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After a prolonged period without any rain it was ironic it should choose to arrive on a day when this meeting would normally be bathed in sunshine - but such are the vagrancy's of the British weather.

This fixture decided the outcome of several West Midland Area Awards so provided a fitting climax to the season.

The roll of honour for becoming the Area's Leading Lady Rider over the last 20 years includes Alison Dare, Polly Gundry and Claire Allen, but after their years of dominance a new name has been added this year - Jane Williams.

Alex Dunn came into this fixture with a six point lead over Miss Williams but the Enville-based rider managed to turn the tables on her Championship rival by winning the Members on her mother's No Mans Green.

Ben Ryan was left in front when Artic Reason and Emma Yardley parted company at the fifth. Forced to make the running from this point, Hannah Lewis led the field down the back straight but looked vulnerable as Miss Williams brought her mount with a well-timed run to lead on the home turn.

They held a clear advantage at the third from home, which they extended all the way down the home straight to win by 12 lengths, with the favourite Ben Ryan's trainer Stephen Rea blaming the rain for his horse's defeat.

The Williams family have had many good horses over the years but this is the first time their daughter has ridden one of their home-breds to victory.

Miss Williams had a one point advantage over her rival as the runners lined up for the Ladies Open and she clinched her first title when Lagosta finished runner-up to Network Oscar.

Mrs Dunn was riding Rainbow Tree, but he was always struggling to stay in touch as Network Oscar and Shake The Bottle set a strong pace from the start. These two were still going at it hammer and tongs down the back straight where they had a 6-length advantage over the rest of the field.

Network Oscar asserted his superiority climbing the final hill and Lara Mahon's mount stormed clear on the turn into the home straight.

The winner had the race in his pocket at this point but all the action was taking place behind him as Miss Williams mount Lagosta passed Rainbow Tree approaching the 16th, which ended Mrs Dunn's, Title aspirations.

Network Oscar carries the colours of Peta Evetts who won numerous races up in the Yorkshire Area under her Maiden name of Lamb.

The owner's husband James explained afterwards "This is his first win for two years. He is an ex-Easterby horse who we brought at Doncaster in August 2009. Our daughter was due to ride him last year but she got injured. He scoped badly after two runs earlier in the season but finished a fast finishing fourth at Garthorpe last week. He's a good little horse and these have helped" he said holding up a pair of blinkers.

He was given a brilliant ride by Lara Mahon and this victory helped her clinch the prize for the Area's Lady Novice Rider.

Richard Burton and Phillip York are slugging it out in a close contest to become National Champion. York had two winners at Kingston Blount on Sunday but Burton met his rivals challenge and replied with a double of his own at this meeting.

Burton rides this course better than most and that experience proved vital in his successes on Cedrus Libani in the Mens Open and on Foc I Fum in Division II of the Maiden.

Cedrus Libani has really found his form in recent weeks carrying the colours of his Himbleton-based owners William and Angela Rucker and was favourite to win his fourth race in succession.

Phil York on Ringa Bay and Will Telfer on Moscow Court dictated the pace from the outset and they were still vying for the lead as the runners made the climb into the home straight.

Cedrus Libani had lost his place briefly at the bottom of the hill but he crept back into contention with Burton timing his run to perfection, catching his rival at the penultimate before extending his advantage on the flat to prevail by seven lengths, with Ringa Bay retaining second from the fast finishing Up There.

Connections went on to explain "we scoped him after his run at Cottenham and he appeared OK, but he obviously knew better than us that he was not right. He finished runner-up in the Dudley Cup and has not looked back since. I ride him in all his work and he seems to like that and he could not have ended the season on a better note".

This victory allowed Cedrus Libani to claim a half share of the Leading Horse Award being tied on 19 points with Flying Gnu who won the Restricted later in the afternoon.

Burton used almost identical tactics on Foc I Fum in Division II of the Maiden. There was significant money for the Dave Mansell-ridden Lady Bussell but Foc I Fum was also well supported despite being pulled up on his debut at Tabley.

The latter stages of the race resulted in a straight fight between Lady Bussell, Courageous Dove and Foc I Fum. They drew clear of the field after jumping the 13th and Lady Bussell looked likely to justify favouritism as she led up the final hill.

