Ard Na Carraig and Barry Browne (nearside)© Photo Healy Racing
Having his attentions switched to chasing paid an instant divided for former point-to-pointer Ard Na Carraig as he scored at odds of 18/1 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Downpatrick.
Victorious at Ballysteen for Raymond Beresford in April 2016, twenty five starts on the racecourse proper in the interim had yielded no gold medal for the Jeremy seven-year-old.
However, the patience of the well-named Keep The Faith Syndicate, and trainer Oliver McKiernan was rewarded in this two mile one furlong heat.
Barry Browne was aboard Ard Na Carraig and he got the outsider home by three parts of a length and two lengths from Moonball and favourite Native Lass
There was just three parts of a length back to Ashjan in fourth.
"They went some gallop and I just dropped him in and took my time because I was riding him handy over hurdles and he wasn't finishing out. It suited there today," said Browne.
"His jumping was good, he was very accurate and he carried me into the race very well. I probably got there a little bit soon, he pricked his ears a bit in front. He dug deep.
"He is (entitled to go further as a former point-to-point winner) but I think he is kind of Flat bred, he is not overly slow. He can mix it on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences now.
"He loved that ground, it is good and that is what he wants."
(MG & EM)
