Drumbear winning at Downpatrick last March© Photo Healy Racing
Three Irish-trained horses made the trip over to Musselburgh this afternoon and they return with two wins and a second after success for both John McConnell and Stuart Crawford at the Scottish track.
Drumbear got his hurdling career off to a successful start when making all under Simon Torrens in the Betway Maiden Hurdle.
The McConnell-trained gelding, a bumper winner on debut at Downpatrick last year and third at Ayr on his only subsequent start, beat four rivals here at odds of 2/1.
The six-year-old took control from the penultimate flight and was soon clear with Torrens able to ease down on the run-in and still beat 5/4 favourite Salvino by ten lengths.
Starlyte was a further 12 lengths back in third.
McConnell said, “We came over here because the Irish maiden hurdles are just so competitive. They were all waiting for soft ground and are coming out now so we felt this was a good opportunity.
“He’s a big horse but he settled well enough after two or three hurdles. He’s very clever for a big horse and he can go in and shorten if he needs to.
“He’ll stay over hurdles until the end of the season and we’ll see after that. He’ll jump a fence no problem."
The Stamullen trainer added, “I was actually worried about two and a half miles today that it might stretch him but he stayed it well. The sky is the limit really.
“Once he learns to drop the bit and relax more he should be even better.
“I haven’t looked beyond today to be honest. We’ll probably come back across the water again for a novice hurdle. We’ll try and build him up gradually.”
McConnell’s Champagnesocialist and Holmes St Georges, trained near Larne by Stuart Crawford, were both leading fancies for the Betway Casino Open NH Flat Race and it was the latter that came out on top in an Irish 1-2.
James Bowen sent the Saddler Maker gelding, fourth on his only previous start in a Ballinrobe bumper, to the front early in the straight and the 13/8 favourite stretched right away in the final furlong to beat Champagnesocialist by an easy five lengths.
