Mr. Fine Threads handed trainer Joe Davies his 11th Maryland Hunt Cup title, eighth as a trainer, on Saturday, April 25, winning the four-mile timber contest worth $100,000 by six lengths over Shootist.

A field of nine lined up, including defending champion Road to Oz, who ended up a faller at the 13th fence. Mr. Fine Threads was making his third appearance and seeking to finish the course for the first time after falls in the other two. Ridden by Charlie Marshall, the 13-year-old gelding traveled near the back of the field before moving up heading into the 16th fence, and took the lead before the 18th. Then the battle began.

Shootist joined Mr. Fine Threads over the final three fences and got the lead briefly before Mr. Fine Threads surged ahead. With rain coming down, the winner stopped the clock in 8:43.60.

Owned by Armata Stables, Mr. Fine Threads won the Grand National by three lengths the previous Saturday, becoming the first horse to win both the Grand National and Hunt Cup in the same year since Senior Senator in 2019. Armata Stables also retired the Challenge Trophy, which becomes the permanent possession of the owner winning the Maryland Hunt Cup three times. Vintage Vinnie (Ire) won the race for the stable in 2021 and 2022.

This is the eighth time the Challenge Cup has been retired. It had been 36 years between Cancottage (GB) taking it for Mrs. Miles Valentine in 1983 and Irvin L. Crawford II's Senior Senator in 2019. With no race was run in 2020, Armata secures it with three wins in the last six runnings.

A lightly-raced veteran raced solely over jumps, Mr. Fine Threads has won four of his five starts since taking the 2025 John D. Schapiro Memorial allowance at My Lady's Manor. His only loss was the fall at the 16th fence on the Maryland Hunt Cup course last year.

His first stakes victory came in his 16th career start last May in the $35,000 Willowdale Steeplechase. He now has six wins, three seconds and two thirds from 18 starts, and earnings of $158,150.

Bred by William R. Harris, Mr. Fine Threads is a son of Sightseeing and one of four winners from five starters for the winning Wayne County (Ire) mare Seven Counties. His second dam, Seven Steps (by Thirty Eight Paces), is a full-sister to Thirty Eight Steps, the latter dam of graded stakes winner Sweet Goodbye and stakes winners Five Steps, Deer Run and Norstep.