CASTLEWELLAN builder Leo Matheson missed seeing his Mark McNiff-trained Lighthouse Rose win her first race at Downpatrick last August but nothing was going to stop him attending Tuesday’s meeting at the Co Down track where she recorded her second career success in the Victoria du Monde.ie For Connoisseurs Of Interior Spaces Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old Court Cave mare was bred by Leo out of Lady Fame (by Aahsaylad), who too was homebred. The winner is the first of four recorded foals, and the only filly to date, out of her dam who won a point-to-point and was placed twice over hurdles.

Lighthouse Rose was a fifth winner of the jumps’ season for Strandhill-based McNiff who saddled Red Ball Of Fire to score at his local track, Sligo, last Sunday.

Another northern-bred winner at Tuesday’s meeting was the Sneezy Foster-trained Grangeclare Native who landed the Irish Thoroughbred Agency.org ‘Ex Racehorses Finding Their Forever Home’ Maiden Hurdle by two lengths from the 9/4 favourite, Favori Logique.

Gigginstown House Stud’s successful six-year-old by Shantou was bred close to Belfast by Graham Morrow. The chesnut gelding is the 13th of 14 foals out of the unraced Be My Native mare Navaro whose blacktype progeny include Line Ball (by Good Thyne) and Rocco (also by Shantou). This is the family of Longhouse Sale, Mighty Mogul, Court Leader, Ballynagour, etc.

Donaghcloney trainer Suzy Barkley, who runs the Irish side of the Irish Thoroughbred Agency with British director Monique Lyle, spoke passionately about rehoming racehorses when interviewed by Gary O’Brien on Racing TV.

Stating that they have already rehomed over 100 horses, Barkley explained the process of the horses being brought to her base, Bluestone Lodge, where they are assessed, the main aim being to ensure that each horse is matched to its prospective new owner.

Unsuitable

“There is a no-racing policy and should the horse prove to be unsuitable or should the new owner have a change of circumstances and no longer be able to look after the horse, it must be returned to us.”

While not sourced through Suzy, the former racehorse Miguel Angel is much-loved at his new home in Saul outside Downpatrick and you can read all about him in the Pony Tales column on page 100.

Mentioned above, Favori Logique is trained by Ross O’Sullivan who saddled the Amanda Torrens-owned and -bred State Of Fame to win the bumper at Sligo on Sunday, giving rider Tom Harney his first racecourse success.

The five-year-old Fame And Glory gelding, who was having his fourth start, is the sixth of seven foals out of the Kornado mare Nirphania who won four times on the flat in her native Germany and twice over hurdles in this country.