THERE were some notable wins for Ulster-born jockeys in the past week or so but the standout one to my mind was that of Barry McHugh on Tees Spirit in the Simpex Express ‘Dash’ Handicap at Epsom last Saturday.

Rapport

It was not only the way in which Co Tyrone native McHugh won the race from the front on the four-year-old Swiss Spirit gelding but there appeared to be great rapport between the jockey, the horse’s trainer Adrian Nicholls and the latter’s wife Clare who led the winner up and rides him out all the time.

This was McHugh’s sixth success of the season and half of these have been for Nicholls.

From Derby Day at Epsom to Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) Day on Sunday at Chantilly where Donegal native Dylan Browne McMonagle landed the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene over five furlongs on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Brostaigh. McMonagle had previously ridden the three-year-old Footstepsinthesand filly to win a listed sprint at Naas last month.

On the same day, but on the training front, Stuart Crawford sent out I Love My Baie to win the bumper at Perth on his debut.

Despatched as the 11/8 favourite in the five-runner field, the four-year-old Crillon gelding runs in the double green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede whose retained jockey, Daryl Jacon, was in the saddle.

Big odds

None of the owners of the Ado McGuiness-trained Ti Sento attended Sunday’s flat meeting at Listowel where Ronan Whelan partnered their Invincible Spirit colt to a surprise 100/1 success in the opening six-and-a-half-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for two-year-olds.