THE French-bred Park Annonciade, carrying the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, recorded his second success over hurdles for the Stuart Crawford yard when landing the two-mile handicap hurdle at Ayr last Saturday.

The five-year-old Masked Marvel gelding, who was ridden by Daryl Jacob, led two out and then just held on to score by a neck from the Danny McMenamin-partnered Ginger Mail who was sent off 7/2 joint-favourite with the winner.

Caroline McCaldin saddled husband Alan’s Faith Loving, another French-bred gelding, to win the extended three-mile Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on Tuesday while, the following day, her not too distant neighbour, Natalia Lupini, sent out Clonmacash to land the six-furlong nursery at Dundalk.

This two-year-old Charming Thought colt, who was having his eighth start, runs for Mark Devlin, Nigel O’Hare, Gary Devlin and the Kabin Racing Syndicate.

On the jockey front, there were wins for Sam Ewing (at Thurles on Thursday week last), Caoilin Quinn (in the Grade 2 bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday), Simon Torrens (at Fairyhouse on Tuesday) and Brian Hughes (at Musselburgh on Wednesday).

Special mention must be made of Dylan Browne McMonagle’s second place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita last Friday on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mountain Bear.

Away from the racecourse, two young riders to attract attention were Kian ‘Tubbs’ McNally, who was presented with his The Irish Field pony racing award (65) at the Curragh last Sunday, and Holly Ross who was spotted hunting the 10-year-old Kalanisi gelding Imperial Aura – the winner of a bumper, two hurdles and four chases – at the East Antrim Hounds’ opening meet at Parkgate.

THERE were a few locally-bred winners in the period under review starting last Thursday week at Thurles where the Martin Hassett-trained Battle Of Ridgeway won the extended two and a quarter mile beginners’ chase by 11 lengths in the hands of Brian Hayes.

The five-year-old Califet gelding, who was running over fences for the first time, landed one of his four races over hurdles and was fourth twice in his two point-to-point starts.

The bay was bred in Ardglass by Kieran Magee out of the Winged Love mare Scent With Love who is dam previously of the winners Willyouwalkwithme (by Morozov) and Another Frontier (by Darsi).

Scent With Love’s early March bay filly by Poet’s Word is one of four foals Magee is consigning under his Chapeltown House banner to this week’s November National Hunt Sale at Tattersalls Ireland where she is catalogued as Lot 266.

The others are Lot 271, a Blue Bresil colt out of an unraced Flemensfirth own-sister to Shannon Bridge, Lot 448, a Poet’s Word filly out an unraced Arcadio mare from the family of Ma Filleule and Aubusson, and Lot 485, a Blue Bresil filly who is the third foal out of Native Artiste.

The last-named, an unraced daughter of Flemensfirth, is a sibling of six winners including the Scorpion mare My Design, the winner of a point-to-point maiden, two hurdle races and two chases. She was also twice graded-placed over hurdles.

THE Conduit gelding Whodini recorded his fourth success from 11 starts when getting up close home to win the extended two and a half-mile handicap chase at Ayr last Saturday.

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the six-year-old was bred by Robert McGurgan out of the Beneficial mare Mosey On Molly who comes from the family of Johnny Setaside and Lie Forrit.

On his only start here for Sean McParlan, Whodini was disputing the lead when running out at the last in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tattersalls Ireland in October 2021. The chesnut was sold for £60,000 the following month at Tattersalls Cheltenham.

There were two locally-bred winners the following afternoon with the Shantou gelding Mister Meggit carrying the colours of Hemmings Racing to an impressive 12 length success in the bumper at Carlisle.

Trained by Jonjo O’Neill, the five-year-old was bred by Thomas Foy out of the point-to-point-winning Bob Back mare Miss Garbo who comes from the family of What A Fox and Hartstown.

At Lingfield, the six-furlong novice stakes for two-year-olds was won by the Alice Haynes-trained Golden Arrow whose only previous appearance was also a winning one at Hamilton in May.

Nine foals

The Havana Grey colt is the seventh of nine foals – and the fifth winner – out of the winning Oratorio mare Music Pearl, a half-sister to four other winners including the Group 3-scoring Haami.

Since foaling Golden Arrow, who was a £200,000 purchase by Al Mohamediya Racing at Goffs UK’s breeze-up sale in April, Music Pearl has produced fillies by Arizona (2022) and Inns Of Court (2023).

Back over jumps on Monday, and on to Plumpton where the Chris Gordon-trained Baddesley landed the concluding extended two and a half mile handicap hurdle by a length from the favourite Copshill Lad who, on his point-to-point start, finished second in a four-year-old maiden at Kirkistown in February 2022.

Baddesley, who was recording his third career success, his second over hurdles, is an eight-year-old Presenting gelding who was bred by the Metcalfe family out of the unraced King’s Theatre mare Fox Theatre. The Plumpton winner is the fourth foal, and one of three winners, out of his dam, a sister of Sir OJ (by Be My Native) and Otay Kawn (by Soviet Star).

Baddesley was consigned to the 2018 August Sale at Tattersalls Ireland by Hillcrest Stables whose three-lot draft at this week’s November National Hunt sale at the Co Meath sales complex comprises two foals, a Crystal Ocean filly (Lot 729) and a Sumbal colt (Lot 906), and a Sumbal yearling filly (Lot 1001).

First success

On Wednesday, the near three-mile mares’ handicap hurdle at Chepstow was won by the Ryan Potter-trained Shesupincourt who was recording her first success having finished second six times and third once on her previous 18 appearances.

The six-year-old Court Cave bay was bred by Alfred Buller and is the ninth of 10 foals, and fourth winner, out of the unraced Supreme Cove.

That Supreme Leader mare’s first foal, Destroyer Deployed, finished third in Buller’s own colours in a four-year-old point-to-point maiden at Taylorstown in October 2010 before going on to win two bumpers, a hurdle and a chase.

The 2006 Deploy gelding earned blacktype when finishing second in the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

Also on Wednesday, but further north at Musselburgh, the extended two and a half miles novices’ handicap chase was narrowly won by the Sandy Forster-trained Dr Shirocco.

That eight-year-old Shirocco gelding, who also won last time out at Hexham in June, was bred by J.P. King and Paddy Turley out of Uncommited (by Dr Massini) who won a Toomebridge mares’ maiden for Noel Hynds and whose only other runner on the track, Do No Wrong (by Sageburg), has visited the winner’s enclosure on four occasions.

The McLoughlin Bros-bred eight-year-old gelding Beau’s Candle (Winged Love – Bubbly Lass, by Hubbly Bubbly) won the older horses’ maiden at Lisronagh on Saturday with the similarly-aged Stephen Magee-bred Don’t Matter Now (Ask – Tullyfoyle, by Montelimar) following up in the older geldings’ maiden at Damma House on Sunday.

APOLOGIES to Co Wexford handler Garrett Murphy for crediting the point-to-point win of Affordale Fury to another trainer in last week’s column.

Gary recorded his first training success when saddling the Affinisea bay to land the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Ballycahane in March 2022 on his only start between the flags.

The Deirdre Connolly-bred Affordale Fury has since gone on to win a bumper, a hurdle and a chase for owner Philip Polly and trainer Noel Meade while he has also finished runner-up in two Grade 1 novice hurdles.