GALLYHILL, who gave former rider Jamie Sloan a first success as a handler with his first runner at Kirkistown in November 2019, made a winning debut as the 30/100 favourite for the Nicky Henderson yard when landing the opening novices’ hurdle over an extended two miles at Newbury on Wednesday.

The 2015 Getaway gelding, who had to dig deep under Nico de Boinville to see off Robin’s Dream by one and a quarter lengths, was ridden by Noel McParlan when landing his four-year-old point-to-point in the colours of the race sponsor, Wilson Dennison. The following month he was sold at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale for £450,000 to Henrietta Knight who was acting on behalf of the bay’s now owner, Michael Grech.

Ballybegg, who was beaten two and a half lengths by Gallyhill at that North Down meeting, recently got off the mark over hurdles on his second attempt; he ran once in a bumper. He too carried the colours of Dennison in that point-to-point but was trained by Colin McKeever and was having his seventh start between the flags that day. The son of Mahler was also sold at the Cheltenham sale where he was knocked down to Highflyer Bloodstock for £52,000.

Another former northern point-to-point horse to win at Newbury on Wednesday was Fagan. As a four- and five-year-old, the 2010 Fair Mix gelding was trained by Sloan’s predecessor (and still owner) at the Cullybackey yard, Ian Ferguson. He was then owned by Ronnie Bartlett and, between the flags, was ridden by Willie Thompson, Mark Lynch and Derek O’Connor.

The last-named partnered the grey for three wins after which Fagan was moved to Gordon Elliott for whom he won two bumpers, a hurdle and a chase. He was sold at Goffs UK’s Spring Sale in 2018 for £26,000 to Alex Hales for whom he made his first appearance in February last year and for whom he recorded his first success, in Wednesday’s near three-mile handicap chase.