BRIAN Hughes’s quest for a second British jump jockeys’ championship saw him partner five winners in the period under review for this column, all for different trainers.

The Co Armagh native partnered bumper winners for Rebecca Menzies (Bolton at Wetherby last Friday) and Charlie Longsdon (Everyonesgame at Doncaster on Tuesday) while at Newcastle on Saturday he won a handicap hurdle for Donald McCain (Since Day One) and the near three-mile QuinnBet Handicap Chase for Ann Hamilton (Bavington Bob).

However, it was his victory at Ayr on Sunday which was of most interest as this was for the in-form Stuart Crawford who, for the third time, engaged Hughes to ride Ailie Rose at a Scottish track and on this occasion, the combination, proved successful.

Favouritism

Their win came in the opening mares’ National Hunt novices’ hurdle over an extended two and a half miles where they justified 2/1 favouritism in the six-runner field by two and three-quarter lengths from the Gordon Elliott-trained Motown Maggie.

Last time out, at Down Royal’s Boxing Day meeting, Ailie Rose had finished second to Elliott’s charge, Gerri Colombe, in a maiden hurdle over a similar trip. Racing for the sixth time on Sunday, Ailie Rose runs in the colours of her Comber-based breeder Elizabeth ‘Hammy’ Hamilton who didn’t travel over to Ayr but watched the race at home with partner, David Mitchell.

“I went to Down Royal on Boxing Day and also got to see Ailie Rose when she ran there in October,” said Hammy of the now six-year-old bay who finished second to the Elliott-trained Hollow Games on her first outing at Down Royal while she had also filled the runner-up spot on her debut at Limerick last May behind the Henry de Bromhead-trained Schone Aussicht. In all her Irish runs, she was ridden by J.J. Slevin.

A daughter of Fame And Glory, Ailie Rose is the sixth of seven foals out of the dual hurdle winner Topanberry (by Topanoora) who sadly died of a heart attack in the field a couple of years ago. Ailie Rose is her dam’s third winner following Sanibel Island (by Scorpion) and Kilinakin (by Definite Article).

In addition to her Ayr winner, Hamilton has also retained Topanberry’s first foal Flemi, a 2007 unraced Flemensfirth mare, and the five-year-old Poppy Rose, a full-sister to Ailie Rose who is in training with Crawford.

This is the family of Mendip Express and Fiddling The Facts plus the recent winners Jetstream Jack and Deja Vue.