THE black and white quartered silks of owner Wilson Dennison have been prominent and indeed often dominant in the northern region for a number of decades and last Saturday at Moira they secured two races which matched the number of races sponsored by the enthusiastic owner and supporter.

The opening four-year-old maiden went to Tullyhill (3/1 - 5/2) who had to survive a notable final-fence error under Cormac Abernathy, as the son of Martaline, who was making his debut, looked set for a smooth success before handing long-time leader Peso In My Pocket a chance at the last with a novicey mistake. Ultimately, the French-bred recorded an initial victory for Dennison by a neck.

“He was a horse we liked a lot last year but never got a chance to run him with the ground being better than he would have liked,” handler Colin McKeever said.

“He has strengthened up well and you would have to be happy with the way he won that. He should sell well following that performance.”

Dennison doubled his tally on the day when his daughter Caroline McCaldin sent out Gorthill (5/4 - 6/4) to claim the older maiden, in what was already a second victory of the season for the Dromara handler.

Feel the punch

Noel McParlan set off to make all the running from flag fall aboard the six-year-old bay and at the halfway point some of his rivals were already beginning to feel the punch, as the former northern champion made use of his mount’s scope on the final circuit and he was never in danger thereafter to defeat Gouazec by nine lengths.

“Noel [McParlan] knew exactly what he wanted to do here and he was sure it would work,” McCaldin stated having also saddled the winner of the corresponding race 12 months earlier with Faith Loving.

“He used the horses jumping and rode him with confidence and I’m delighted. The horses have been running well and I think this fellow should pick up a winners’ race on that form now.”

On the scoreboard

Colin Bowe was similarly on the scoreboard for the second Saturday in succession, as along with his regular ally Barry O’Neill the pair combined to claim the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Guillaume (7/4 - 9/4 favourite).

Making most of the running, the debutant Go Frankie proved to be no match for the Yeats gelding off the home bend with four and a half lengths separating the pair at the line.

“He was bred by Sally Rowley Williams and although he is for sale, he will most likely run in a winners’ race now,” Bowe said of the Milestone Bloodstock-owned gelding.

“He did pull-up last week [in Toomebridge], but Barry [O’Neill] said that he lost his footing then and that he was confident he would win this week and he was right.”

Power-packed for Ewing

WARREN Ewing spent the early part of the day at Franco Hughes’ pitch in the betting ring watching his son Sam land a valuable prize at Chepstow for Peter Fahey aboard Peregrine Run before saddling his own winner when Brain Power (2/1 - 3/1) proved imperious in novice riders’ open.

Bought initially as a three-year-old, by the Bernice Stables operator before being sold to Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley, the now 11-year-old is clearly thriving for his return to Ewing, as patiently ridden by Dara McGill, the Kalanisi gelding saw off Some Man, forcing the reigning champion point-to-point horse to fill the runner-up spot for the second week in succession.

“That was very good,” the winning owner and handler said after the eight-and-a-half-length victory.

“He is a classy sort on his best and he seemed at his very best there. He jumped really well and Dara [McGill] said he got there very easily.

“I am thinking about getting a hunter chase licence and targeting the bigger hunter chases in the spring. We will keep him on similar ground too as it brings the best out in him.”

Only two mares contested the winners-of-two contest with last weekend’s Castletown-Geoghegan winner Lough Na Fooey being sent off the short-priced favourite for a quick follow-up under John Barry for handler Leslie Young.

Ben Harvey aboard her sole rival Winnie Woodnutt (5/4 - 6/4) set off to make the running here and ensured a strong tempo throughout.

Under pressure

From the fourth-last fence it became apparent that the favourite was under pressure whereas the winning daughter of Kalanisi was never under pressure to follow up on her victory in Portrush back in March, with a winning margin of 26 lengths highlighting her authority.

“Two-horse races can be tricky affairs so I just wanted to keep it simple and she returned to the form she showed in Portrush there which is great. We may try and find a similar race for her as they don’t tend to have a lot of runners and she might get another chance.”

Finegans combine for a Secret first success

EOGHAN Finegan had a day to remember when Mustameet Secret (4/1 - 5/1) supplied the 17-year-old with his initial victory in the five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden.

Coming from off the pace, the daughter of Mustameet came with her challenge at the last and battled gamely to score for Nobber-based handler Hugh Finegan, an uncle of the winning rider who stated: “I’m in college in Kildalton and ride out for Joseph O’Brien when I’m down there and for Noel Meade when I’m back home in Trim and I also help my uncle when I can too.”

The one and a-half-length victory was particularly pleasing for the owner-handler who added: “I’m delighted for Eoghan as he is a big help to me.

“This mare was running over hurdles and she is ready to get a handicap mark but I thought she would be an ideal one for Eoghan to get going and we might go for a winners’ race before going back to the track.

“I also trained the dam who won three for me but has been unlucky as a broodmare, so this is great to get.”

Intersky Sunset (K. McNeilly): This five-year-old improved upon her Toomebridge reappearance and it should not be long until she completes the sequence to open her account.