HAVING saddled his first winner at Downpatrick last Friday evening, Newry farrier Ross Tumilty would love to expand his operation which currently consists of two horses in training and one point-to-pointer.

His winner of the Toals Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle was the Brendan McNeill-owned Custers Mistake who scored by two and a half-lengths under Dara McGill.

It was a first success on his 40th start (16 on the flat, 13 over hurdles, six over fences and five in point-to-points) for the seven-year-old Zoffany gelding.

Ross trains out of George Stewart’s former base, Danescroft Equestrian Centre, which is now run by Leah Knight. She used to ride out for Stewart at one stage while her husband, Michael Dobbs, worked and lived at the yard for many years.

“I ride out the horses in the morning, muck them out, et cetera,” said Tumilty who took his licence out in November.

“I then head off for a day’s shoeing and Leah will feed them in the evenings if I can’t get back. I really only got into racing five years ago but love it.

“Funnily enough, up to about five years ago, I used to shoe more thoroughbreds but I found if you are attached to a training yard it can take up a lot of your time.

“Now I work more with event yards or private owners which leaves me time to do my own horses. I’m very lucky that there is a huge horse population in this area. I’ll stick to what I’m doing at the moment but I’d love to train full time and expand in the future.”

Tumilty’s handson approach with his horses doesn’t extend to turn out which is why he calls on Katie Parker who led up Custers Mistake on Friday evening.

“Katie, who’s a good friend of mine, is brilliant at pulling manes! She’s also very good at plaiting but we just didn’t have time for that on Friday. Katie’s eventer has been off injured so she comes racing with me when she can.”

TEMPLEPATRICK’s Jayne McConnell has just one horse in training at present, Jumping Jet, who certainly aroused mixed emotions in her owner en route to landing the Randox Ulster National at Downpatrick last Friday evening.

“We were delighted with the win, it was very exciting,” said Jayne who was accompanied to the re-scheduled meeting by her husband Brian. “Jumping the last, I didn’t think she could win but she flew home and won well in the end.” Ridden by 7lb-claimer Carl Millar, the Gordon Elliott-trained Jumping Jet beat the 11/4 favourite, Ask Anything, by one and a half lengths.

“We’re indebted to Gordon; he’s a great fellow, very special,” said Jayne and hopefully she will be saying the same of show horse producer Richard Iggulden after the upcoming Balmoral Show where he will be legging Victoria Clark up on to two of the owner’s ridden hunters, the five-year-old Centre Stage gelding Lynara Showbiz and the 10-year-old King’s Master gelding, The Master’s Choice.

Four wins

Back to Jumping Jet, who has been running in the McConnell colours since January 2023, and is now the winner of a bumper, a maiden hurdle and two chases.

The Getaway mare was bred at his Brentford Farm near Comber by David Mitchell. The eight-year-old is the second of just two foals, and the only one named, out of the unraced Milan mare Little Mili, a half-sister to four winners from the family of Western Sunset and Stormyfairweather.

WILSON Dennison is a staunch sponsor of young horse maidens at northern point-to-points – both as an owner and sponsor – and he will be extending his sponsorship – and perhaps ownership – onto the racecourse on Friday, May 24th.

Last Saturday, following their successful re-scheduled Randox Ulster National meeting, some of the Downpatrick team were at Loughanmore where they announced Dennison Commercials as the headline sponsor of that May 24th meeting, an evening which will ‘celebrate Northern Irish point-to-pointing’. Runners from Britain are eligible and there are travel subsidies in place.

The feature race on the card is the Dennison Commercials Hunters Chase over an extended three and a half-miles.

With a prize fund of €17,500, this race will be the second most valuable hunters’ Chase in Ireland this year. Dennison Commercials will also be the title sponsor of the Northern Region point-to-point awards function which will take place after racing.

Awards

Awards to be presented on the night include those for leading Northern trainer, leading Northern jockey and leading Northern breeder. The awards will be based on results in the region during the 2023/2024 season.

Dennison JCB will sponsor the maiden hunters’ chase over two miles, seven furlongs, DennPart will sponsor the beginners’ chase while Dennison Rentals will sponsor the two-mile, one-furlong point-to-point bumper. This initiation to showcase Northern Irish point-to-pointing was set up last year with the support of Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders.

Tickets for racing and the Dennison Commercials Northern region point-to-point awards are £60 to include admission, a reserved seat in the Dunleath Suite, a hot fork buffet and live music after racing. These can be purchased by ringing Downpatrick racecourse.

Don’t forget there is an evening meeting at the track next Friday, May 10th, while Down Royal holds its annual May Day Meeting on Monday next, May 6th.

MANY congratulations to Woods Rosbotham who bred Cooley Rosalent, last weekend’s winner of the Defender Kentucky three-day event in Lexington under Britain’s Oliver Townend.

Cooley Rosalent was one of five ISH foals by the Rosbothams’ Dutch Warmblood stallion Valent out of Bellaney Jewel who also bred three thoroughbred foals, two of whom ran and won.

The 1999 Rosalier mare carried Woods’ colours to victory in a mares’ maiden at Necarne in 2004 (a meeting on this weekend) while on the track she won twice over hurdles and three times over fences.

The only Irish rider at the five-star event, Dromore native Susie Berry, unfortunately picked up jumping and time penalties across the country with Clever Trick, but did record one of just six clear rounds in Sunday’s show jumping phase to finish 22nd on the Financial Reward gelding.

Closer to home, Holly Ross, daughter of Newtownabbey bloodstock agents Kevin and Anna, won the pony class at the Ballindenisk international horse trials in Co Cork.

The 15-year-old showed her inherited speed in both jumping phases to complete on her dressage score with the Connemara gelding Ech Féirin.

WHILE it was disappointing to see Brian Hughes lose his title as champion jumps jockey in Britain when the season ended at Sandown last Saturday, he did finish in third place behind Harry Cobden and Sean Bowen having partnered 122 winners from 756 rides.

The Co Armagh native partnered his final winner of the campaign when the Nicky Richards-trained Serious Ego landed the two-mile handicap hurdle at Perth last Thursday week.