LEESBURG, Va.--Cyril Murphy saddled two winners in the recognized races at the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point races on Sunday, April 19.
Ranger ThunderboltIrv Naylor's Ranger Thunderbolt, ridden by Harry Beswick, won the $20,000, 2 1/4 mile Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 30 1/2 lengths over Army Times, trained by Neil Morris, and Carnane (Ire), trained by Kathy Neilson.
"We've had Ranger Thunderbolt for quite some time, since November 2023," said Murphy. "Sunday was the first time he got to the races. He had all kinds of injuries. He won quite nicely. Hopefully, he will win again."
Belfast Banter (Ire), owned by Naylor and ridden by Elizabeth Scully,, won the $15,000 Apprentice Rider hurdle by a head over Walk the Warrior (Ire), trained by Leslie Yong, and Clifton Down (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher.
"That was great for Belfast Banter and for Elizabeth," said Murphy. "Elizaabeth comesin to rideout for us twice a week and has been forquite a while."
"Belfast Banter won the A.P. Smithwicjk a couple of years ago and then had a tendon injury that kept him away for two years. Last year he had to run in stakes, and his old legs couldn't keep up. He's 11 and not that competitive now. Now, because he didn't win a stake last year, he can run in apprentice races, and luckliy the apprentice races give him a chance. The alternative would have been retirement. He enjoys training and still has a desire tor race.=, so the apprentice races are great."
KERI BRION saddled Hudson River Farms' The Insider (Ire), ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, to win the $25,000 2 1/2 mile Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 1 1'2 lengths over Love Shaq, trained by Barry Foley, and Super Chunk, trained by Sean McDermott.
Belfast Banter"The Insider ran a great race, switching up tactics to settle and come from off the pace to win at Loudoun," said Brion.
In the unrecognized races, Beecher saddleRunnymoore Racing's Give it a Whirl, ridden by Graham Watters, wo win the Maiden Hurdle, division 1, by a nose over Shecheyanu, trained by Joe Davies, and Loose Wire (On, trained by Brion.
In division 2, Lilith Boucher saddled F Hill Parker's Red Tone to win by 4 1/2 kengths over Basic Miles and Whiskeyinthejaro, both trained by Beecher.
Lawrence Smith saddled Celtic Venture Stable's T Rex, ridden by Gerard Galliga, to win the 2,000 1 1/2 mile Virginia Bed Flat race by 2 length sover See theTruth, trained b y Christopher Kolb.
With these two races run together, Jack Fisher saddled Riverdee Stable's Tuddenham Green (GB), ridden by Jamie Bargary, and Elizabeth Voss saddled Atlanta Hall''s Transit, ridden by James Wyatt, to win the Young Adult Flat.
In Junior races, Rosey Crane on Poncho won the Small Pony, on Squeaky won the Large Pony and on Wings of Glory wwon the ShetlandPony race.
Pauly Qguilera on Rose won the Medium Pony race,and Manuel Aguilera on Bailey won the Lead Line Pony.
