THE East Antrim Hounds held the first point-to-point of the northern region at Loughanmore last Saturday following the cancellation of the Mid-Antrim Hunt fixture the previous week.

Racegoers were met with a further delay of approximately and hour and a half waiting for another ambulance to attend even though there looked to be plenty of medical assistance available.

Got The Nac (5/1-7/1) provided handler Peter Flood with another potential top-class open performer as the Beneficial gelding run out a very comfortable winner of the Enviro Care N.I. Ltd open lightweight race.

Former Grade 1 winner Felix Yonger, sent off the 2/7 odds-on favourite, disappointed, pulling-up before the last fence as the former track performer Got The Nac bounded clear of his rivals turning out of the back straight to record an impressive 12-length success in the four-runner event.

The Declan Lavery-ridden eight-year-old was purchased by current connections for £2,500 at Ascot in March.

Winning handler Flood, who also trained last season’s Connolly’s Red Mills Champion pointer Ourmanmassini commented: “We thought he would need the run today but he done it well.

“He is the type of horse that could win plenty of opens as he jumps and stays. Deckie (Lavery) got on well with him the other day and he gave him a great ride. He will go again in a point in a few weeks if not sold.”

Captain CJ (1/1 favourite) looks another who will be competitive in open races soon as he won the Islandbawn winners of two under Lar O’Carroll, recording his third victory in a row since being purchased by former show jumper and point-to-point rider Fidelma Toole.

“He’s a lovely horse and he is still improving. It’s up to the owners but he could go for another point or I’d be happy to go to the track if they wanted to go down that route,” remarked the winning handler Dermot McLoughlin.

The Westerner gelding looked set for a battle with the Ian Ferguson-trained Manetti on the run to the last but he asserted clear under O’Carroll to record a six-length victory at the finish.

The Dennison Commercials Ltd four-year-old maiden opened the northern campaign and recorded a home victory for land-owner Wilson Dennison, as his French-bred Blue Flight (3/1-5/1) provided former champion jockey Derek O’Connor with his first winner of the season.

The Colin McKeever-trained gelding is the first point-to-point winner for French stallion Blue Bresil, who also sired the Paul Nicholls-trained Cheltenham festival winner Ibis Du Rheu. Blue Flight is the second winner out of Lover Flight a winner of a National Hunt race as a three-year-old in France. She is a half-sister to prolific 14-time winner Master Flight.

O’Connor kept his mount up with the pace throughout as a strong pace was set by the Colin Bowe-trained John Wick under Rob James. On the run to the last, the David Christie-trained The Some Dance Kid challenged. However, Blue Flight had enough in reserve to record a gallant three-length success in the day’s fastest time.

An elated McKeever stated afterwards: “He’s a very big horse and he strengthened up over the summer. He had a wind problem but we have that sorted now and I said to Wilson (Dennison) that he is a far better horse today than the day he was second in Portrush. He will improve with the experience and will be a hell of a horse in time. He is for sale now.”

SCOREBOARD

Jamie Codd also got on the scoreboard for the season as he steered the Denis Murphy-trained Frozen Motion (6/4-7/2) to victory in the Jacksons Butcher Shop & Bakery five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Tony Martin-trained Absainte was the well-supported market leader (3/1-1/1 favourite) and was produced by Barry O’Neill to challenge at the last but Codd’s mount battled gamely to repel the challenge by three-quarters of a length at the line.

The Black Sam Bellamy mare, who is out of a half-sister to Alan King’s eight-time winner Bakbenscher, was purchased by Denis Murphy for £8,500 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale in 2016.

He remarked: “I thought she was unlucky last year at Dromahane. She had to battle on the run-in but she had plenty left in the locker. She is a big, easy going mare that will improve no end from that run. She will head to the Cheltenham sales next.’’

The biggest cheer of the day proved to be for the Noel Kelly-trained Milan Dancer (2/1-4/5 favourite) in the Lagan Cement Products Ltd six-year-old and upwards maiden.

BATTLED

The Noel McParlan-ridden mare was well backed following no less than five placed efforts between points and on the track. Another Day Done, trained by Stuart Crawford, went head-to-head with the Milan mare at the last fence as both battled up the run-in but McParlan’s mount forged ahead to record a one-length success at the winning post.

“She is a lovely mare who is unlucky not to have won a few times before now. She is a big mare and is still getting stronger. She could head back to the track now.’’

The Stonebridge Premium Feeds five-year-old geldings’ maiden was a winner for the bookmakers as outsider The White Volcano (10/1-14/1) recorded an impressive victory for Armagh handler John Woods. Failing to complete on his previous two outings, the son of September Storm, held a clear advantage at the last fence from the favourite Some Response and bounded clear on the run-in to post a notable 12-length victory.

“He’s great horse and the owner (Philip White) bred him. It’s unfortunate Philip couldn’t be here to see him win. He has always shown us plenty at home and we thought a lot of him.”