HATS off to the team at Fairyhouse for ensuring Friday’s rescheduled fixture was able to take place, because the meeting served up a heart-warming result to the Michael O’Sullivan & Lorna Brooke Ireland V Britain Qualified Riders’ Challenge Handicap Chase.

In the first running of the race to feature the name of Michael O’Sullivan in the title, it was hugely fitting that the much-missed rider’s brother Alan claimed the spoils on Hitthehayson, delivering a cracking ride on a chasing debutant, who has been in the form of his life lately.

For a moment, it looked as though Michael and Alan’s first cousin Maxine O’Sullivan might get in on the act, throwing down a lively challenge on the Eric McNamara-trained Decimation (eventual third), but the Ian Donoghue-trained 4/1 winner pulled out plenty for pressure and beat a staying-on Duffeys Hodey by two and three quarter lengths.

Speaking after winning in the colours of the ManAboutHorse Syndicate, the winning rider said: “It’s very good of Fairyhouse and Peter Roe to put the race on and all the family are here. It’s a good day out together and probably the first time we have all been together since the month’s mind mass, so it means a lot.

“It’s the horse’s first time over fences but Ian said that he had schooled well. It was also his first time up to that trip and the ground so there were a lot of unknowns with him. I’m delighted to ride a winner for Ian, who is an up-and-coming young trainer.” Trainer Eugene O’Sullivan, uncle to Alan and Michael, had runners on the card and added: “It’s a very emotional day. Michael used to ride in this race before and I’m delighted for Alan to be able to win it.”

Byrnes’ mudlark

One of Eugene’s representatives, Themanintheanorak, had a right crack at the John Thomas McNamara Series Q.R. Handicap Hurdle later on the card - as Alan bidded for a double - but they bumped into a ready winner in the shape of Charles Byrnes’ On Your Way, ridden by Anthony Bustin. It was a fair training performance from Byrnes to have the last-time-out Limerick winner ready to roll after a 297-day absence since that success.

Speaking after the eight-and-a-half-length win at an easy-to-back 14/1, the winning trainer said: “He’s a very difficult ride and it’s very hard to settle him.

“He jumped him out stone last. Anthony rides him at home every day and knows him well.

“Heavy ground is the secret to him. He had a run over fences at Cork last season so we can go that route with him as well.”

A GOOD week for Troytown-winning trainer Terence O’Brien got even better in the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Hunters Chase when the lightly raced Con’s Roc bolted up by 17 lengths under Darragh Allen.

The Near or Never Syndicate-owned eight-year-old had only made one start under rules prior to this, when winning at Limerick last Christmas, but he could be set for a smart season on the track now.

“We asked the owners to be patient and go down the hunter chase route again with him. You couldn’t hope for any more than that,” said O’Brien.

“He had a stress fracture in a cannon bone after a run in a point-to-point... They put a pin in it, and he hasn’t taken a lame step since.

“Hopefully we’ll go to Down Royal at Christmas, and the year will plan itself out after that. Hopefully we might get to Cheltenham, as I think he’s now qualified for there.”

Flicker takes flight

Connections of Flicker Of Hope are entitled to be thinking of some nice targets with their smart stayer after he notched a first win over fences in the two-and-a-half-mile Irish National Hunt Steeplechase CLG Beginners Chase at 5/1.

Mark Fahey’s six-year-old had been highly progressive after starting from a low mark over hurdles last season, and took a step forward from his recent third on chasing debut at Wexford last month over an insufficient two miles. Donagh Meyler got him home by a neck from Patter Merchant for owners Swords Bloodstock Limited.

“He was tough and Donagh gave him a super ride,” said Fahey.

“He jumped well and did everything right. He stayed well over hurdles, but they didn’t go much of a gallop there today and he did show a nice turn of foot. I’m not sure, but we might jump in with the big boys in a graded race and see how we get on.”

Unflinching by name and nature

THE most dramatic finish of the day was saved for last when Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown’s Unflinching showed a tremendous attitude to somehow prevail in the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Point-To-Point Bumper.

It had looked as though Nigel Slevin’s All Night Revival had done enough to edge the verdict, having got in a prolonged tussle with the Jack Foley-trained Catalani, but Harry Swan never gave up on the 11/10 favourite, who rallied from a most unpromising position to get on top in the dying strides.

A neck was the winning margin, and the winner traded for small money at as big as 399/1 in the in-running markets. The five-year-old previously joined the Cullentra team for £150,000 after a point-to-point win for Colin Bowe in April.

Elliott said: “He’s a lovely horse but he’s not a bumper horse. He’s a galloper and a big jumping horse, who will go jumping now.”

Katie digs in

Cian Collins had a busy Friday, with seven runners between Fairyhouse and Catterick, and the day got off to a flying start when his Katie Daniels stayed on well to land the two-and-a-half-mile Sign Up To GavinLynchRacing.com Mares Maiden Hurdle. Owner Barry Logan’s mare is bred to stay well, being a sister to National Hunt Chase third Will Do, and that stamina came to the fore here.

After the point-to-point winner struck by two and a quarter lengths at 11/1, jockey Ben Harvey said: “She was very professional; travelled and jumped and did everything right. She loves that [testing] ground and will probably be going up in trip rather than coming back.”

Ciergues’ day

Philip Rothwell and Tiernan Power Roche continue to set the pace in the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series and extended their respective leads when Kingkong Ciergues (3/1) gained a deserved first success under rules, having been knocking on the door since returning from a break in September.

The Kong Partnership’s five-year-old, a former point-to-point winner, had been collared in the shadows of the post here 17 days ago but managed to do enough to keep a fast-finishing Lough Nigara at bay by two and a quarter lengths this time. Rothwell said: “The horse deserved that more than anything. He’d run some fabulous races in defeat and the experience Tiernan got from riding him here the last day stood us in good stead for today.”