graham McKeever had started the day by saddling his own Good Vibration to land the four-year-old geldings’ maiden under Noel McParlan, who was to complete a double in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden on Rodney Arthur’s charge, Universal Wren. Derek O’Connor landed the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on the Ian Ferguson-trained, Wilson Dennison-owned Ballyoptic, while the Jim Dreaper-trained, Jamie Codd-partnered Kayf Supreme claimed the winners of one in the colours of the late Alan Potts.

Down Royal make travelling easier

DOWN Royal Racecourse has announced a new partnership with Translink, Northern Ireland’s leading public transport provider.

This collaboration will see Translink become the official travel partner for the racecourse, offering racegoers convenient and sustainable travel options for major racing events throughout the year.

In line with both organisations’ commitment to sustainability, Translink will introduce zero emission double-decker buses for race day transport, helping to reduce emissions and promote greener travel.

Dedicated race day shuttle services will run between Lisburn train station and Down Royal during the Summer Festival (June 20th and 21st) and the November Festival (October 31st and November 1st). As a key transport hub, Lisburn train station offers direct connections from Belfast Grand Central Station, Newry and Portadown, making it easier than ever for racegoers to travel to Down Royal without the need for a car.

To encourage the use of public transport, exclusive Down Royal ticket and travel packages will be available from the racecourse, with shuttle tickets also purchasable in advance via the Translink website.

Shuttle tickets

Chloe Ferris, Commercial Director at Down Royal commented: “We are delighted to welcome Translink as our official travel partner. This partnership makes race days more accessible and enjoyable, while championing a more sustainable future for our sport. By providing seamless, stress-free transport options, we’re not only enhancing the experience for our racegoers, but also taking meaningful steps to reduce our environmental impact.”

John Morgan, Service Delivery Manager at Translink said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Down Royal to encourage cleaner, greener travel options for racegoers. Offering a convenient and sustainable way to reach the racecourse, this initiative supports our wider efforts to reduce emissions and promote environmentally responsible travel across Northern Ireland.”