Tom Weekes
Cromwell caps magical seven days with Downpatrick double
Moonball
© Photo Healy Racing
Gavin Cromwell is enjoying tremendous success at present and followed up his famous French Group 2 success with a second weekly double at Downpatrick today, as his Moonball landed the Killultagh Estates Beginners Chase under jockey Paul Townend.
Cromwell's Princess Yaiza was the only Irish trained winner on Longchamp's Arc weekend on Saturday, landing the Group 2 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, and the trainer returned to register a double at Cork on Wednesday before completing another brace today, with Moonball and earlier winner A Place Apart
Moonball made all the running to win comfortably under Townend and Cromwell later mentioned "I thought she was running away with him and I thought she might not last it out but she stayed at it well.
"She loved it and is a great lepper; she got in and clouted one early one but she's very good.”
The Grade 1 hurdle winning trainer is eyeing another quick double with mare Moonball and added “it's a very quick turnaround but she's in the two mile rated novice chase in Tramore on Thursday.
“She won her maiden hurdle around Tramore, so I wouldn't completely rule it out. I'll see how she comes out of that and I'll hardly put a saddle on her between now and then."
Quotes from Michael Graham