VICTORY for Master Ruffit in the first division of the extended two and half-mile maiden hurdle at Ayr on Tuesday broke a losing spell for trainer Neil McKnight which stretched back to October 2014.

“It wouldn’t need to be as long again!” said the Loughbrickland handler who travelled his father Norman’s Blueprint gelding over to the meeting with Liam Lennon. The latter was out of luck with his three runners, a disappointing day getting worse when Glen Gyle fell at the first in the near two-mile handicap chase.