‘WHEN they put me on the table, I blessed myself and said if he takes me, he takes me,” reported Franco Hughes who, thankfully, wasn’t taken and now, with a stent implanted, is recuperating at home in Newry, having survived two heart attacks.

“At 3.15am on Monday, September 9th, I woke up with a terrible pain in my chest, as if someone had hit me with a hammer. I went downstairs for two paracetamol, thinking they might work but they didn’t so, around 11 or so, I rang the local health clinic and got an appointment there for 2pm. I was in serious pain, I tell you!”

Cutting a long story shorter than he told me, it transpired that Franco had suffered a heart attack and, when being transferred from Daisy Hill Hospital to the Royal in Belfast, he had another.

“The sweat was bucketing out of me! It was when the surgeon saw me at the Royal that he confirmed I’d had a second heart attack.

WI thought I was dead, it scared the life out of me. It was terrible, terrible, terrible!”

After the operation, Franco was sent back to Daisy Hill, from where he was released on Sunday. “Steven (his son, who works in Amazon in Edinburgh) and Olivia (his daughter, who is a teacher in Liverpool) got compassionate leave to see me and are still here now,” a reformed Franco revealed on Thursday.

“It was my own fault really, my lifestyle, eating the wrong food at the wrong time, not taking enough exercise and drinking beer. It’s a lesson for everyone!”

While things are moving in the right direction, “my blood pressure is good, so is my breathing,” Franco reckons he won’t be seen on a racecourse until after Christmas.

Meanwhile, Simon White is looking after his pitch and both Steven and Olivia were on hand to him help at Leopardstown, The Curragh and a packed Laytown on Monday.

SUNDAY was a red letter day for jockey Patsy Cosgrave, as he notched up his 1,000th win in Britain, when the Kevin Philippart De Foy-trained Dynamiste landed the mile and six handicap at Bath in the colours of Antoinette Kavanagh.

The Co Down native added to that tally, and brought his seasonal total up to 27, when the Jim Boyle-trained Carnival Day rewarded favourite backers at Sandown on Wednesday.

Also across the water on Sunday, the extremely fit and ever-glamorous Sammy Jo Bell came out of retirement yet again to record her third win in the Graham Lee Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Stakes over a mile at Doncaster’s meeting.

Teaming up with her old boss, Richard Fahey and coming from off the pace with a well-timed challenge, Sammy Jo partnered Hartswood to a three-parts of a length success over the Megan Nicholls-ridden favourite, Terries Royale.

Jump Jockeys Challenge

The previous day, three-parts of a length was also the margin of victory recorded by the CosyRoof-sponsored Danny McMenamin, as he landed division two of the Edinburgh Gin Jump Jockeys Challenge Handicap at Chester on the Iain Jardine-trained Haveyoumissedme.

In division one, the Downpatrick-born jockey had to settle for second on the four-year-old Starspangledbanner gelding Grey Fable, who is trained by Karl Thornton for the Derby Bar Syndicate.

On Wednesday, when back in more familiar territory, ie Kelso, Danny partnered his 13th winner of the British jumps’ season, when the Ann Hamilton-trained Pay The Piper returned from his summer holidays to land a two miles, one furlong handicap chase by three-parts of a length.

Earlier on the six-race card, Brian Hughes made it win number 22 for the campaign, when the Jardine-trained Half Shot beat the McMenamin-ridden Flic Ou Voyou by half a length.

Donegal

Co Donegal-born jockeys were also on the mark on the level in the period under review, particularly Dylan Browne McMonagle, who won a Group 3 contest at Leopardstown on Saturday, the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday and recorded a treble at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Four of the five winners were trained by his boss, Joseph O’Brien, while the fifth, Proleek Prince, who landed the William Hill Offers Proper Prices handicap over a mile at Punchestown, is trained in Co Louth by his breeder, Michael Rice.

Luke McAteer won on the beach at Laytown on Monday, while Martin Harley’s win in Australia on Wednesday came on the turf at Ipswich, which is roughly 30km from Brisbane.

Maxwell gets a French success

IF people were talking about racing at Auteuil on Saturday, they were most likely discussing the length victory of the Willie Mullins-trained, Paul Townend-ridden Saint Sam in the two-mile, two-furlong conditions hurdle, the Prix de l’Orleanais.

That seven-year-old Saint Des Saints gelding scored in the colours of Edward Ware, but we were more interested in seeing the colours of David Maxwell being carried to a four and a half-length victory on Just Ennemi in the preceding Prix Cadoudal for four-year-olds over a near similar trip

This Kasmin gelding, who is trained by Dominique Bressou, was ridden on Saturday by Gabin Meunier, but Maxwell himself was in the saddle when the chesnut half-brother to five winners (including the eight-time-winning Poiligote mare Perfect Impulse) finished sixth of nine in similar company over course and distance in May.

Countdown to Ladbrokes Champion Chase

IN the countdown to Down Royal’s prestigious Festival of Racing, it has been confirmed that Ladbrokes are once again title sponsor of the two-day fixture, which will feature the Grade 3 Bottlegreen Hurdle on Friday, November 1st, and the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase on day two.

Emma Meehan, CEO at Down Royal said: “Ladbrokes has been nothing short of a powerhouse in supporting horse racing in Northern Ireland over the past few years. Their unwavering commitment and continuous investment into both the sport and Down Royal have been instrumental to our success.

“It’s not just about sponsorship; Ladbrokes shares our deep-rooted passion for horse racing and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome them back for another year.

“The Ladbrokes Festival is the pinnacle of our racing calendar, a thrilling showcase where the elite of National Hunt racing converge at Down Royal.

“Last year’s Ladbrokes Grade 1 Champion Chase was a spectacle to remember with Gerri Colombe, under the expert guidance of Jack Kennedy and the legendary training of Gordon Elliott, securing a heart-stopping victory. He edged out the 2022 champion, Envoi Allen, in a race that had everyone on the edge of their seats. We can’t wait to see what extraordinary performances this year will bring.”

Nicola McGeady, Ladbrokes Head of PR, remarked: “We at Ladbrokes are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Down Royal for another exhilarating year.

“The Ladbrokes Festival of Racing stands as a crown jewel in the racing calendar, drawing the best talent and delivering unforgettable moments year after year. The anticipation is palpable, and we are eagerly looking forward to witnessing the drama, the triumphs and the electric atmosphere that this year’s renewal will undoubtedly bring.”

Of course, you don’t have to wait until November to go racing at Down Royal, as the track is hosting its Molson Coors Race Day on Monday week, September 30th.