THERE was some cracking fare at Saturday’s Route Harriers meeting at Portrush, even if there were just 33 runners at the scenic coastal circuit. The Warren Ewing-trained Jay Bee Why (3/1 - 4/1) indicated that a stellar season lies ahead by giving a superb display of fencing to make a winning return to points duty in the open.

Jay Bee Why, under the care of Colin Bowe beat Lifetime Ambition on debut in a Loughanmore four-year-old maiden in April 2019 before going on to win two hurdles for Alan King, later attaining a career-best British handicap mark of 137. He was bounced out smartly in front by Dara McGill with his fencing both breathtaking and assured throughout.

The eight-year-old was however closely attended to by Wowsham and Vaucelet on the approach to the second last.

Vaucelet, winner of the previous two runnings of this race, lost valuable momentum by blundering here. The eventual winner went in the region of three lengths clear approaching the last only to make his only semblance of an error here.

The chasing pair though were unable to capitalise in any way with runner-up Wowsham, now trained by Ross Crawford, some one and a half lengths in arrears at the line. Vaucelet meanwhile still performed with credit by returning a similar margin adrift in third spot.

Lost his way

“Even though he won two hurdles, he just lost his way a bit,” reported Ewing of Jay Bee Why, whom Derek O’Connor purchased on Ballynure-based owner Shane Wilson’s behalf for £32,000 at the Goffs UK spring sale.

“I have him three months and he’ll go hunter chasing someday, I suppose.”

Dara McGill was the only individual to partner two winners with last season’s champion under-21 rider teaming up with his father Gary to collect the preceding five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden aboard Springtime Promise (evens – 4/6 favourite), much to the chagrin of the 16 bookmakers present.

Springtime Promise brought the best form to the table considering that she was previously placed three times in points whilst she returned from an 18-month absence to finish fifth in a Ballinrobe maiden hurdle in late August on her initial start for current connections.

Springtime Promise always travelled with purpose and she eased to the front with two fences remaining. She did give her supporters some cause for alarm though by blundering when well in command at the final fence. She returned with six and a half lengths to spare over long-time leader Ballygelly.

“Her jumping just took a bit of warming up and she’s a mare that we hope to go chasing with, but we’ll let her have a few more runs in points first,” said handler McGill of Springtime Promise, representing his elder son Oran.

Twenty-year-old Erin Dunseath, who hails from Randallstown, returned to a rousing reception on recording an initial career success aboard her own horse Mountorra (7/1 - 10/1) in the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The Gerald Quinn-trained Mountorra, who finished a respectable fourth at Toomebridge back in May, edged ever closer on the run to two out and he joined issue at the final fence. The son of Scorpion then asserted on the flat to eclipse long-absent pacesetter Coothill by three quarters of a length.

Bowe strikes with sole competitor

COLIN Bowe struck with his only runner of the afternoon by sending out Jurancon (5/2 - 9/2) to collect the four-year-old maiden in hands of Barry O’Neill.

Jurancon, having shaped with clear promise by coming fifth to Off The Jury on his only previous start at Dromahane in late April, always travelled well and he moved through to pick up the running before two out with well-supported newcomer Jimbo Sport holding every chance in second on the outer only to blunder here.

The winning French-bred, whilst running somewhat green approaching the last, still stormed clear over 100 yards out to dispose of Jimbo Sport by a widening eight and a half lengths.

Drumnasoo meanwhile hinted that he will be winning before long by returning a further seven and a half lengths adrift of the Ben Halsall-owned bay in third.

Winning rider O’Neill remarked of Jurancon, a half-brother to Git Maker that has won five out of his eight starts to date for Jamie Snowden: “He’s a smart horse, he jumped a bit big at Dromahane last season and we just ran out of time with him then. He’s still green and will now go to the Cheltenham November sale.”

The formidable Colin McKeever-Wilson Dennison combination was on the mark with the Conor Abernethy-ridden Clashhill (5/2 - 3/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Ocovango-sired Clashhill went one better than he did on his Durrow debut last term by easing into the lead on the incline from three out and he was clearly travelling best from the second-last. Whilst runner-up Syr Maffos closed somewhat on the flat, he was still some four lengths adrift of the victorious half-brother to British listed placed hurdling mare Miss Fairfax.

“He has always shown plenty at home. I’d have been disappointed if he hadn’t put up a performance like that today,” commented handler McKeever of Clashhill, also a close relation to Thisthatandtother and Carlingford Lough.

Gray solid as a rock

GRAY Rock (3/1 - 9/2), who landed last season’s €5,000 winners’ race at Dromahane, made a stunning return under handler Liam Kenny’s son James in a competitive renewal of the winners’ of three.

Gray Rock disputed the running virtually throughout with Annaghbeg until edging into a fractional advantage from four out. The victorious French-bred produced yet another fabulous leap two out and readily asserted from the last to see off the unexposed Ballybrentragh by two lengths. Meanwhile, Annaghbeg posted an effort rich in promise by finishing a further neck adrift in third.

Winning rider Kenny indicated that his mother Noeleen’s Gray Rock will now graduate to open company with a hunters’ chase also probably on the agenda.

Horse to Follow

Ballybrentragh (D. M. Christie): This six-year-old half-brother to Bright New Dawn stayed on well to secure second spot on his initial start for owner David Maxwell in the winners’ of three. He’s bound to come on for the experience and should easily conquer winners’ grade on this evidence.