WITH so much racing taking place at present, it’s hard to keep up with who’s winning what, but two locally-born riders we have to mention following their wins at the Punchestown Festival, are amateur Deckie Lavery and professional jockey Sam Ewing.

The former was the first to strike when landing the concluding four-year-old bumper at the Co Kildare track on the Tuesday, aboard the Gavin Cromwell-trained Snow Sky filly, Sixandahalf, who, despite finishing second on her only previous start, was sent off a 14/1 shot in the 17-runner field. Again riding for Cromwell, but this time on the 11/4 favourite, Lavery got up close home to land the final race in the Irish National Hunt season, Saturday’s two-mile bumper, on the five-year-old Well Chosen gelding Will The Wise. On his only other start, this chesnut gelding won a four-year-old maiden at Turtulla in mid-November after which he made €95,000 at Goffs Coral Gold Cup Sale.

Ewing’s first win came on the Thursday when, in a driving finish, his mount Pinkerton saw off Saint Roi by a short-head in the listed two-mile handicap chase. This was Ewing’s second successive victory on the eight-year-old Ocovango gelding who is trained by Noel Meade for Downpatrick’s Philip Polly.

Ewing also brought his Punchestown double up on Saturday when on the Gordon Elliott-trained Minella Crooner, he just held off the Simon Torrens-ridden favourite Better Times Ahead by a head in the listed extended three-mile handicap chase. He will be in action at Percy Warner in the US tonight with two rides for Gordon Elliott.

Ballyphilip extends McCaldin winning run

THE Club Mixers Student Day certainly attracted a large crowd to Down Royal on Bank Holiday Monday, the students adding plenty of colour to the occasion and, hopefully, many will return to the track on Friday, May 31st, for the BoyleSports Summer Race Evening.

On the racing front, it was good to see a locally-trained double, Caroline McCaldin first sending out her husband Alan’s Ballyphilip to land the C&C White Maiden Hunters’ Chase.

The six-year-old Presenting gelding was ridden by Noel McParlan who also partnered the bay to victory in his five point-to-point outings this season.

The following Energise (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race for four-year-olds was won by the Stuart Crawford-trained newcomer Marlacoo who, under Alex Harvey, comfortably scored by six lengths from the Dara McGill-ridden, Tilly Conway-owned Polepatrick who, too, was making his debut.

Carrying the colours of the trainer’s brother Ross, Marlacoo is by Wings Of Eagles out of the unraced Mahler mare Sally Knox. He was purchased by the Crawford Brothers at last year’s July Sale at Tattersalls Ireland for just €1,250.

The Crawfords were also on the mark on Wednesday at Kelso where the J.J. Slevin-partnered Lily Du Berlais justified 9/2 favouritism by half a length in the featured two-mile Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. This was a fourth win, the second over hurdles, for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s Shirocco eight-year-old.

Also on Thursday, but at Fontwell, Co Antrim-born, England-base trainer Neil Mulholland saddled two winners, having sent out his first winner of the new National Hunt season at Kempton on Monday. Mulholland saddled the last winner of the 2023/’24 British campaign when the French-bred Ike Sport landed the bet365 Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on April 27th.

WILSON Dennison was kept busy the weekend before the recent Punchestown Festival, hosting the second of the East Antrim Hunt’s spring point-to-points on Saturday at Loughanmore where, the following afternoon, he was joined by family and friends to celebrate his 80th birthday. Wilson is seen below with his wife of 55 years, Lorraine, and with with some of the many friends who travelled from within the country and from further afield to mark the occasion. Over from Scotland, Ronnie Bartlett made the most of his visit travelling on to Punchestown where his colours were carried to victory in Tuesday’s Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase by Banbridge and in Friday’s Grade 1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle by Ballyburn.

Both geldings had started their careers on the northern point-to-point circuit when trained for Wilson by Colin McKeever.

A REMINDER to those heading north to Toomebridge early today, a lot of motorbikes will be on the move, as the road closed sign will be going up at 9am for the second day of North West 200 racing on the triangle between Portstewart, Coleraine and Portush. Horse power of a different sort.