Long trek to Downpatrick for Lilian Bland pays off Lilian Bland is certainly doing Niall Hennessy proud and she brought up her third victory in the Download The Tote App (Mares) Handicap Hurdle in Downpatrick. She was tough off the front and made all in the hands of Richie Deegan. She was strongly pressed by Joueuse Royale after the last but dug deep on the uphill finish to prevail by two and a-quarter lengths at 4/1. The runner-up went off at 9/2 and was a length and three-parts in front of 12/1 shot Joya Del Mar. Hennessy said: "Some trek! It took us five hours. Richard Pugh said we left first and then we declared her! "I said knowing my luck, this will be the track she will like and I'll be up and down for the summer! "She is holding her form brilliantly through the year on heavy ground and quick ground. Richie gets on brilliantly with her. "She is tough, tough, tough. At home she is the same way, you couldn't give her enough work. She would be out in the field kicking and bucking away to go again. "It is a small operation. Normally what we do is buy two foals every year and bring them through. If we don't sell them as three-year-olds, we try and point-to-point them and sell them. "I work full-time as an electrician and I farm as well at home. Come home from work then do the horses and then go farming."
