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SACRED MOUNTAIN: On his way to an eighth career victory
photo: Grace Beresford

Catherine Walton made the perfect start to her defence of the Northern Area Ladies Championship with a double on stable companions Sacred Mountain and Highland Cathedral in Sunday's Ratcheugh Racing Club Point-to-Point at Alnwick.

A covering of snow on Saturday morning had put the meeting in doubt but it disappeared overnight to leave the going as Good to Soft, and the card attracted a total of 79 runners, a figure surpassed at only one of last season's sixteen Northern Area fixtures.

Sacred Mountain was always travelling strongly in the Banks Group NPPA Club Members Race and, after being sent on two out, stayed on well to beat ex-chaser Master Sebastian by two and a half lengths. This was an eighth career victory for Jimmy Walton's charge, who said of him 'He still has dodgy stifles but has stood up to his racing much better this year and I would like to send him back under Rules later in the season.'

Highland Cathedral gradually reeled in the leaders on the final circuit of the G A Smith Bulk Haulage Ltd Open Maiden Race before taking it up three out. Despite running on empty down the home straight, the 7-year-old strolled home by 20 lengths from Senor Alco. The winner was bought for £4500 at Doncaster Sales in August 2009 and Catherine said of him: ''He has benefitted from a few runs over hurdles since March and jumped much better today.''

Sea Scout might be small in stature but has the heart of a lion and galloped his rivals into submission in the featured AGA Ladies Open Race. Claire Metcalfe's mount dictated a strong pace from the outset with the favourite, Unowatimeen and, after the latter weakened four out, came home twenty lengths in front of New Alco. The 8-year-old, trained by Iveston farrier Russell Ross, was scoring first time out for the third time in five seasons and Metcalfe said
'We used to think he wanted a sound surface but now realise he needs plenty of cut and to be ridden prominently. He was getting very tired at the bottom of the hill after four out but gamely stuck to his task.'

The 2m4f Open Maiden Race was divided on the day after 26 of the 30 entries were declared. The first division, sponsored by UAP, saw Ancient Times land the gamble of the day after being backed down from 16/1 to 7/2. Given a supremely confident ride by Miles Seston, the 4-year-old quickened clear a mile from home and never looked like being caught despite blundering two out. This was a first training success with her first runner for equine artist, Philippa Kirby, wife of licensed trainer Phil Kirby, who is based at Castleton near Whitby.

Kirstie Hargreave generously stepped in at the last minute to sponsor the other division, which went to The Rustlin Rhino, a half brother to Grand National winner Silver Birch. Richard Smith's mount led throughout the final circuit and forged clear from two out to beat Northern Flame by 20 lengths. He was bought privately out of Donald McCain's yard in March. Chris Dennis, husband of Darlington-based winning trainer and part owner Caroline Dennis, said of the 6-year-old 'he has done a lot of hunting with the Zetland, has been working well at home and I knew he was very fit.'

Seven years after getting off the mark between the flags in Ireland, the former Lucinda Russell-trained chaser See You There provided jockey Dan Ockenden with a memorable first training success in the Blackshaws of Alnwick Mens Open Race. Sent on a mile from home, his mount kept on well in the closing stages to repel a late thrust from the favourite, Winterwood, by 3 lengths. The 12-year-old has always been something of a soft ground specialist on a testing track, winning five times at Carlisle, although his last victory there prior to Sunday was in November 2008. Ockenden said 'I'm proud as punch to get my first winner as a trainer with only my second runner. A change of scenery has helped him and he will improve again next time out.'

The former Kim Bailey-trained gelding Supreme Plan was produced with a perfectly timed challenge by owner/trainer/rider Ed Cameron to head Grounded Again two out, before keeping the latter at bay on the run-in to score by three parts of a length in the Thornton Hickey Restricted Race. Cameron, 27, a Scotch Corner-based chartered surveyor, picked up the 8-year-old for £5200 at Doncaster Sales in May. An objection by the runner-up to the winner for taking his ground after the last was over-ruled by the stewards and the placings remained unaltered.

The Northern Area season resumes at Alnwick in the New Year with the West Percy meeting on Sunday January 22.

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