Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Samcro made a return to winning ways in a point-to-point race at Tinahely on Sunday.
The 10-year-old, who was at one stage one of the most exciting prospects in training, won his opening seven races under rules, including the 2018 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and another Grade 1 novices' hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Samcro continued hurdling in his second season, but couldn't manage a win in three starts out of novice company, two of which came in Grade 1s.
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He missed the 2019 Cheltenham Festival and was sent chasing at the start of the following season, winning a beginners chase at Down Royal by 17 lengths in his seasonal reappearance.
He then looked to have every chance when falling in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse before finishing ten lengths behind Faugheen at Limerick on St Stephen's Day.
But Samcro got revenge on that rival when landing the Marsh Novices' Chase at Cheltenham a few months later, beating Faugheen's stablemate Melon by a nose, with the former Champion Hurdle winner back in third.
In 12 starts since that success, Samcro only managed to get his head in front once since, winning a Grade 3 at Killarney in May, 2021.
Owned by Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud, he was pulled up in three of those 12 races, including when last seen on a racecourse back in May of this year.
But he was back to winning ways at Tinahely in Co Wicklow on Sunday, winning by 32 lengths for Camilla Sharples, who is Gordon Elliott's travelling head, with Barry O'Neill on board.
Tweeting after the race, Elliott wrote: "Great to see Samcro looking well and back to winning ways yesterday as he takes the Open at Tinahely under @bononeill1 for @camsharples."
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