THE three-time and reigning British champion jumps jockey Brian Hughes rode four winners from Thursday week last to Thursday of this week but he did well to land the third as can be seen in the photograph reproduced below.

Having set out to make all on the Ian Williams-trained Jaytee in the opening three-runner handicap chase at Southwell on Tuesday, Hughes was well clear of his rivals approaching the last where the 8/11 favourite did his best to throw the race away.

However, Co Armagh-born Hughes sat tight and, having quickly gathered up the Schiaparelli gelding, sent him on again to win by 26 lengths.

In contrast, at the BoyleSports summer race evening at Down Royal last Friday, Liam McKenna only hit the front late when landing the BoyleSports Opportunity Maiden Hurdle on the Colm Murphy-trained newcomer Ochocinco (13/2).

The five-year-old Kalanisi gelding, who is owned by Sligo’s Paul McKeon, scored by half a length from the 13/8 favourite, Marv Michael.

They were celebrating at Down Royal and in Bellaghy (if there was anyone left there) when the Gary McGill-trained Building Bridges won the BoyleSport Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle under the handler’s amateur rider son, Orán.

The seven-year-old New Approach gelding, who was bred by the Niarchos Family, runs in the colours of the Taphouse Syndicate whose many members are all from Bellaghy.

Among them is D.J. O’Kane who owns the Taphouse Restaurant in the Co Derry town, and had organised a day out at the races as a fundraiser for Cure Leukaemia, the blood cancer charity.

We like the way they pitched their planned outing to the restaurant’s followers, advertising ‘BUS, BRUNCH, BUILDING BRIDGES’ – it’s great when a plan comes together like that!

Also over jumps, Simon Torrens landed the near two and a half-mile handicap chase at Kilbeggan on Sunday with the Shark Hanlon-trained A Mere Bagatelle.

On the flat, there were wins for Luke McAteer at Roscommon last Thursday week, for Oisin Orr at Carlisle last Friday, for Paddy Mathers at Doncaster the following afternoon, and for Barry McHugh at Ripon on Wednesday.

JUNE began on an excellent note for Banbridge trainer Natalia Lupini who recorded a double at Fairyhouse last Thursday week.

The Danny Sheehy-ridden Alma Libre carried the colours of the Poobles Men Partnership to a head success in the 10-furlong apprentice handicap and will now be aimed at the Apprentice Derby at the Curragh at the end of the month. The Kodiac mare was second in that 12-furlong race last year.

The Lupini double came up in the six-furlong maiden where Craig Bryson’s three-year-old Bobby’s Kitten colt Running Cool made all to score by three-parts of a length in the hands of Wayne Lordan.

Also at Fairyhouse, the Tony Martin-trained Jackie Brown landed the six-furlong handicap at odds of 5/1.

This three-year-old Smooth Daddy filly, who is out of the Haatef mare Patty Paige, was bred at the Candlefort Stud in Co Louth by Fergus Cumiskey. On Sunday at Listowel, the seven-furlong handicap was won by the Colin Kennedy-bred three-year-old gelding Not Just Yet (Night of Thunder – Nefetari, by Kodiac).

At Thirsk on Monday, the mile handicap was won by the McCracken Farms-bred four-year-old gelding Menelaus (Galileo Gold – Empress Rock, by Fastnet Rock) and the same breeders produced the mile and five handicap winner at Hamilton on Thursday, the four-year-old Kodiac gelding La Pulga.

Further afield, the nine-furlong handicap at Happy Valley in Hong Kong on Wednesday went to the Dean Harron and Ciaran Conroy-bred five-year-old gelding Circuit Elite (Mastercraftsman – Bridge Note, by Stravinsky).

As the British point-to-point season came to an end last Sunday at Bratton Down, the six-runner men’s open was landed by the Teresa Clark-trained even-money favourite, Ninth Wave.

The nine-year-old September Storm gelding, who was winning for the fourth time from seven starts this season, was bred by Martin McCaughey out of the Cloudings mare Royale Pearl.