Sligo trainer Mark McNiff has made a habit of winning the extended two and a quarter mile handicap hurdle at Downpatrick's opening meeting of the year and he enjoyed another victory with Andratx

The four-year-old gelding was the subject of a gamble from 25/1 in the morning to an SP of 7/1.

Andrew Ring sent him into the lead from flagfall and the pair moved clear after the second last. The bottom weight strode on to win by four lengths. Mister First (12/1) came home second, a length and a half in front of One Can Cally (8/1).

Mark McNiff said: "I've won this three years in a row and also won it a couple of years previous to that. He was in off a handy weight. He's a horse that would improve for a track like this; a small, nippy little horse.

"We were off nine stone seven so it wasn't hard to make all. It's a pity there's nothing for him next week. He'll probably come back here, he's a horse for here, Tramore or Sligo. He wouldn't be a horse for a galloping track."