Mister To Mister leads under Brian Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Co Antrim based trainer Ben Arthey registered his first win in Ireland as his Mister To Mister caused a 33/1 upset to win the Scottish Borders Handicap Chase at Downpatrick today, winning under jockey Brian Hayes.
Arthey, in his fourth season with a license, has trained six winners in Britain but was today making the breakthrough in Ireland, as his triple point to point winner Mister To Mister, a puller-up last time out at Kilbeggan, stayed on well on the run-in to beat Paudi The Punter
Injured jockey Martin Ferris had been booked to ride Mister To Mister but following the race, Arthey stated “Martin Ferris rang me to say he had been injured and I picked Brian (Hayes) as he has ridden him before. I said to him he could be a bit ‘cold’ over the first few fences but stay with him and get him going and he did.
“This was last chance saloon but we changed a few things - we changed his feed, gave him a lot more work and galloped a lot more. I knew he could do everything, the point-to-point form was there.
"I have 15 in and we'll end up running more on the track maybe now. We'll see what the handicapper does but it was all about today.
“The owner Colin Gault is from Ballyclare and I'm just outside Ballyclare myself.”
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham
