Southern success for Downmexicoway

Darragh O’Keeffe is the early leader of the jump-jockeys’ championship and gave trainer Henry De Bromhead another Killarney winner today, with Downmexicoway (15/8jf) in the Killarney Towers Hotel Novice Chase.

Top jumps trainer De Bromhead won both feature Flat races at the Kerry course yesterday and sent out Ascending to finish second in York’s valuable Ebor Handicap today, the running of which happened mid-way through Downmexicoway’s race.

Held up behind leader Hashtag Pretender O’Keeffe moved chasing debutante Downmexicoway to lead from the second-last, with the pair scoring readily by 8.5 lengths.

O’Keeffe, with his 35th success this season, commented “Downmexicoway was very good and it is great for his owners Basil and Bernadine (Holian) who are good people.

“My horse had schooled brilliantly during the week and was very good the whole way today. He seemed to jump really well in his point-to-point as well and he showed today what he had been showing everyone at home, as he isn’t a bad horse.

“Everyone thought he’d run a nice race in the Galway Hurdle but it didn’t work out due to the start and he was on the back-foot from there. He was a different horse today and he was always going to improve for jumping fences.

“The (De Bromhead) horses have had a wonderful summer and the yard had a great day here yesterday. Whatever they are sending out is generally on the premises in races and Ascending has been great for Chris Jones (owner) this summer too.”