CULLYBACKEY trainer Ian Ferguson, who sent out Ballyoptic to finish second in the winners’ race at Loughanmore on Saturday, has eight horses to run in points this side of Christmas and “a lot of nice three-year-olds” for next year.

However, Ian gets great satisfaction out of seeing graduates of his training regime do well for others and was delighted recently to watch two such geldings win in the familiar blue and white diamond colours of his good friend Ronnie Bartlett.