Pat Smullen left Downpatrick having completed a comfortable double on day two of the tracks May Meeting. Twenty lengths was the winning margin of Smullen's second success when 2/5 shot Vision Of Grandeur justified his extremely short odds for trainer Dermot Weld. The three year old by Grand Lodge followed up on a recent win at Ballinrobe with this facile success completing the jockeys two timer.
Having completing the double on one for his boss, Smullen started the day by landing the opener aboard Emlach Star, trained by his wife Francis Crowley. The 10/1 shot disputed the lead throughout the contest with Vivid Exposure and indeed it was Emlach Star who was first to come under pressure but when Smullen asked for a real effort three furlongs out the filly by Cape Cross responded gamely to score by five and a half lengths from Lus Na Hoiche in second.
The consistent Sapient ran out a game winner of the Bet With The Tote Handicap Chase in what was the most dramatic race of the afternoon. Eurotech looked to be going to take all the beating jumping the penultimate fence but a mistake at the last saw his chance taken away and looked to hand the race to Derrygowna Court. However under a renewed effort Sapient and Sean Flanagan ran on well on the level to score by three and a half lengths from Derrygowna Court and the unlucky Eurotech who was only a further head away in third.
Winning trainer Dusty Sheehy revealed, 'I thought he had a bit of a chance coming into this. He always wanted better ground and we will give him a break now and bring him back in the Autumn to mix it over hurdles and fences.'
14/1 shot Navaho Indian was an impressive winner of the second race on the card and yet again showed that Downpatrick was a track that suits front runners. Over the two days a total of seven front runners landed races in impressive fashion and here Mervyn Torrens charge made practically all under Colm O Donoghue running out a seven length victor of the Downpatrick Handicap.
The seven year old was making his first appearance on the flat this season having been campaigned over hurdles in previous months and it is on the flat he will stay according to Tyrone handler Torrens. 'We will probably stay on the flat now as I think he is reasonably well handicapped. He doesn't like jumping hurdles on soft ground so if we go back over hurdles it will be on good ground.'
Doranstown Boy named after the location of David Kelly's training base and owned by his father Tom landed the Frank Magee Memorial Chase in fine style with Shane Hassett in the plate. The winner picked up the running in the two mile seven furlong event after just four fences and was never challenged by his rivals on the way to a seventeen length victory.
'I train at Doranstown in Ballygar, Co Galway and that's where we named the horse after,' said Kelly. 'This is the second horse to win for me and I have about twelve in training including a couple of point to pointers..'
Co Wexford trainer Seamus Neville made the long trip to the County Down track for good reason when Barregarrow landed the Frank Fitzsimons Maiden Hunters Chase under Richard McLernon. The winner got the better of Tremane Dawn and Chris Cully by a length and a quarter in a ding dong battle up the straight as the pair drew a distance clear of Pancho Villa and Jason McKeown back in third.
Melon Delta landed the concluding bumper for lady riders under Adrienne Foley for trainer and owner John Hanlon. A very impressive winner in a Point to Point recently the six year old was again impressive here being eased down by Foley and afterwards Hanlon declared that the gelding will now go to the Doncaster Sales.
Niall Cronin
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