THE Ross Crawford-trained Wowsham lit up last Saturday’s Co Down Staghounds fixture at Moira by coming home as he pleased in the open.

On an afternoon that saw just 39 participants at the Maralin venue, Wowsham (2/1 - 10/3) came into this five-runner race on the back of an excellent second-placed effort behind Jay Bee Why in the Portrush open on his initial points start two weeks earlier.

Jay Bee Why was once again in opposition and Warren Ewing’s charge set off in front being closely attended to by last season’s dual hunter chase scorer Ultimate Optimist.

The victorious eight-year-old, a 2021 Perth maiden hurdle winner when under the care of his present handler’s brother Stuart Crawford, always travelled well and he bounded into the lead on the stiff incline from the third last of the 15 obstacles.

The son of Elzaam stylishly drew clear with Stephen Connor after two out and duly returned with 15 lengths to spare over the only other finisher Ultimate Optimist. Jay Bee Why was still in there pitching for second spot, but making no impression on the winner, when cruelly exiting at the final fence.

Fifteen-horse handler Crawford was saddling an initial winner of the season. The Aghory-based operator remarked of Wowham, a former 124-rated hurdler who is owned by his near-neighbour David Laverty and jointly bred by the latter’s father Leslie Laverty: “He ran really well at Portrush and we’ll make a plan for him over the next few weeks.”

Justified favouritism

The 11 bookmakers present experienced the worst possible start to the afternoon as Paddy Turley’s newcomer Handstands effortlessly justified evens favouritism (from 5/4) under Declan Lavery in the four-year-old maiden.

The towering Handstands, who was one of the paddock picks beforehand, was always positioned on the pace and he mostly disputed the running with Bold Fury until the latter edged ahead from six out.

The son of Getaway, a maternal grandson of Sean Treacy’s Thyestes Chase heroine Be My Belle, was back in front approaching two out, except that he had company after this penultimate obstacle in the form of the patiently-ridden Hurlershill.

However, the eventual winner readily quickened clear on the run to the final fence. Despite giving his many supporters near heart-palpitations by running green from the last, he still accounted for Hurlershill by three lengths with a further eight and a half lengths back to Trojan De Berlais in third.

Turley, welcoming a second winner of the campaign, remarked of his wife Mary’s €17,500 Goffs Land Rover sale acquisition that also hails from the same family as Grade 1-winning chaser Monalee: “He’s a very good horse and I couldn’t see him getting beat coming here.”

The biggest field of the afternoon of some 10 runners lined up in the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden which came complete with a bonus of €800 that was generously sponsored by the INHSC and the Ian Donoghue-trained John The Spark (3/1 - 4/1) returned to the coveted number one slot under Joey Dunne.

John The Spark, who was fitted with cheekpieces, attained due reward for last season’s consistency which saw him finish in the frame on three out of his five starts including when finishing third in a Downpatrick hunters’ chase by making all the running.

The son of Telescope, owned by Stephen O’Connor who is a master of the Ward Union Staghounds, drew clear in taking fashion on the run to the final fence to dismiss Slievehill by four and a half lengths.

NOEL McParlan certainly kept his supporters happy by recording a double with the Drumlee amateur getting off the mark aboard Caroline McCaldin’s Millford Hill (3/1 - 4/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Millford Hill, an own-brother to Grade 3-placed hurdling mare Why Not Thistle, finished third on his return to action at Toomebridge three weeks earlier and the victorious son of Flemensfirth set out to make all.

With Syr Maffos unable to challenge on the inner after three out, Millford Hill was closely attended to by Moon Over Mexico on the run to the final fence.

However, it was the eventual winner that was the stronger on the flat as he stayed on to deny Moon Over Mexico by three-quarters of a length in a race that saw a little under three lengths cover the first four home.

Great ride

“He ran very well in Toomebridge and Noel [McParlan] gave him a great ride as he always does,” said the winning handler, who also acts as this meeting’s secretary, of her father Wilson Dennison’s Millford Hill.

In-form Broughshane operator Gerald Quinn supplied McParlan with his remaining winner courtesy of Portrush debut runner-up Ballygelly (evens favourite) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

The Soldier Of Fortune-sired Ballygelly, sporting the same Philip McBurney silks that were carried to victory by the sensational Teeshan at Loughanmore the previous Saturday, likewise benefitted from front-running tactics.

While having to be ridden along on the run to the last, the favourite was in no mood to be denied on the flat as she crossed the line six and a half lengths ahead of the consistent All Loved Up.

THE mare Springtime Promise (7/2) indicated that she holds definite track aspirations by recording an authoritative success under her trainer Gary McGill’s son Dara in the winners’ of one.

Springtime Promise supplemented her facile Portrush mares’ maiden victory by leading from the fourth fence and the six-year-old was clearly containing favourite Ballybentragh from two out.

At the post, the daughter of Fame And Glory who is owned by the elder McGill’s other son Oran, had nine lengths to spare over Ballybentragh.

The previous Sunday’s Ballycrystal maiden scorer Commander Of Ten meanwhile finished a further one and a half lengths adrift in third.

Hurlershill (C.S. McKeever): A son of Getaway that’s out of a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner Cue Card, this Derby sale graduate stepped forward from his fourth-placed return effort at Toomebridge by chasing home Handstands in the four-year-old maiden.

Compensation should await while the British-bred also appeals as a sure track winner next season.