Report | Broughshane 4th May 19

Colin McKeever had a successful day at Broughshane on Saturday when recording a double at the Mid Antrim fixture.

The first of McKeever's victories came when Eskylane secured success in the Albert Bartlett five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Michael Sweeney. Third on his last start at Moira, the Wilson Dennison-owned gelding ran out a five-length winner over the Denis Murphy-trained Jeremy Sunshine.

The winner is out of the bumper winner Maple Lady and that Saddlers’ Hall mare is a half-sister to graded winners Cane Brake and Judge Roy Bean, and the prolific winner Bob Hall.

The winning handler said: “My horses were out of sorts earlier in the spring, but thankfully they seem to have turned a corner in recent weeks and are coming back to themselves now.

“He’s a lovely big Flemensfirth horse, he’s over 17 hands and he was weak all along. He seemed to need his run the last day when he was third, but we were coming here confident today and he won well.”

The McKeever and Dennison partnership quickly brought up their double in the Raymart five-year-old and upwards adjacent maiden with Broomhill.

The son of Yeats, who had had finished second last weekend at Fairyhouse, duly followed up on that promising run here with Michael Sweeney in the saddle once again. The favourite, Goodnight Johnboy, was trailing when falling at the last, leaving Broomhill 15 lengths clear of the Pat Kearns-trained Killimorrie.
The winner is out of the former Harry Rogers-trained dual winner Rocking Annie and will now head to the sales.

“He’s another big horse and has taken a bit of time to come into himself,  but he’s a lovely horse and he will keep improving," said McKeever.

Noel McParlan was another to enjoy a double on the day, with the first of his successes coming in the Doherty Woodshavings five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden aboard Fyfin Patsy.

The five-year-old mare gained the verdict in this contest when a photo finish was called to decide the winner, as the Mervyn Torrens-handled September Storm mare just held off the challenge of the Colin Bowe-trained Frilly Frock by a short head.

Fyfin Patsy is the first racehorse that 83-year-old owner Willie Craig from Fyfin in Tyrone, has had in training.
“She has plenty of ability but she has just been unlucky and things have not been going right for her.  Noel (McParlan) was really strong at the finish and she got there on the line.  She is entered for the Doncaster sales but it's up to the owner what he wants to do with her,” said Torrens.

Royal Drumlee's success in the McBurney Transport winner-of-two contest gave McParlan his second victory of the afternoon.

Owned and handled by the rider’s father Sean McParlan, this marked the Royal Anthem gelding's third consecutive success of the spring, as he got the better of another hat-trick seeking rival in Lough Derg Lyric that was representing another father and son partnership in Gerard and Brian Lawless.

The winning handler Sean McParlan said: “He did that very well today and he could run in the winner-of-three race at Necarne next week.  He’s a lovely horse and is for sale.”

Fakir D'Alene recorded an emphatic victory under Rob James in the Dennison Commercials Ltd four-year-old maiden for Ballindaggin handler Donnchadh Doyle.

The French-bred newcomer scored an easy 20-length victory in the eight-runner contest, as he got the better of Denis Murphy’s Law School finished some 20 lengths in the hands of Kevin Corrigan. 

Fakir D’Alene was purchased at the Goffs UK Spring Store Sale last year by Monbeg stables for £30,000 and he is the first produce out of Serbanne, who was placed four times over fences in France.

The winning handler said: “They went a good gallop there which suited my horse and he stayed on well.  He’s a lovely horse and should win plenty of races.  He will go to the sales now.”

As the only runner, Longhouse Music, got to add another win to her growing tally with minimal effort in the Dennison JCB mares open for Barry O'Neill and Sam Curling.

Following the walkover, the winning handler said: “The lack of runners is unfortunate, so she will run again in Dromahane. There are a few mares’ open races in the coming weeks also”.

The daughter of Gamut did indeed run on Sunday and recorded her second success of the weekend.