DROMORE veterinary surgeon Callie Berry bred two winners in Ireland on Sunday, both full-brothers by Fame And Glory out of her Epervier Bleu mare, Full Of Birds.

The Willie Mullins-trained Hunters Yarn, a five-year-old gelding, now owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, recorded a second bumper success at Limerick while the Noel Meade-trained seven-year-old Highland Charge landed back-to-back victories over timber at Naas in the Grace 3 Bar One Racing Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle.

Also at the Co Kildare track, the Tilly Conway-owned and bred Delvino won the Bar One Racing Directors Plate Novice Chase on her third start over fences.

The seven-year-old Dylan Thomas mare was also having her third start for Dungannon-based Mark McCrory who was recording his first success as a trainer.

The previous afternoon at Sandown, the Sean McElroy-bred Killer Kane won the Listed Paddy Power Novices’ Handicap Chase for the Colin Tizzard yard.

WHEN the National Hunt Festival opened at Cheltenham on Tuesday, Brian Hughes continued his bid to land a second British jump jockeys’ championship at Sedgefield where he brought his seasonal tally to 180 with a double on horses trained by Donald McCain.

Notably, a single victory at Newcastle last Friday, on the Nicky Richards-trained She’s A Rocca in the concluding mares’ handicap hurdle, had seen Hughes record his 1,500th career win.

Also on the mark at Sedgefield on Tuesday was Draperstown trainer Noel Kelly who sent out his wife Shauna’s Ellaat to land the two-mile–one-furlong handicap hurdle. Ridden by Sean Bowen, as he was when second last time out over the course and distance in late January, the six-year-old Heeraat gelding justified 2/1 favouritism by three and a quarter lengths.

Hampered

There was no fairytale result in the Grade 1 Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday for the Ann Hamilton-trained Tommy’s Oscar who, after pulling hard and being hampered twice, faded to finish ninth of 10 under Danny McMenamin.

However, the Downpatrick-born jockey had played his part in trainer Nick Alexander’s five-timer at Ayr on Saturday when landing the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle on Gaillimh A Stor. The previous day, Danny had passed a concussion test following his fall at Musselburgh earlier in the month.

Templepatrick’s Sam Ewing was one of seven jockeys who rode for Gordon Elliott in the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Wednesday and was due to be one of six riding for the Co Meath trainer in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Prestbury Park yesterday. Between times, he was back in Ireland for the St Patrick’s Day meeting at Down Royal.

Ewing is still riding on the flat as well and, last Friday at Dundalk, he landed the 10-furlong apprentice handicap on the 11/2 shot, Drakensberg. That eight-year-old Samum gelding is trained by Tony Martin who regularly rode against Ewing’s father Warren during their amateur careers.