Sligo mare enjoys the Feel of Northern Air

On her third outing for Mark McNiff, Feel The Air shed her maiden tag on start number eleven, when taking the Toals Best Value For Football Betting Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick in good style.

Derek Fox rode the Papal Bull mare, and she reversed course and distance form with Jumptoconclusions from March 4th.

The victorious 9/1 shot quickly assumed command at the last, from favourite Jumptoconclusions. Six Stone Ned eventually came through for the silver medal position, but he was seven lengths off Feel The Air, with three and a quarter lengths to Jumptoconclusions in third.

"We had the 3lb extra and she missed a bit of work before the last day so we thought she might have come on enough to reverse the placings," acknowledged McNiff.

"She'll go for mares handicaps and probably run on the flat over a mile and a half and a mile and six. She's a bit small for fences.

"That's her third race for me-the first race the ear plugs put her to sleep and the last race she got tired late. You won't see her for five or six weeks now. She'll maybe come back here or go to Cartmel in May.

"I'm based outside Sligo and train on the beach. I've 15 or 16 for the summer." (MG & EM)