Doubts began to creep into the equitation as she was never able to gain a clear advantage however, and Foc I Fum was back on level terms at the third from home.

Burton drove his mount into the lead at the penultimate obstacle and the six-year-old responded bravely, extending his advantage on the run to the judge to prevail by 12-lengths and give the Champion elect a double at a vital time of the season.

Winning trainer James Richardson brought the winner at Goffs in June 2009 and that proved a very useful shopping trip because he brought three horses and all three of them have won.

Imperial Circus won at Ashorne in 2010 and was subsequently sold to Phillip Hobbs, I No Understand won the Wheatland Maiden earlier in the season, and now Foc I Fum has followed in their footsteps.

"I think he has a future under Rules, he quickened up nicely in the closing stages and is a promising young horse" stated the Sherborne-based trainer after the race.

Tom Bellamy clinched the Area's Novice Riders Title with an impressive win on The Noble Roman in Division I of the PPORA Club Members.

There were several leaders during the early stages of this contest with Classic Rock and then James Pine attempting to run their rivals into the ground. As they started up the hill, James Pine led from Ben Tally Ho while The Noble Roman was slowly moving into contention.

Tom Bellamy struck for home as they straightened up for the judge and was two-lengths clear of his rivals jumping the third from home. A fence later and he had extended the advantage but had to be driven out to retain his advantage on the flat.

Winning trainer Lucy King from Weston-sub-Edge said afterwards "We knew if we could get the horse back to the form he had shown earlier in his career we would have a winner on our hands. We have had to be patient but it has paid off. It says in the racecard he is inconsistent but they can remove that now!"

Mark Wall finished third on James Pine but having started the day a point behind Dave Mansell in the race to become the Area's Leading Male Rider he had now reversed the positions.

The Bibury-based rider sealed his second successive Riders Title when Flying Gnu lived up to his rider's expectations by winning the Restricted.

The Easterby/Greenall partnership had taken the WMAC Club Conditions race half an hour earlier with Mr Gossip but had to settle for the runner-up spot with Winter Sunshine in the Restricted.

Burton set the pace on Mr Wickham and was still disputing the lead as they raced along the back straight for the final time, with Flying Gnu moving smoothly onto the heels of the leader while the Easterby runner was about six-lengths away in fourth place.

Mark Wall's mount hit the front on the climb out of the back straight but was closely pursued by Mr Wickham, Himalayan Express and Winter Sunshine.

Flying Gnu took the third from home with a clear advantage, but approaching the second from home Winter Sunshine began to close the gap. The mare refused to be beaten however and her one and a half length lead at the last had been extended to two and a half lengths as they passed the judge.

The winner was bred by Kevin and Andrea Malpass at their home near Kidderminster but they were keen to pass on most of the credit for this success to the mare's trainer/rider Mark Wall.

Friendly Natives form figures did not inspire confidence but anybody who has seen the horse run this season knew that he definitely had some ability and his win in Division I of the Maiden proved that assessment to be correct.

James Ridley had the seven-year-old anchored at the back of the field for most of the first circuit, but began to improve his position from halfway. Deep Pearl was making the best of his way home, closely followed by Spring Francais and Bleu Run while Friendly Natives was gradually being eased into contention.

Ridley's mount crept closer on they met the rising ground but the jockey had still not released the hand brake and while his rivals were being driven along to maintain their positions, Ridley was still sitting motionless.

The favourite moved up to dispute the lead at the second from home without the rider having to move a muscle and was eased into the lead approaching the final obstacle. Friendly Natives eventually won by four lengths but that was not a true measure of his superiority because he had barely come out of a canter.

Mrs Ridley was full of praise for her son after the race "I am so pleased for James he has done a lot of work on the horse over the last couple of weeks so deserved that. My husband Mike brought the horse at Ascot in 2010 because he had similar breeding to World Wide Web who did us so proud in the Ledbury Golden Button Ride on a number of occasions".

James commented after the horse's facile success "He got low at a few but he was a completely different horse today and I struggled to pull him up".

Division II of the PPORA Club Members provided a first success for 21-year-old Ben Brackenbury who rode his own Oscar Owen to victory.

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