Patrickswell trainer Michael Hourigan achieved a career milestone at Downpatrick yesterday when Afrostar, partnered by his son Paul, provided him with his 500th Irish National Hunt success by winning the Frank Magee Memorial Beginners chase. A drifter from 2 to 5 to 9 to 10, the six-year-old mare needed all of her rider's persistent urgings on the punishing uphill climb to the line to hold market rival Dont Tell Jo by a rapidly diminishing head.
"I saddled my first winner, 20 to 1 shot Ramrajya at Limerick 21 years ago but I was training for six years before that," revealed Hourigan.
On future plans for his mare, who landed a valuable hurdle race at Kempton Park over Christmas, he said: "The plan is to go for a novice hurdle in Liverpool and that run should put her right."
Tony Martin captured the training honours when completing a 9 to 1 double. Mister Softie , carrying the She's Our Mare colours of Denis Reddan justified favouritism in the hunters' chase to spark off the double.
Half an hour later, Martin was back in the winner's enclosure after the three-mile handicap chase when Wilton Bridge and Fran Flood drew away after the final fence.
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