AS I was too busy gossiping all the time, I never met with Nigel O’Hare, Philip Smith and Mark Devlin who, I believe, also attended the open day at trainer Ado McGuinness’ new yard last Sunday.

I did hear Ado give a tip for Sirjack Thomas who won at Galway on Tuesday at 8/1, which I missed as I forgot all about it, but I don’t believe he mentioned Distillate who won for Messrs O’Hare, Smith and Devlin at Cork on Wednesday at odds of 14/1. I probably would have forgotten about that too if he had!

O’Hare’s colours were carried to success earlier at the southern track on the Natalia Lupini-trained Rebel Diamond who justified his price as the 2/9 favourite in the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Race for two-year-olds by two and a quarter lengths.

Second success

This was a second successive victory for the Cotai Glory colt, who is the first produce of his unraced dam Periwinkle (by Teofilo) whose second, a chestnut colt by Shaman, is due to come up as Lot 231 at the upcoming Tattersalls Ireland’s September yearling sale.

At Down Royal last Friday, the Lupini-trained Saint Brandon scored by half a length as the 4/1 favourite in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden for two-year-olds.

This Saxon Warrior colt runs in the colours of the trainer’s partner Craig Bryson. The bay is out of the three-time-winning Kodiac mare Alutiq.

She is the dam of three other winners and is a half-sister to the Zebedee gelding Magical Memory whose eight wins included one at Group 2 level and a pair of Group 3 races.

ENGLAND-based, Co Antrim-born trainer Neil Mulholland has enjoyed a good run recently, sending out six winners between the flat and over jumps in the last nine days or so.

Two won’t be credited to his British tallies as they were record last Sunday at Les Landes in Jersey.

The Danny Mullins-partnered Man Of The Sea won for the fourth time at the track this season when landing the opening two-mile, one-furlong champion hurdle as the even-money favourite, while Dylan Johnston was on board the 6/4 favourite No Worries who claimed the mile and six St Leger.

Further afield than Jersey, down under in Australia, Martin Harley won the opening maiden at Doomben on Wednesday on Sultry Siren, a four-year-chesnut filly who was having her fourth start for trainer Robert Heathcote.

There were wins on the flat in Britain for Patsy Cosgrave at Wolverhampton on Monday and, on Tuesday, for Brandon Wilkie (see page 11) at Lingfield and for Oisin Orr at Newcastle.

Jumps winners

Over jumps, Brian Hughes partnered one winner at Bangor last Friday, one at Stratford on Saturday and another on Monday at Perth where Danny McMenamin recorded a double.

At home, Dylan Browne McMonagle scored once on the flat at Down Royal last Friday and twice the following afternoon at Navan, while Sam Ewing was on the mark over fences at Galway on Monday.

On the breeding front, there were wins at Kilbeggan on Friday for the Turleys, at Stratford on Saturday for Neville Reid, at Thirsk the same afternoon for McCracken Farms, on Sunday at Fontwell for Amanda Torrens and at Catterick on Tuesday for the Northern Bloodstock Agency.

DOWN Royal racecourse has announced the launch of its first-ever dog show ‘Dog Royal’ with Naturo, the premium pet food brand from Mackle Petfoods, taking the lead as headline sponsor.

The event, which will take place on Saturday, October 12th, and promises to be a fantastic day for dog lovers, families and their furry companions, marks a bold new chapter for Down Royal, expanding its reputation beyond horse racing to create an inclusive experience for Northern Ireland’s thriving community of dog owners.

Visitors to Dog Royal can expect an action-packed programme of activities. Expert-led talks and interactive sessions will cover a wide range of topics including obedience, agility, scent work and specialist sessions on nutrition, canine massage and enrichment. There will be several expert practitioners on site, who will be offering free health assessments and advice throughout the day.

A professional agility tournament, facilitated by Glen Craig Canine Training and Lisburn Kennel Club will take place, offering an exciting display of skill and speed. Pet owners will also have the chance to join in the fun with ‘have-a-go’ agility sessions.

Alongside entertainment for children, visitors can explore a bustling marketplace with a variety of stalls from brands and retailers like Naturo, Murphy and Bailey, Butternut Box and many more. The marketplace will feature local products, pet treats, pet accessories, and dining options, ensuring a fun-filled experience for everyone in attendance.

‘Pawsome’

One of the event’s highlights will be the ‘Pawsome Competition’, in partnership with The Suddy Dog, where attendees can showcase their dogs in a series of fun-filled categories such as ‘The Sleekest Coat’ and ‘The Waggiest Tail’. The competition will be judged by BBC Radio Ulster’s Anne Marie Wallace, producer and presenter of the popular podcast Alright, Pet, alongside Steven Graham from The Suddy Dog.

Eva Mooney, Senior Marketing Manager at Naturo, said: “We are thrilled to be the headline sponsor of the first-ever Dog Royal. The day promises to be a celebration of all things canine and we’re particularly pleased to see a strong focus on pet health and wellbeing, which aligns perfectly with our brand values. We look forward to joining in the fun and celebrating with dog lovers across Northern Ireland.”

Emma Meehan, Chief Executive Officer at Down Royal, added: “We are delighted to add Dog Royal to our annual calendar of events. Down Royal has always been a hub for bringing people together and this event extends that spirit to the wonderful community of dog owners and enthusiasts. We’ve worked hard behind the scenes to ensure it will be a memorable and rewarding experience for everyone – especially our four-legged friends!”

In other canine news, it was announced this week that Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir had visited Larne Harbour where he met with members of the multi-agency enforcement Paws For Thought Group to hear first-hand how steps are being taken to combat illegal breeding and trafficking of puppies between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

THERE’s no harm in reminding point-to-point owners and handlers that if you want your horses to run at Toomebridge on October 5th, then you need to have hunter certificates lodged at the IHRB by close of business, Monday next, September 16th.

At time of writing, we noted that hunter certs have already been lodged, and registered, for multiple horses trained by Cormac Abernethy, Caroline McCaldin and Gerald Quinn plus, more sparingly, for horses trained by Liam Lennon, Paul McAleese and Karen McNeilly.