British trainer seeks Irish riches and a rapid improver chases a hat-trick - punting pointers for Friday's action

Punting pointers from each of today's race meetings . . .

Downpatrick: Owens on a roll

Conor Owens has ridden three winners at Downpatrick this season, with a £1 stake on his seven rides yielding a profit of £26.50. Owens has a chance of enhancing that 43 per cent strike-rate at the track on Mercury Mission (2.50) and Cullenwaine (4.30).

Mercury Mission14:50 Downpatrick

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Jky: Conor Owens (7lb)Tnr: P J Rothwell

Cullenwaine16:30 Downpatrick

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Jky: Conor Owens (7lb)Tnr: P J Rothwell

Downpatrick: Menzies has first jumps runners in Ireland

Rebecca Menzies will have her first runners over jumps in Ireland when she sends a squad of six from Durham to Downpatrick.

Menzies, who has had a runner apiece at the Curragh and Dundalk on the Flat, has sponsored the closing 2m7½f handicap chase in recognition of her longstanding owner John Wade.

Rebecca Menzies: runs six at DownpatrickCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Edgewell represents both trainer and owner in the Rebecca Menzies Racing 40 Winners And Counting For John Wade Handicap Chase (5.35).

Menzies saddled Return Ticket to win a Listed race at Ayr in 2022 for Wade, whose maroon silks will be seen in Ireland for the first time when Three Platoon runs in the 2m1½f handicap hurdle (3.20).

My Friend Yeats (3.55) and You Some Girl (4.30) are Wade’s other runners, while Menzies also runs Kingston Narcissus in the opening 2m1½f maiden hurdle (2.15) and Boomslang (5.05), who makes his chasing debut.

Dundalk: course specialist Squire out for more

Squire Danagher returns to the track where all three of his career wins have come as he features in the penultimate 1m4f handicap (8.00).

Trained in County Tyrone by Andy Oliver, the four-year-old son of Australia made it three wins from six starts at Dundalk when scoring over course and distance last month.

Oliver has trained more winners (85) at the County Louth venue than any other course in his career and needs just one more victory to surpass last season's tally of 12, while Group 1-winning jockey Billy Lee returns to the saddle.

Squire Danagher20:00 Dundalk (A.W)

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Jky: W J Lee Tnr: A Oliver

Kempton: can Templar seal hat-trick for Stephens?

Knight Templar has been responsible for two of Robert Stephens’ three winners in 2024 and bids to complete a hat-trick in Kempton’s finale (8.15).

The son of Haafhd was winless in seven starts for Sir Mark Prescott before being sold from Heath House for £9,000 in July.

Kieran Shoemark helped Knight Templar make a successful stable debut for Stephens over a mile and a half at Ffos Las in August before the three-year-old handled an extra two furlongs and a 4lb rise to score under Tom Marquand at Haydock last month.

Robert Stephens: former jump jockey started training in 2013

Robert Stephens: runs the hat-trick seeking Knight TemplarCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Stephens has upped the three-year-old in trip again for this 2m handicap, and Rob Hornby will attempt to steer his mount to a first all-weather victory at the fourth attempt.

Stephens said: "We were due to run in the Series Final at Nottingham last week but that was called off, so we've come here now and we're very happy with him. He seems in good form."

Knight Templar20:15 Kempton (A.W)

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Jky: Rob Hornby Tnr: Robert Stephens

York: Eaves out for repeat win

Tom Eaves steered 28-1 shot Apiarist to a shock victory in York’s 7f juvenile contest (2.05) for Kevin Ryan last year and the rider is back for more in the same race on Pellitory.

The James Owen-trained son of Sergei Prokofiev was beaten half a length over a mile at Doncaster last time and should be suited by the return to this trip, over which he beat subsequent winner Philanthropist at Yarmouth in August.

Eaves will be having his first ride for Owen, who said: "Freddy Tylicki has bought some lovely horses for the Gredleys in the past and he's Tom's agent, so he put him forward."

Owen added: "He didn't quite stay the mile at Doncaster, hence why we're dropping him back in trip, but the ground will suit him and he's got a nice chance. It's great prize-money and hopefully he has a good each-way chance."

Pellitory14:05 York

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Jky: Tom Eaves Tnr: James Owen

York: hot Haggas

William Haggas has won three of the last five runnings of the William Hill Finale Handicap (2.40) at York. He has a chance of improving that recent 60 per cent strike-rate in the £100,000 handicap with The Reverend.