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Carolyn Tanner was on hand at Cheltenham on Wednesday to catch the reactions to the Hunter Chase evening races.

The Connolly's Red Mills Intermediate Point-to-Point Championship Final HC

Memories of Red Rum and Crisp were revived as Bradley came from 25 lengths off the pace at the top of the hill to collar the gallant front-running William Somers close home. The first thought of winning trainer Fergal O'Brien was for the rider of the runner-up Mark Wall, who as the regular partner of both Bradley and William Somers had had the unenviable task of choosing between the two.

"After he'd had a hard race at the Berkeley we said we wouldn't run him here," said Fergal of his charge, "but he worked really well on the gallops on Saturday so we thought he ought to take his chance." Bradley, who was bought as an unbroken four-year-old by Jim Collett - "I've been a Point-to-Point man all my life" - and whose pedigree goes back to one of the outstanding chasers of the last 40 years, Pendil, was highly-strung when he joined the O'Brien yard, and his groom Vicki Sadler has played a big part in calming him down.

It was a first Cheltenham success for rider Sam Drinkwater, 19, who was booked for the ride at Maisemore Park two days earlier. "I rode a winner there so I suppose that helped," he smiled, while admitting "it was a tough decision for Mark." Sam used to work for Nigel Twiston-Davies, for whom Fergal is head lad, but now rides out as a freelance. "Fergal got me going and taught me to race-ride," he explained. "It's all I've ever wanted to do and I'm going to savour this moment."

"Indescribable" was Mark's feeling as Bradley came past him. "I looked round and those colours were the last ones I wanted to see." His choice was swayed by the thought that Bradley may have still been feeling the effects of the Berkeley race. "I knew there wasn't much between them, but William Somers was so well that I hoped I'd made the right decision, though I was horrible to be around for the two days beforehand." Mark's woes did not end there, as he was suspended by the stewards for one day for excessive use of the whip.

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The race was marred by the fatal fall of Lotta Presents, while One Cool Knight collapsed and died after finishing fifth.

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"He's on Vixen, by the way." Fergal points out to Dai Jones of Connolly's Red Mills that the victory was achieved without the help of the sponsor's product.

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One horse which is fed on Red Mills is Oca de Thaix, who lacks a top gear, said trainer Robert Luke, but who kept on up the hill to take third under David Prichard. Oca de Thaix was a first Cheltenham runner for Robert, who professed himself "chuffed to bits" with the performance. "We just didn't want to disgrace ourselves," had been his pre-race hope. The eight-year-old was purchased privately from Ian Stark, for whom Robert worked for over four years. "Ian's a proper horseman. It was a very good grounding, and I learned so much," he stressed.

Oca de Thaix will probably be partnered for the rest of the season by his owner Charlotte Evans, who works for Robert, and who had her first ride on him at Lydstep. "He's a saint at home, but he pulls your arms out on the gallops," commented his trainer, who is looking to build up his yard near Haverfordwest, where he has excellent facilities.

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Regulars at the Plough at Ford may have been spared Jim Collett's dulcet tones that evening. Bradley's owner planned to head to that establishment to celebrate his victory, and had promised to sing had his other runner Marblehead obliged. He finished second.

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Mark Wilesmith, who had a heavy fall from Buckingham Bill, escaped with nothing worse than a broken collarbone.

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The Hunt Staff Benefit Society Colin Nash Memorial HC

Marblehead's conqueror was The Cool Guy, who made much of the running to score under George Phillips, who had failed to complete on his only previous Cheltenham ride - "He fell off," said his mother Cilla candidly. George, who is doing a post-graduate course at Cirencester and hopes to become a grain merchant, had to lose a stone in order to make the required weight, and had only received his licence two days previously.

The Cool Guy was trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies to win the 2005 Aintree Bumper for his current quartet of owners, namely Pru Cooper, Jilly Scott, Sarah MacEchern and Cilla Phillips, but he has had two long spells of inactivity due to tendon trouble and this was his first outing for 15 months. "Nigel didn't think he'd ever get back," said Cilla. "He only came back in March and we were going to run him at the Berkeley but the ground wasn't suitable. The plan was for Nick [George's elder brother] to ride him in Points and George in Hunter Chases, so Nick has missed out."

Nick, though, was able to claim credit for training The Cool Guy together with Elliot Newman, who has handled the Phillips's Pointers for the past few seasons.

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"Definitely." George's reply to Nick's question "Was it worth the £176 to get the licence?"

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The Warners' Motor Group HC

The unusually low weights set for this meeting found little favour with the Point-to-Point fraternity, some of whom are confined to amateur racing purely due to their height and build, and it was unfortunate that some of the bona fide corinthians were basically barred, on the grounds of weight, from competing here. One who did manage to beat the scales, after a struggle, was Adam Wadlow who, like George Phillips, admitted to looking forward to a good meal following his victory in the 4m1f marathon on the Henry Daly-trained Martha's Kinsman. "I only realised on Monday that I'd got to carry 11 stone," said Adam, "so now I need food!"

Co-owner Sue Barlow (with Richard Hartley and Rodney and Anne Brereton) was unable to be present but had sent a one-word instruction to the jockey - "Win!" After becoming a little sour under Rules, Martha's Kinsman had gone to Sue's son Charlie and been hunted by Adam with the Cheshire. "It's probably the last ride I'll ever have for Henry at Cheltenham," grinned Adam. "They don't come around very often." The plan for Martha's Kinsman is a possible tilt at Stratford's W + S Recycling (Horse & Hound) Cup.

"Mucking out wasn't for me," admitted Adam, who worked for Henry for a year when he first moved to Downton Hall but has now set up a property company specialising in petrol stations and vehicle dealerships.

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The Lady Hooper HC

Rob Lee, nine days short of his 23rd birthday, made a successful Cheltenham debut on Shooters Wood, an initial Hunter Chase winner for both himself and trainer Camilla Baylis. Shooters Wood was purchased at the Brightwells breeze-up sale here in 2008 by William Harrison-Allan, who runs the Country Gentlemen's Association. "He schooled well yesterday," reported Camilla, who breaks in horses for, among others, Alan King and Charlie Mann. "He's a little tinker, and he's the only one I've got that trots out of his stable every morning."

Rob joined Paul Nicholls after leaving school and remained with the champion trainer for six years, looking after Silver Birch during his glory days at Ditcheat, but he decided he needed a change and he now builds Point-to-Point fences.

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"Charlie wants him now." A laughing William hazards a guess as to who could be on the phone ringing in his pocket.

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The Innsworth Technology Park Champion HC

Take The Stand, runner-up in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup and the winner of this corresponding contest two seasons ago, made light of his 14 years to make all the running and give owner Frank Ridge the perfect 80th birthday present. Trainer Peter Bowen and his wife Karen missed the victory, as they were on the way home from Spain.

Rider Michael Byrne, who joined the yard last September, is hoping to turn conditional at the end of the campaign.

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The Nigel Dimmer HC

The only favourite to oblige on the evening was Bob Hall, carrying the familiar colours of J P McManus. He was being niggled along from some way out and rider Alan Berry admitted "I was fairly confident going to the second last but I was struggling before that." "He's got a wind problem and is better on flat tracks. He'd have been a really good horse but for the problem," opined trainer Jonjo O'Neill.

Bob Hall is likely to have another run before the end of the campaign but it won't be at Stratford. "He wouldn't get three and a half miles in a horsebox," laughed Jonjo.

Alan, who looks after Don't Push It at the O'Neill yard, confines himself to riding under Rules. "I tried Point-to-Pointing one year but I didn't get on very well," he confessed. "I had more unseats than finishes so I gave it up!"

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