FOUR local trainers saddled winners during the past week, starting on Saturday at Galway where Dylan Browne McMonagle partnered the Natalia Lupini-trained Oriole to victory in the mile and a half handicap.

A five-year-old mare by Nathaniel, Oriole, who was sent off at odds of 7/1, was having her third start for Lupini and her third in the colours of the In For The Crack Syndicate whose members include the winning jockey’s father John. At Naas on Monday, the Andy Oliver-trained Apercu landed the extended 10-furlong handicap in the hands of Billy Lee. Team Valor’s consistent four-year-old Elzaam filly, who was recording her second career success, justified 5/2 favouritism by half a length.

Over jumps, the Mark McNiff-trained Presenting Lad won the extended two-mile beginners’ chase at Roscommon on Tuesday.

The following day, at Wexford, Oran McGill wore the colours of the Red Ned’s Racing Club to victory in a division of the extended two-mile handicap hurdle on the Noel Kelly-trained Flashthelights. Later on the same card, the Finbarr McCarthy-owned Jack Holiday landed the two-mile handicap chase on his second start for David Christie.

Goodwood

On the jockey front, Dylan Browne McMonagle prefaced his win at Galway on Saturday with one at Goodwood on Thursday last when Luke McAteer rode a winner at Galway. Also on Thursday, but at Nottingham, Darragh Keenan rode the first of his four winners in the period under review.

On Saturday, Sam Ewing was on the mark at Galway while Patsy Cosgrave rode a winner at Goodwood.

The following afternoon, there were wins for Oisin Orr at Chester and Deckie Lavery at Galway while on Monday Simon Torrens visited the winner’s enclosure at Cork.

On the breeding front, there was a win at Galway last Thursday week for the Fiona McStay-bred nine-year-old gelding Ashdale Bob (Shantou – Ceol Rua, by Bob Back); at the same track on Friday for the Berry Farms-bred 11-year-old gelding Battleoverdoyen (Doyen – Battle Over, by Sillery).

Then at Ripon on Monday, there were wins for the McCracken Farms-bred three-year-old gelding Stratocracy (Inns Of Court – Vexatious, by Shamardal); and, on the same afternoon, but down at Cork, for the Inge D’haese-bred six-year-old gelding Major Barry (Sholokhov – Degenerous, by Generous).

All roads are leading to Dublin

WE know many readers of The Irish Field will be heading to the Dublin Horse Show at some stage next week, each interested in some sections of the programme more than others.

As her Annaghmore Dunkirk was reserve youngstock champion last August and won the prestigious All-Ireland three-year-old championship at the Bannow and Rathangan Show last month, equine physiotherapist Sharon Kelly will have one of the favourites for the title in her Irish Sport Horse bay.

However, seemingly one horse is not enough and Kelly’s son of HHS Cornet will be joined on his journey south by his For Kirmar Hero Z half-brother Annaghmore Flo Pleasure who, last Monday, won the Connolly’s Red Mills All-Ireland two-year-old gelding championship at Tinahely Show.

Both horses are being produced for Sharon by Shirley and Adrian Hurst, just two of the many top-class local producers who will have horses in the youngstock classes next week.

Bring the style to Downpatrick

DON’T forget, tomorrow is Music and Style Sunday at Downpatrick and don’t forget, before you leave home, to make sure you have all you need to win the Shortcross most stylish hat and accessories competition.

The prize has been boosted recently and now the most stylish hat and accessories-wearing person will win a tour of the Shortcross Distillery, six tickets to the Mighty Women Awards night in the Titanic Building on December 7th, a private box for 10 people on Ladies’ Day at Downpatrick (Bank Holiday Monday, August 26th) and a £250 Hastings Hotel voucher.

The racecourse recently hosted the launch of the 16th Saintfield Horse Show in the Brownlow Suite where racecourse manager Ruth Morrison along with Richard Lyttle, directors of Downpatrick and staff welcomed show director Joan Cunningham, sponsors, guests and members of the show team. The show will take place this day fortnight, August 24th, at Andrew and Laura Napier’s Hazeldene Farm, Ballynahinch.

In addition to the many and varied horse and pony classes, there will be a celebrity fancy dress fun class, a most appropriately dressed lady competition, the Saintfield Horse Show’s Got Talent singing contest and pet dog classes.

Sadness in memory of Richard

WE were much saddened to learn of the death on Tuesday of Richard Tolerton who, in most recent years was more involved with eventing, but started off in racing and point-to-pointing.

The Irish Field would like to extend its condolences to Richard’s son James and daughter Margaret.

Fundraising for Air Ambulance NI

I HAVE no idea how fit one has to be to do a parachute jump but Gransha Equestrian’s Adrienne Stuart and Thompson Feed’s Raymond Bready are taking no chances ahead of their fund-raising leap for the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland Charity on Saturday, September 7th.

At last Saturday’s inaugural Eventing Ireland Northern Region one-day event at Ash Hollow, where he was on duty as one of the day’s cross-country commentators, Raymond raised £870 towards the pair’s target of £15,000 (£1 for every foot they jump) through a raffle and donations.

He also mentioned that, on Monday, August 26th, he and Adrienne are going to ‘Pedal the Peninsula for Air Ambulance NI’.

The pair have broken their ‘Tour de Ards Peninsula’, from Gransha Equestrian to Portaferry and back, into five legs and are hoping that six cyclists will join them on each leg and that those cyclists will each generate £100 sponsorship for the AANI charity. All will be rewarded by a barbeque at Gransha on completion of ‘The Tour’.

We’re taking Adrienne and Raymond at their word when they say that this will be a fun day out, that 10 miles takes 50 minutes and that this is achievable for amateur cyclists.

While we hope they won’t need the charity’s assistance (although they have done in the past), local racing and point-to-point yards benefit as much as other equestrian establishments from the Air Ambulance service.

As the point-to-point season doesn’t start until after Adrienne and Raymond do their fundraising jump, you can support the cause by donating at Northern Region one-day events such as that being held at Loughanmore today. Of course, you can always donate to the fund-raiser through the adrienne-raymond-jump JustGiving page.