Winters sends four to Downpatrick Littlestickarubarb begins for the Mick Winters yard when she contests the Apple Recruitment Services Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick. Buoyed by a Killarney success on Sunday with Winter Breeze, Winters sends four horses on the lengthy trek from his County Cork base to the undulating northern venue. Finny Maguire rides Littlestickarubarb, and his father Adrian formerly handled this Westerner mare until recently retiring from the training ranks. Maguire senior is now riding work at Ballydoyle but is an unfortunate loss from the front line of the game when one considers he started the legendary Denman and Champion Chase hero Finian’s Rainbow on the road to the top. No doubt Maguire will still be willing on Littlestickarubarb, given that he and Winters are brothers-in-law. The six-year-old definitely has her chance in the near two-and-three-quarter-miler. Another ‘stable switcher,’ Ashjan, is amongst the dangers. This fellow is a previous course scorer for Mark McNiff, and Liz Doyle has booked Sean Flanagan for the spin after owners the Real Deal Syndicate re-directed their Medicean gelding to the County Wexford operator. Better known in greyhound racing circles, Winters’ brother, Tony, owns Model Cloud, and she is not without hope in the C Russell Auto Sales Downpatrick Handicap Chase. The other representatives for the popular Rebel County team on the evening are Shes Flat Tothemat (7.20) and Ajijic (8.25). Chris O’Donovan takes the reins on the latter in the King & Boyd Solicitors, Downpatrick Hunters Chase. He has two racecourse successes under his belt, but has been impressing point-to-point followers for some time, including when crowned champion novice rider in 2016. Elsewhere, many will focus in on Balofilo for the Paddy Galbraith Memorial Handicap Hurdle. Owner Paul Byrne purchased this Teofilo mare since her most recent outing in October. Having sent her to Mag Mullins in the meantime she could instantly reward Byrne’s investment with Tommy Brett up to claim a useful 7Ib.
