OVER the two days of the 20th Festival of Racing at Down Royal, there were three North of Ireland winning owners: Patricia Hunt, the Early To Late Syndicate and Claire Watson – one successful trainer in Keith Watson, and one winning breeder, Jane Buchanan.

The last-named was attending the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Churchill Downs but watched the televised coverage of the concluding Daily Mirror bumper in which the Gordon Elliott-trained Kalanisi gelding Malone Road made a very impressive racecourse debut in the ownership of Cheveley Park Stud.

In her absence, Jane was well represented by members of her family – father Alan, brother Peter and sister Naomi. Alan stood in for one of the post-race photographs with Malone Road who had also impressed when landing a four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Loughanmore on the last day of March for Jane and the Stuart Crawford yard.

Saturday’s winner is out of the Zaffaran mare Zaffarella, the winner of four hurdle races for Lucinda Russell and dam previously of the dual bumper winners Ravenhill Road and Windsor Avenue who were also point-to-point winners before moving to the track. Peter has done a lot of pre-training work with Malone Road’s unraced year-older full-brother Shaws Bridge, who is now with the Crawfords.

At home, the Buchanans are looking after Zaffarella’s fillies by Jet Away (2016) and Califet (2017), while this year the 2001 mare had a colt by Court Cave. We wait to see what rugby-related names the family come up with for these. Zaffarella is in foal to Soldier Of Fortune.

After winning his point-to-point, Malone Road was sent to Goffs UK’s Aintree Sale where he was knocked down to Tom Malone and Gordon Elliott for £325,000.

Thirty-seven horses, all geldings, have been entered for the four-year-old maiden at the East Antrims’ meeting at Loughanmore today where the absence will be keenly felt of clerk of the course and joint-Master Bob McKnight.

Bob took ill at the weekend and had to undergo major surgery on Sunday. At time of writing, he was still in intensive care but progressing day by day and was reported to be a lot brighter. John Minford, who was appointed joint-Master this year, addressed all those at the opening meet at Parkgate, telling them about Bob and calling for three cheers for him before the horn was blown for the off.