I AM not aware if it was one of those cross-border initiatives or not, but having the only all-weather track on the island of Ireland – at present – in Dundalk has proven a godsend for northern trainers, three of whom had winners at the Co Louth track in the past eight days.

Last Friday week, Andy Oliver sent out Team Valor’s Apercu to land the extended 10-furlong maiden on her third start. The three-year-old Elzaam filly, whose two previous good runs had been over course and distance, may soon be ridden at home by a new exercise rider, should there be replies to advertisements for same being placed by Caledon-based Oliver, who is also seeking a yard person.

On Wednesday of this week, there was a Co Down double on the polytrack thanks to Leanne Breen, who saddled the Varland Syndicate’s James Henry to justify 6/4 favouritism in division one of the seven-furlong handicap, and Sarah Dawson who claimed the second half with Kieran Burke’s Bride Tree who was backed from morning prices of 66/1 into 22/1.

The three-year-old daughter of Garswood won for the first time on her 11th start, while the Kodiac-sired James Henry lost his maiden status on his 18th public appearance.

Dundalk continues to be a happy hunting ground for Castlewellan owner Paul Rooney, whose colours were carried to victory in last Friday night’s concluding mile and a half handicap by the 4/7 favourite, Ceallach.

Bringing up a four-timer for champion jockey Colin Keane, who had earlier been on board Apercu, the four-year-old Lope De Vega gelding, who is trained by Michael Halford and Tracey Collins, was posting a fifth career success all of which have been recorded at Dundalk.

Across the water on Monday, the Noel Kelly-trained Gamigin landed the concluding two-mile conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle on the Coral-sponsored card at Ayr. This was a third career success, and his first over jumps, for the Dark Angel gelding who Kelly trains for his wife, Shauna.

Maxwell gets the Christmas expenses

HAVING returned to race-riding last month, it didn’t take Downpatrick-born Corinthian David Maxwell long to record his first success since this time last year.

He did so on Monday at Lingfield where he partnered his Harry Derham-trained Joker De Mai to justify 3/1 favouritism by 11 lengths in the extended two-mile, three-furlong handicap hurdle. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, it was then on to Fontainebleau where, on Tuesday, David comfortably landed the three-year-old hurdle on his Triple Threat gelding All In You, who is trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.

Also riding a brace of winners over jumps this week were two other Downpatrick natives, Caoilin Quinn and Danny McMenamin. Brian Hughes recorded his 69th success of the season in the two and a half-mile handicap chase on Saturday’s BoyleSports card at Aintree, while Simon Torrens was on the mark on Tuesday at Punchestown where, on the William Hill-sponsored card, he landed the three-mile handicap hurdle on the 11/2 favourite Duffys Getaway.

First win

On the level, we were delighted to see Dylan Browne McMonagle record his first win in Australia, doing so on Thursday at Caulfield where he landed the 2,000m handicap on the Ben, Will and J.D. Hayes-trained Dublin Journal.

The five-year-old Teofilo gelding was bred by Jim Bolger for whom he won twice on the flat – in a three-year-old maiden at Naas in April 2021 and, on his last start for the Co Carlow-born trainer, in a 10-furlong handicap at Leopardstown in May 2022. In flat breeding, there was a win for the Brian and Anne Marie Kennedy-bred four-year-old filly Pepsi Cat (Tamayuz – Music Pearl, by Oratorio) at Newcastle on Friday.

Over jumps, the Siobhan Mackinnon-bred seven-year-old mare Kalanisi Dubh (Kalanasi – Bobby’s Taken, by Dr Massini) won at Clonmel last Thursday week while the Ronald Brown-bred eight-year-old gelding The Newest One (Oscar – Thuringe, by Turgeon) scored at Chepstow on Saturday.

Points winners for northern connections

IT was a quiet couple of days for locally-connected horses on the point-to-point scene last weekend but the Stephen Magee-bred Don’t Matter Now, an eight-year-old Ask gelding, recorded his third win of the season from as many starts when landing the winners of two at Boulta on Sunday. Owner/trainer Warren Ewing and rider Dara McGill combined to land the opening Tattersalls National Hunt four-year-old mares’ maiden at the Co Meath sales complex on Sunday, with the newcomer Jokers ‘N’ Clowns. The Jet Away bay was due to come up as Lot 11 at yesterday’s Tattersalls Cheltenham sale. Deckie Lavery recorded a double at the Co Louth Foxhounds’ meeting on Derryhassen Paddy in the Tattersalls National Hunt four-year-old geldings’ maiden, and with John The Spark in the Louth Hunt Pony Club winners’ race. Both winners were saddled by the recently-married Co Meath trainer Ian Donoghue, former huntsman with the Co Downs.

Fifth winner

Noel McParlan partnered his fifth winner of the campaign when landing the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on the John Flavin-owned and trained Reve Inoui who was having his third start.

The Kingston Hill grey was due to be the last horse through the ring in Cheltenham yesterday as Lot 45. The corresponding mares’ maiden at Tattersalls Ireland on Sunday was sponsored by the Co Louth-based Candlefort Stud. Among former Northern-trained pointers to have won on the track lately were Rock Danse who landed the two and a half-mile maiden hurdle at Hexham on Wednesday on his third start for Fergal O’Brien. The six-year-old Kap Rock gelding ran in two maidens on the first half of the 2021/’22 season when in the care of Graham McKeever.