THE Robin des Champs gelding Finawn Bawn justified 6/4 favouritism when winning the near two and a half mile novices’ hurdle at Bangor on Saturday on his second start over hurdles.

Trained by Olly Murphy and ridden by 5lb claimer Fergus Gregory, the five-year-old had been partnered by Aidan Coleman when landing a bumper at Ayr in May on his only other public outing. Finawn Bawn was bred in Co Antrim by Peter Boyd out of the unraced Old Vic mare Kayanti, a full-sister to Bellflower Boy who won 11 times over hurdles, twice over fences and four times on the point-to-point circuit.

Saturday’s winner is the third foal out of his dam who subsequently bred the as yet unraced 2014 Presenting gelding Coole Lion. She had fillies in 2016 and 2017 by Arakan and another earlier this year by Whytemount Stud’s Sea The Stars stallion Affinisea, a three-parts brother to Soldier Of Fortune.