Harry’s game for victories at double at flapping meeting at Hawick Common Riding

Irish eyes were smiling at Hawick’s flapping races at the weekend, held as part of the town’s common riding, making a comeback after two years off due to Covid-19 restrictions, but that wasn’t true of most of the Scots with horses entered.
By Darin Hutson
Published 15th Jun 2022, 11:03 BST
Updated 15th Jun 2022, 11:03 BST
Handsome Harry, winner of the 136th Tradesmen's Emtelle Handicap at Hawick last Friday, with Hawick Cornet Greig Middlemass and lass Emma Gibson, owner Neil Henderson, brother John, jockey Dale Irving and Neil's son Callum and his wife Jackie (Photo: Bill McBurnie)Handsome Harry, winner of the 136th Tradesmen's Emtelle Handicap at Hawick last Friday, with Hawick Cornet Greig Middlemass and lass Emma Gibson, owner Neil Henderson, brother John, jockey Dale Irving and Neil's son Callum and his wife Jackie (Photo: Bill McBurnie)
Handsome Harry, winner of the 136th Tradesmen's Emtelle Handicap at Hawick last Friday, with Hawick Cornet Greig Middlemass and lass Emma Gibson, owner Neil Henderson, brother John, jockey Dale Irving and Neil's son Callum and his wife Jackie (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

Langholm racehorse owner Neil Henderson won the meeting’s big race, the 136th Tradesmen’s Emtelle Handicap, and one other one, but all the weekend’s other victories were claimed by Irish owners.

Henderson’s winning horse was 12-year-old Handsome Harry, carrying a welter burden of 12 stone, and he was first past the post by three lengths from runner-up Shays Girl, ridden by Shay Farmer, and Who Knows, with Dominic Hislop in the saddle, in third place.

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Handsome Harry, trained by Henderson and son Callum, was ridden to victory in the tradesmen’s handicap by Langholm jockey Dale Irving.

Henderson was presented with the trophy for that win by 2022 Hawick Cornet Greig Middlemass and his lass, Emma Gibson.

The pairing of Handsome Harry and Irving came up trumps again in Saturday’s six-furlong Wyoming Handicap by a dozen lengths from runner-up Buchannan Star, with Tubs McNally as jockey, and third-placed Leonas Fancy, with Dylan O’Connell riding.

This year’s two-day common riding flapping meeting attracted a bumper entry of just short of 50.

“Handsome Harry aside, the travelling Irish won all the other races to make it a very successful common riding for them and make their long journey worthwhile,” said a spokesman for the event.

Related topics:HawickCovid-19