Save Us Avis a first track winner for Flood

Save Us Avis saw out the three miles in the mares' maiden hunters chase at Cork with a stout staying performance.

The 7/1 chance always had front-running The Forge Hill in view throughout.

A less than tidy jump at the third last didn't cost her any momentum and she got on terms with the leader at the second last.

She was soon ridden to the front by Paul Bannon but had a staying-on Trickalight closing on her at the final fence as the Forge Hill dropped to third.

A lovely jump at the last sealed the deal as she passed the post a length and a half to the good at 7/1.

Trickalight was gambled on from an opening show of 50/1 down to 16/1 on the off but was a never nearer second. The Forge Hill (11/8f) came in nine lengths adrift in third.

Handler Peter John Flood said: "I only have a hunter chase license but am doing the trainers' course this month and that's my first racecourse winner.

"She is very small and I'm delighted as I thought she'd run well but didn't think she'd win.

"We have been waiting a while for this mares' only hunters chase and the people (Mulvihill family) that own her, bred her also.

"We'll have a few more to run with no point to points and we have 20 in training, mainly point to pointers which we hope to sell. We have a few more which we are better off getting handicapped on the track rather than running in Open point to points."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes