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BADGER FOOT: completed a hat-trick of Open wins
photo: Grace Beresford

Last Saturday's Duke of Buccleuch's Point-to-Point was one of the best meetings at Friars Haugh, Kelso in recent years with 104 runners on the eight race card.

That was the highest total at any Northern Area fixture since 2003 and a figure not exceeded at Kelso since the corresponding card in 1995.

Former Irish Pointer Tiger Billy had been placed several times in lesser company over the past 13 months, before producing a career best effort to land the the Brewin Dolphin Ladies Open Race, which unfortunately suffered from a very ragged start.

Given a confident ride by Siobhan Doolan, the nine-year-old hit the front at the top of the hill after five out and was left in splendid isolation when the favourite Tynedale unseated Kirsty Fitzgerald when upsides at the second last.

The victory leaves 19-year-old Doolan, granddaughter of Co. Durham Trainer Wilf Storey, one point ahead of Russell Lindsay and Callum Bewley in the Area Novice Riders Championship.

Tristan Davidson lifted his seasonal tally into double figures with a skilfully executed double on Maura My Love and ex-chaser Doc Row. The former maintained a relentless gallop at the head of affairs in the 18-runner PPA/PPORA Club Members Mares Maiden Race and kept finding extra when the chips were down to beat Watch The Wind by a length.

This was a first winner as an Owner for Sarah Nixon, with Trainer Mark Thompson's first runner of the season. Bought privately out of John Weymes' yard last year, the six-year-old was only sent to Thompson's Newton-by-the-Sea stable a fortnight ago after her usual Rider / Trainer, Charles Carr, suffered a dislocated shoulder and collarbone in a last fence fall from Edkay at Corbridge.

Carrying the colours of farrier Mark Russell, the Val Renwick-trained 11-year-old gelding Doc Row gave a superb exhibition of fast, fluent jumping to land the Turcan Connell NPPA Club Members Race. Davidson's mount didn't see another rival and kept Windy Hills at bay from three out to score by a length.

Newmarket-based Rider Michael Ennis was rewarded for making a 600 mile round trip with a third win of the season on Vicky Simpson's progressive eight-year-old gelding Hold On Julio in the Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Race. Always going well, his mount tracked Cuigny from four out before taking it up at the last and had a couple of lengths in hand at the line. Ennis said: "I didn't have to get busy with him today and he quickened up as soon as I gave him a squeeze." The winner's next target is the Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters' Chase at Kelso on April 4.

Leading Scottish Trainer Lucinda Russell enjoyed a double at Newcastle Races on Saturday and also sent out Badger Foot to complete his hat-trick in the Lycetts Mens Open Race. Well ridden by 16-year-old Stephen Fox, the gelding poached a useful lead after four out and just had enough left in the tank to hold the fast finishing Briscoe Place by a short head, with Gunner Jack a further half length away in third.

After falling at the second on his debut ride at Corbridge, this was an accomplished performance by Fox, who has only been attached to Russell's Milnathort yard for a couple of months having previously been with Tim Vaughan.

Jonathon Bewley made it four wins from four rides for Meldon Park Owner / Trainer James Cookson, on Wansbeck Valley in the J C Douglas Open Maiden race. Sent on five out, the youngster forged clear turning for home and won, easing down, by three lengths from Rennington Blue. "I had plenty in hand," said Bewley of the winner, who was bought for £9,000 as an unbroken four-year-old at Doncaster Sales in May 2009.

A change of tactics didn't stop Silk Parasol from recording a fourth course win in the CKD Galbraith Duke of Buccleuch's Members race. Instead of making the running as usual, Owner / Trainer, Alan Brown instructed Russell Lindsay to hold her up on the first circuit and the plan worked perfectly. Eventually sent on at the 11th, the mare was never headed from that point and stayed on well to beat Marksmore by four lengths. Her next outing will either be at Friars Haugh on April 2 for the Berwickshire meeting or two days later at Kelso Races in the aforementioned Buccleuch Cup.

Pistolet Time has very few miles on the clock for a nine-year-old and his victory in the Agrimart Open Maiden race came on only his fifth career start. Always travelling well behind the leaders, Gillon Crow's mount went on with Reef Dancer as they bypassed two out before taking command approaching the last and had three lengths to spare at the line.

This was a first winner as a Trainer for Crow's mother Caroline, who is based a few miles from the track at Bonjedward. Crow, now working for one of Richard Burton's companies in Cheshire, reported that Pistolet Time had suffered problems with his hocks since finishing five lengths second of 14 on his racecourse debut in a Wetherby Bumper in June 2008.

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