Double delight for Martin as Ireland take team honours

TRAINER Pat Martin continued his impressive strike rate at Downpatrick with a double yesterday on a day when the home team clinched a clear-cut victory over the visitors in the Ireland v Australia jump jockeys challenge.

Martin’s runners are always a force at the northern venue and he kept his supporters happy, scoring with recent course and distance winner Breffni Flyer and the remarkable mare Goose Island, which defied top weight of 10 stone 4 in the Crossgar Handicap.

Breffni Flyer’s victory provided New Zealand-born Brett Scott with his first victory in Ireland when defying top weight in the Fosters Lager Carryduff Handicap Hurdle, Scott following instructions carefully and not allowing the mare to hit the front until the run-in.