AFTER much chit-chat and speculation, it finally became more generally known last weekend that Brian Hamilton – junior – is to hand in his licence to train to take on the part-time position as clerk of the course at Downpatrick, Down Royal and Sligo.

The one-time leading amateur, who was Northern point-to-point champion on two occasions (2003 and 2004) and national senior champion for three seasons (2003-2005), Hamilton will be shadowing one or two of the established clerks at first until he finds his feet.

He is due to have his final runners as a public trainer at Down Royal’s Boxing Day meeting after which, in another part-time role, he will be assisting his father Brian Hamilton senior who is to take on the position of point-to-point handler at the family’s Ballynoe yard outside Downpatrick. We will be rooting for Brian junior to sign off with a winner on Tuesday, December 26th.

THE team at Down Royal will have their fingers crossed more than most that the weather is on their side on the run-up to Christmas, on the big day itself and on the track’s even bigger one the following day for the Metcollect Boxing Day Races.

Having had to endure a weather-enforced week’s postponement to their Ladbrokes November Festival of Racing, the team deserve a hassle-free meeting on this occasion and it was good to see that all hospitality packages were sold out earlier this month.

For those for whom cash remains king, general admission tickets will still be available on the day but these too can be purchased in advance through the track’s website.

Looking further ahead, but putting a festive spin to matters, the team at Downpatrick racecourse are suggesting that tickets to their Randox Ulster National race day on Sunday, April 7th be purchased as Christmas presents. They have a variety of hospitality packages on offer details of which can be found on their website.

They are also running a Facebook competition for two VIP cocktail lounge tickets which closes on Monday next, December 18th.