THE featured open lightweight on a well-supported day of action at Farmacaffley saw the David Christie-trained On The Sod (11/10 - 5/4) run out an easy eight-length winner over the Harry Swan-ridden Bellharbour winner Amaulino.

The winning son of Ask has now won all seven of his completed starts between the flags, having fallen at the first on the only other occasion at Comea last time out.

He disputed for much of the contest and always travelled like the winner under a confident Barry O’Neill, who rode a double on the day.

“We were going for the record of most consecutive wins in a point-to-point the last day, which was eight, and we were only two off it. For some unknown reason, he took off two strides early at the first and landed on top of it, but that’s the way it goes!” Christie said of the Kieran Mahon and Noel Keenan owned winner.

“He reminds me of Top Twig, one of my best point-to-point horses – he just lacks the scope to be a top hunter chaser, although he has won two hunter chases. He’s just a super horse. I’d say the Tetratema at Gowran Park could be next on the agenda. He’ll love the ground there and it’s a good opportunity because all of the top hunter chasers will be tied up with Cheltenham.”

Cosy success

O’Neill’s double was completed in the concluding older geldings’ maiden where he steered the Colin Bowe-trained Gunnery Officer (5/4 - 6/4 favourite) to a cosy five-length success.

The son of Califet had fallen at Cork when last seen 322 days ago, however his return to action was a 31st success of the season for O’Neill and a 23rd for Bowe.

The Charles Greene-trained Jack Doyen proved best of the rest in second.

“He had a good run the first day and he has improved from that. He is partially blind in one eye so it was a great performance and it just shows how genuine he is. I imagine he’ll stick to winners’ company, to get more experience, before going to the track,” said O’Neill of the D. M. Forster-owned gelding.

Improvement

Faith Loving (11/10 - 5/4 favourite) has shown vast improvement this season and the Moira maiden winner, supplemented his 50/1 fourth in a Down Royal hunter chase over Christmas, by scoring in the winner-of-two contest here.

The Noel McParlan-ridden son of Ballingarry was held up towards the rear of mid-division early before making a sweeping move on the turn for home. He fought hard up the run-in to hold off the persistent runner-up, Everything Now and Alexandra Ingram, by half a length.

The winner is trained by Caroline McCaldin in Co. Down and runs in the colours of her husband Alan. The winning trainer stated: “He ran a blinder the last day. We were delighted with him coming here and he did it well there.”

THE opening confined hunt winners race traditionally kickstarts the card at the Armagh venue and it duly did so again on Saturday with three runners facing the starter.

The complexion of the race quickly changed with Gaius De Marcigny refusing at the third, turning it into a match between the James Lambe-trained Henry Africa (1/3 - 4/6 favourite) and the Marshall Watson-trained You No Me Too Well. It was the former who made all in the hands of Declan Lavery to win by an easy four lengths.

“It’s a long time in the making! It has been one bump on the road after another but I’m delighted to get it. It wasn’t much of a contest but he will probably go on now and go for a winners’ race.

“It’s just great go get him over the line because the horse deserves to win a race,” said Lambe of the Legolas gelding that he also owns.

The five-year-old geldings’ maiden looked a very competitive race on paper and it produced a thrilling finish between the Stuart Crawford-trained newcomer Marronstown (7/1 – 10/1) and the Gordon Elliott-trained favourite An Mhi.

The former came out on top to provide former point-to-point rider Jonjo Bright with a winner in his own colours. It was an impressive debut performance from the son of Frozen Fire, who looks set for a big future on the track as he ran out a length-and-a-half winner.

“He’s a horse that we have always liked. He’s a big horse, he’s 16.3hh. He has taken a wee bit of time to come to himself. He was ready to run and I couldn’t have asked for much more than that. He travelled well and jumped well. He’ll go to the sales now,” said the winning rider Ben Crawford.

Cuta Des cuts through

THE mares’ maiden on the card had quite an open look to it, with not much separating the 12 runners on form. Cuta Des As (5/1 - 6/1) and Ben Harvey emerged from the pack though to score by three and a half lengths from the Richie Rath-trained Larkfield Legacy.

It was a first winner of the season for the Co. Antrim-based Kevin Ross yard, with the daughter of It’s Gino having finished fifth recently at Dromahane. Ross also owns the winning mare.

“She was good and tough. She has been a real improver since her first run. She just needed this sort of track. She’s very tough and came up that hill very well.

“She toughed it out from the last and once she hit the front, she pricked her ears. I’d say she won quite well,” commented Harvey.

Horse To Follow

Annie Magic (A. Fitzgerald): This daughter of Westerner was sent off as favourite for the mares’ maiden and she looked to be travelling best exiting the back straight for the final time.

She couldn’t sustain that effort up the hill, on the turn for home, but her turn doesn’t look to be far away.