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ARDNACLACY: surveying the scene prior to winning the Intermediate
photo: Grace Beresford

"Last runner, last winner!" After Rose Dobbin had won the Ladies Open on Rayshan, trainer Morag Herdman announced her retirement, her one proviso being that she might carry on training her own mare Honkytonk Angel.

"She's easy," Morag explained, "but Rayshan can be a bit sharp. He throws in a buck or two, and I'm expecting my second child in September so I don't think I can ride him for much longer. He'll go to Tony [Rose's husband] now."

Morag, who as Miss Neill was joint-winner of the national novice championship in 2002, expressed her gratitude for the support she has had from the Davidson family, for whom she has trained plenty of winners. This was the second occasion on which Rayshan, who was sporting first-time cheekpieces, has upset the odds laid on Minouchka, although at the start of the campaign the omens were not promising. "At one point he only had one leg which I really liked," smiled Morag.

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"I'm shocked!" was Elaine Smith's reaction following the Mens Open victory of her charge Gunner Royal, who was partnered by her son Richard. "He wasn't right when he ran at Whitwell," she added. Gunner Royal returned to Pointing this season after a spell under Rules with Howard Johnson, who was advised by part-owner Brian Dunn, who has retained his share, to buy him at Doncaster Sales. Brian was awaiting the results from Garthorpe, where Snake Rave, in whom he has an involvement, was running, and the seven-year-old duly obliged under Thomas Greenall.

A run in the Heart Of All England Hunter Chase at Hexham is now on the cards for Gunner Royal - "He could win it if it's soft," forecast one of his connections.

Richard, who said "I was no good at school - I hadn't got the brains for it, so I work with the horses and on the farm," was scoring his second course victory, but it was an initial Corbridge success for Elaine.

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Mother and son were unfortunate not to double up in the Open Maiden when Chapel House, travelling strongly in the lead, was carried out by a loose horse. Victory went to Toby Speke, 19, who is reading Estate Management at Northumbria University, on his mother's Bright Steel, having his first outing for three years, but triumph was quickly followed by tragedy when the grey suffered a fatal heart attack on returning to the winner's enclosure.

It was a first success for Toby, who was wearing the colours carried with distinction by the 2006 Weatherbys Chase John Corbet heroine Coomakista, who is due to foal to Alflora in a few weeks time.

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It was a day of mixed fortunes for Bright Steel's trainer Andrew Richardson, who had earlier won the Intermediate on Ardnaclancy, his fourth victory from five outings. "We gave him a break because he got bottomed in the holding ground at Dalston," explained owner David Carr, who has surprisingly had no prospective buyers for the six-year-old "although I've had some big offers for the other one [Coastley]," he admitted.

"He's a professional in everything he does," said Andrew of Ardnaclancy, "though he can be a bit mental. But when I took him to a meet and had a sandwich in one hand and a glass in the other, he stood perfectly!"

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It was a weekend to savour for the Charlton family. George Charlton started the ball rolling by saddling Apartman to win at Ayr on Saturday, and his sister Jane Walton went one better with a double at Corbridge. Both winners, Double Gem and Foxes Delight, were partnered by her son Alistair Findlay.

Double Gem, a gift from Jane's father Alistair Charlton, forfeited his chance of Maiden success by taking the Restricted, in which his participation was due to Alistair Findlay's unavailability, as he was riding for his sister Patricia Robson.

Foxes Delight, winner of the young horse Maiden, was also a gift horse, this time from Gillian Fox, from whom Jane had previously purchased a foal. "He's so genuine," enthused Alistair. "It took just five days to break him in."

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Schoolgirl Sally Lyons, 16, made a winning debut in the Hunt race on Boher Storm, trained by her uncle Russell Ross. Sally carried over four stone of lead, and needed someone to both untack Boher Storm for her and to carry her saddle to the scales.

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There was no luck for Johnny Ferguson, who was unseated from his Open mount Keep Smiling. Johnny, a shepherd in Northern Scotland, rode in the People's Race at Aintree last year and decided he'd like to have a go at Pointing. "His boss has given him a six months sabbatical and he's been working for me," explained Keep Smiling's handler Clive Storey.

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