HAVING been among the winners at Down Royal and Ayr earlier in the week, Stuart Crawford’s team paid a successful visit to Saturday’s Mid Antrim fixture at Broughshane when securing a double that was headlined by the victory of Poli Roi in the feature open lightweight.

Turning out just eight days after posting a very creditable performance in the Champion Hunter Chase at Punchestown when finishing sixth behind British raider Bob And Co at odds of 200/1, the nine-year-old was always to the fore in this five-runner race.

His former stablemate Creadan Grae, who is now trained by Philip McBurney on his brand new gallop that runs through the centre of the point-to-point course, took the field along until Poli Roi was able put his superior speed to best effect when quickening smartly over the last under Ben Crawford to win by two lengths.

Plenty of promise

Creadan Grae offered plenty of promise in second with the former champion point-to-pointer completing the placings at the age of 13. A first win since November 2018 for the former Gigginstown House Stud-owned French-bred who now runs for Raymond Scullion and Martin McGrogan, he could be next seen at Kirkistown on the final weekend of the season.

That was the second winner of the afternoon for the Crawford brothers as they had earlier recorded an impressive success in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Ree Okka.

Owned by Ben Halsall, whose colours were successful last month at Tipperary in a four-year-old maiden with the Colin Bowe-trained Chianti Classico, this Shantou gelding made all of the running and his connections did not have any serious moments of concern as he made amends for a non-completion at Cork on his debut by beating the former Lingstown fourth Valirock (Pearse Rogan) by three lengths.

“We thought that he would win and win well when we went down to Cork, but he hit the first and went down on his knees and that was the race over,” said the winning Larne-based handler. “What he did there today is what we had expected him to do and he will go to the sales now.”

Wexford rider Pearse Rogan also had to settle for the runner-up spot in the older geldings’ maiden, as although his mount Francesco Du Clos, trained by Warren Ewing, was able to post a much improved effort from his return run at Lisronagh seven days earlier, the Spanish Moon gelding was no match for Greco.

Having initially cost €60,000 as a three-year-old, this maiden success four years on was a long time coming for the son of Fame And Glory who bounced back from a below-par effort at Stradbally in December.

Barry O’Neill steadily introduced Jamie Sloan’s charge into the race before the pair took control from the penultimate fence, as they went on to record a six-length victory in the colours of owner Ronnie Bartlett.

RECENT Cheltenham Festival winner Telmesomethinggirl is one of the more recent examples of a mare taking on and successfully beating their male rivals in a four-year-old maiden, and Saturday’s Mid Antrim card at Broughshane saw See A Stride repeat that feat.

Bought for €1,400 as a yearling, the Notnowcato mare who is related to the Grade 1-placed According To John, had caught the eye travelling well heading out on the final circuit under Michael Sweeney in what was a strongly-run contest.

When that pace eventually told for many of her rivals, Brian Hamilton’s charge kept on to best effect to defeat Hold Onto The Line by a length and a half at the line.

The victory was a welcome winner for Waterford rider Sweeney, as he earned his first success since the opening day of November and notably the bay mare was sporting the colours of Gilmer Bates, son of the well-known former rider and handler John Bates. She is now set to be offered for sale at the upcoming Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale.

The conclusion of the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden proved to be just as hotly contested with Love Actually and Nifty Getaway pulling clear of their rivals from the second last.

The latter had steadily crept into contention under a well-timed ride by her handler Gerard Lawless’ son Brian, and had just taken the narrow advantage in jumping the last when coming to grief.

Her departure paved the way for Love Actually to come through under Declan Lavery and defeat the previously-placed Luck Of The Duck by five lengths.

A second winner of the season for Downpatrick handler Patrick Turley, like his former record-breaking pointing mare My Whirlwind, this latest winning mare that he has produced won in the colours of his wife Mary Kelly.

DAVID Christie has provided owners John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane with a great deal of success in the hunter chase sphere of late, following the exploits of Winged Leader at Tramore and, most recently, Vaucelet, who had been successful five days earlier at Down Royal.

At Broughshane on Saturday, Ask D’Man was the latest to earn a share of the spoils for these connections with a comprehensive victory in the winner-of-two contest.

Sourced from Paul O’Connell’s yard after falling in a five-year-old maiden at Boulta in December 2019, the son of Ask entered the race having crossed the line in front in all three of his outings for Christie’s Fermanagh stables, and he maintained that record on his first outing since winning at Loughbrickland in mid-November.

Much of his opposition here had finished behind his stable companion Vaucelet in Monday’s hunter chase – with Lowtown Boy, Dento Des Obeaux and Tareeshar in fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively.

However it proved to be the latter-named rival who provided his sternest test when they jumped the penultimate fence as one. Ask D’Man was the quicker away from the obstacles and went on to win by three lengths under Barry O’Neill with what looked a bit up his sleeve.

Horse To Follow

Nifty Getaway (G. Lawless): This five-year-old was a real eye catcher prior to her final fence departure and she can be expected to make amends in the very near future.