FORMER trainer turned bloodstock and sport horse agent Brian Lusk had a winner at the one-ay event in Knockany last Saturday, while former amateur riders, Rory Lavery and Holly McGahan, finished in the placings.
Brian owns the winner of the EI100 class, the six-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Boss Quality, who brought up a double for his rider, Jonny Steele.
The latter, who, with his wife Clare, runs the Riverhill Stud and Livery Yard between Crossgar and Ballynahinch, is looking forward to seeing three pointers he broke for local trainers run in upcoming four-year-old maidens.
Lavery and McGahan both competed in the Horse Sport Ireland-sponsored four-year-old class but had to settle for second and third respectively behind Suzanne Hagan and her Judith Sossick-bred Loughview Commander.
Rory filled the runner-up spot on Metalli, whose owner, Sandra Hamilton, is to be found in the weigh-tent at East Antrim point-to-points while Holly was on board Landro Pearl. The placed horses were also bred in Northern Ireland.
DERRYLIN’s David Christie had a good start to the 2020/21 point-to-point season when sending out Marinero to land the 18-runner open at Ballingarry on Saturday in the hands of Barry O’Neill.
This was a first success for the 11-year-old Presenting gelding in the colours of Belfast bookmaker Ray Nicholas.
When winning previously between the flags, in an open at Tinahely in January 2018, the bay was owned by David Maxwell who was to partner Marinero to victory two months later in a hunters’ chase at Ascot.
Other northern trainers who had runners at this Ormond Foxhounds’ meeting failed to strike and it was a very frustrating trip south for Graham McKeever. This was particularly so in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden where his Do No Wrong was four lengths up when falling at the third last fence.
The second division of that maiden was won by the O’Neill-ridden, Colin Bowe-trained Neon Moon who was bred near Tandragee by Colm McDonnell. The No Risk At All bay is the first of three recorded foals out of Hidden Horizons who, when trained by Stuart Crawford for McDonnell, won a point-to-point, a hurdle and a chase.
The 2006 Winged Love mare is a full-sister to the six-time winners Perfect Candidate and Lovey Dovey.