WHILE most of last Saturday evening’s focus on racing in Nashville centred on the Iroquois Hurdle (Grade 1), where the Willie Mullins-trained Shaneshill finished a close second, another graduate of the Irish point-to-point scene, The Nephew, won the Mason Houghland memorial timber race on the same card.

In the colours of Alan Harte, the Indian River gelding landed a four-year-old maiden at the Ward Union meeting neaer Oldtown on his only start here between the flags in March 2012. He was then trained by Sam Curling but shortly afterwards was sold into the Jonjo O’Neill yard, winning five times over fences before being transferred to the US.