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Claire Douglas increased her lead in the national novice championship by taking the Conditions race on Presenting Express, whose owner Fenton Ramsahoye was in Barbados, but must be considered fortunate to have done so.

Her mount was headed after the last by Mnason, but his rider Danny Hiskett mistook the course crossing for the winning post and eased up very prematurely. On seeing this, Claire also assumed that the race was over and did likewise - "I didn't want to be had up for hitting my horse after the line," she said - and the pair hack cantered past the post with Presenting Express half a length in front.

"He's the strongest horse in the yard," commented trainer Jenny Gordon of the winner. "We call him Choo-Choo because he pulls so hard. Emma Lavelle, who had him before, used a three-ring gag on him."

Hiskett, who works for Martin Keighley, was fined £150 by the stewards for failing to ride out to the finish. It was his first Point-to-Point ride, but he has ridden under Rules and has one success over hurdles to his credit.

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Richard Bandey took the Maiden on Medic, owned by trainer Fred Hutsby's wife Caroline's aunt Muff Corbett. Medic was given to Muff by her cousin James Murdoch, who had him in training with Tim Fitzgerald. "He's a perfect gentleman at home," was Caroline's description of the winner. "I can lead the kids' ponies off him, and yesterday our two-year-old son Tom sat on him."

Fred has stood himself down from race-riding for the rest of the season. "I've had too many heavy falls lately, and I'm still not 100% from a schooling fall I had three weeks ago," he confessed.

Richard missed last season due to travelling abroad with his wife Kate while she was working as a vet in Australia and New Zealand, but he kept his hand in by riding out for various trainers along the route.

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"If it hadn't been for Fred I'd never have done this. I'm not sure whether to like him or hate him." Richard blames his long-time friend for getting his race-riding career started.

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Brigadier du Bois has suffered a series of mishaps since joining John Bentley three years ago. He got a leg after his first run in 2007 and the following year broke a knee in the field. The most recent occurrence was having to have a tooth extracted, the dentist having to perform the operation from outside his jaw. "He's now like a well MOT'd car," laughed John. "He's in perfect working order." The 11-year-old is on the market, to be sold privately.

The grey was given a good ride to win the Novice Riders' race by John's son Ben, 19, who works for Henrietta Knight. Carolyn Gorman, for whom Ben used to ride out regularly, was forever telling him to drop his stirrups, but to no avail. "I did ride too short," admitted Ben, "but the first time I schooled for Henrietta I got an almighty bollocking from Terry [Biddlecombe]!"

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"It's been a very good Easter," smiled James Young after the diminutive Trenley Lawn, his first ever home-bred winner, had taken the Mares' Maiden in the hands of David Turner. James had also enjoyed success at Barbury on Saturday with Heynewboy. "It's a pity she's not a little bigger," he added, "but she's very gutsy. She's very easy to do - she's asleep until the jockey gets on and then it's just like flicking a switch."

James was quick to thank trainer Seamus Mullins for all the help and support he has received from him, and also for the use of his gallops during the bad weather.

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Former pony racer Fred Tett, 17, opened his account on just his second ride when landing the Hunts' Club Members' on his brother Henry's Noadibou. Fred is studying for his ‘AS' levels at Millfield and hopes in due course to go to Cirencester. Henry, who is assistant to John Hills and was unable to be present, purchased Noadibou as a ride for himself but unfortunately injured his back and so handed over the reins to Fred.

Also absent was trainer Laura Thomas, who was riding another of her charges into fourth place at Lockinge. Laura, who has made a fine start in her first season's training, is based near Marlborough, where she has her own gallops and schooling fences. She currently has six Pointers in and is looking to increase the numbers for next year.

Coincidentally the previous rider of Noadibou, described by his trainer as "the nicest horse I've ever schooled," was also called Laura Thomas, although she and his current handler are completely unrelated.

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"He's a legend of a horse!" said Sarah West after Ask Again had won the Mixed Open, his fourth success of the campaign and the partnership's tenth triumph in all. Sarah, who is PA to Paul Nicholls and had been dealing with Aintree declarations that morning, recalled that her only previous visit to Hackwood had been about ten years ago.

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