Downpatrick, Saturday 13 June 2026

Downpatrick, Saturday 13 June 2026

Eight races at Downpatrick on good to yielding ground, partly cloudy skies, and a card that rewards those who know the course. Downpatrick is a tight, undulating track with plenty of character. It catches out horses who need a galloping track to show their best, and it rewards proven handlers who know exactly how to place a horse here. S G Carey’s 45% strike rate at this venue is extraordinary and cannot be ignored, and the jockey angle on James Smith (5) is worth tracking across the card at 16% and an A/E of 1.39.

Three races stand out for value today. Let’s get into them.

1:25 – Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle (2m3f)

This looks like a two-horse race on paper between the De Bromhead pair, but the market may have overcrowded the favourite.

Spring Waltz is the 7/4 market leader trained by Henry De Bromhead, and the form reads well enough: a win last time out after falling on debut. De Bromhead is in good nick with 7 wins from 37 runners over the past 14 days. She’s clearly the class act here, and Kieren Buckley takes the ride.

The value angle, though, sits at bigger odds. Miss Jocund Each-Way, trained by De Bromhead and ridden by Mike O’Connor, is available at 13/2 with Boyle Sports and Betfred. She has placed three times from four completed starts and clearly stays well. The 6/1 available on LiveScore Bet tightens the price a touch, but 13/2 each way at 3 places 1/5 odds is workable in a 10-runner field. Same yard, same going preference, cheaper price.

Brosna Queen represents S G Carey, who as noted wins at a remarkable 45% rate at this course. The form reads 75P6-5, which is nothing special, but the trainer angle at Downpatrick specifically is impossible to dismiss. At 11/2, Ricky Doyle takes the ride and this has place claims at minimum.

Selection: Miss Jocund each-way at 13/2 (Boyle Sports/Betfred)

2:00 – Randox Handicap Hurdle (2m2f, 14 runners)

Fourteen runners, a handicap, and a wide-open look to the market. This is exactly where Downpatrick’s quirks come into play.

Arcland Each-Way catches the eye at 8/1 (Boyle Sports) or 17/2 elsewhere. The 10-year-old is trained by Gavin Cromwell, who sits at a 15% strike rate at this track. Cromwell’s last 14 days show 2 wins from 40 runners, which is not a yard firing on all cylinders right now, and that’s reflected in the price. But Arcland’s form shows /241-5, with a recent win before that fifth placing. Eoghan Finegan (7) takes the ride. At 17/2 each way with four places paid at 1/5 odds, there is a solid case.

Liceo at 5/1 is the market fancy for Dermot McLoughlin, though the yard is 0 from 14 over the past fortnight. That’s a cold streak and worth factoring in. The form reads 940-93, which is mixed at best, and McLoughlin’s overall record at Downpatrick doesn’t jump off the page. I’m happy to take the 17/2 each way on Arcland and let the punters have the favourite.

Selection: Arcland each-way at 17/2 (Betfred/LiveScore Bet)

3:45 – Join Racing TV Handicap Chase (2m3½f, 14 runners)

The feature of the afternoon, and James Smith (5) gets a live ride here on Leave In Secret for Thomas Gibney. Smith’s 16% course win rate with an A/E of 1.39 is the standout jockey stat at this track, and that immediately upgrades the selection’s chance.

Leave In Secret’s form reads 13467, which shows a horse consistently in and around the places. The 7-year-old carries 170lbs, top weight, but trainer Thomas Gibney is 0 from 6 in the past 14 days, so the price of 6/1 (Boyle Sports/Betfred) or 11/2 on LiveScore Bet reflects both the jockey upside and the trainer’s recent quiet run. In a 14-runner chase like this, 6/1 is genuinely interesting if you trust the Smith booking at this course.

Gordon Elliott’s Truckers Cruising with Kevin Sexton at 12/1 is a big-yard runner that can never be written off entirely, but Elliott’s A/E of 0.9 at Downpatrick shows he actually slightly underperforms his market expectation here. The form of 01U6-0 is inconsistent. Pass.

Magic Day at 11/1 for De Bromhead is the each-way alternative in a wide-open chase. The /8503 form isn’t flashy, but De Bromhead’s yard is in decent form and the 11/1 with four places paid is a reasonable saver if you want cover in a competitive 14-runner field.

Selection: Leave In Secret at 6/1 (Boyle Sports/Betfred), with Magic Day each-way at 11/1 as a saver

Today’s NAP

Spring Waltz — Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle (1:25, Downpatrick)
Odds: 7/4 — Boyle Sports (others: 7/4 Betfred, 7/4 LiveScore Bet)

Won on her most recent completed start, is trained by a yard in form with 7 wins from 37 runners over the past fortnight, and faces a field largely made up of unproven or inconsistent mares. Good to yielding suits, and Kieren Buckley is a capable partner. At 7/4 the price is short but this is a maiden where class tells, and Spring Waltz has the clearest upward trajectory in the field.