THE 8/15 favourite Lifetime Ambition was too classy for his rivals in the Jack Tyner Memorial Hunter Chase. Prominent throughout, the Kapgarde gelding took the lead a mile from home and kept on well to beat Break The Boundary by 11 lengths.

Formerly a smart performer for Jessica Harrington, the nine-year-old returned earlier in the season to his original trainer Pat Doyle, whose daughter Susie was on board in the colours of Linda Mulcahy and Mary Wolridge.

Doyle said: “He has been lucky and unlucky as Susie fell off him the last day and she gave out to me for getting beaten on him at Ballindenisk. I wasn’t riding him but she gave out to me so I don’t know how that works!

“It is a pity we weren’t qualified for Aintree. He had been placed in the 2022 John Durkan [Grade 1] so isn’t qualified this year. We will go to Punchestown instead if the ground isn’t heavy.”

Soldier on song

Arion Soldier (14/1) was a facile winner of the Hibernian Hotel Mallow Maiden Hurdle under Ricky Doyle.

Owned and bred by Valerie Courtney and trained in Killarney by her husband Eamon, the Soldier Hollow gelding was stepping up in trip and swept to the front after the second last. He quickly settled matters and was eased close home to beat Driscolls Hill by 15 lengths.

“We are delighted with him and he had been working well at home,” said the winning trainer.

“He was coming from two to three miles but we thought it would be his trip. He finished well the last day, he is a big horse and chasing is his future.”

ALIX Balfe, 20, partnered his first winner when steering Macinamillion (12/1) to land the Leisure Domes Ltd Handicap Hurdle for his employer, trainer Gavin Cromwell.

Both Balfe and Macinamillion were each 14-race maidens coming into the race and having settled mid-field, they improved to lead approaching the final flight and battled well to beat Aboy Joey by a half-length. Macinamillion carries the colours of the Tralee-based Oak Lodge Farm Ltd syndicate.

Balfe said: “I’m with Gavin six days a week and with Pat Downey in the evenings so thanks to Gavin and Ger [Teahon, part-owner] for giving me the ride today. I’m 20, from Kells and my grandfather rode a few point-to-pointers and I got into racing that way, so all credit to dad and my grandad.”

Shanahan off the mark

Lee Shanahan was another young rider to partner his first winner under rules when guiding Ryehill (evens favourite) to victory in the John Thomas McNamara Maiden Hunters Chase.

The Mahler gelding, a dual point-to-point winner, led between the final two fences and went away to beat Glady Max by 17 lengths.

Owned by the Outback Syndicate and Conor Brett, the seven-year-old is trained by Ross O’Sullivan, who said: “Three miles suits him down to the ground but he isn’t a natural over his fences. The plan was to go handicap chasing but we might look for a winners-of-one hunters’ chase now.”

Shanahan added: “I’m 23, from Tallaght and did the RACE course in 2016. I was based with Dermot Weld initially and am with Ross six years.”

Fitzgerald success

The Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Mares Maiden Hunter Chase went to Carrig Wells (5/1) for the Fitzgerald family.

Trained by Martin Fitzgerald for the mare’s breeder Joseph Fitzgerald, the nine-year-old was partnered by the winning trainer’s son Danny, who produced her to lead two out and kept her going to beat the always-prominent Dul Ar Aghaidh by two and a quarter lengths.

Martin Fitzgerald said: “She was knocking on the door in hunter chases so it was great to get one. Danny is 19 and has won two point-to-points on her.”

BACKMERSACKME, ridden by John Gleeson, justified 8/15 favouritism in the Pegus Horse Feed Point-To-Point Flat Race.

A point-to-point winner for Michael Griffin before being acquired by owner Paul Byrne, the Getaway gelding was brought from mid-division to lead over a furlong out and kept on well to beat Custom Taylor by three and three quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Emmet Mullins said: “I was taken by his win in the point-to-point as he was the only one from the group to bridge the gap and galloped through the line, and did the same today. John said he was very green today and should come on again from it.”

Gleeson doubled up on Air Of Excitement (evens favourite) in the Mares Point-To-Point Flat Race and executed similar tactics, bringing Henry de Bromhead’s charge through to lead in the straight and striding clear to beat Ocean Brew by four and three quarter lengths.

“That’s my first double and it’s not often you get two bumpers on one card,” said Gleeson.

Of the Robcour-owned winner, he added: “She is a nice type of mare, was behind the bridle and it took the penny a while to drop with her but when it did, she did it nicely.”

Sunny shines

For-sale Sunnyvilla (9/4 favourite) benefitted from an enterprising ride from Gavin Brouder when making all in exuberant fashion to win the Coolmore N.H. Sires Pyledriver Handicap Chase for trainer Donie Hassett.

Soon clear, Sunnyvilla’s lead was reduced in the final half mile but he stayed on well from the second last to beat R’evelyn Pleasure by two and a quarter lengths.

Hassett’s son, Brian, said: “Two miles on heavy ground is ideal but when it dries out he can go up in trip and has won over two miles and five furlongs.”

“Buying and selling three and four-year-olds are more important to us, and his owner Gary Kelly has a lot of young horses coming through so the horse will go to Doncaster Sales in May to make room. He would be a lovely Saturday horse for somebody in England.”