The inaugural Overton Races Family Day fixture in aid of Kilbryde & St Andrew's Hospices was a resounding success in the sunshine at Overton Farm on Saturday with the final sum raised boosted by £4,200 following the auction for a morning on the gallops and tour of the stables at Willie Mullins' yard plus lunch for six.
Amy Coltherd is the new leader of the Perth Racecourse-sponsored Northern Area Ladies Championship following her first double on stable companions Batman For Ever and Oscar Wilde, both trained by her father Stuart.
After a barren spell under Rules since completing a four-timer in France in 2021, Batman For Ever got his career back on track in the 3m M8 Recovery NPPA Area Conditions Race. Always up with pace and travelling strongly, the seven-year-old had a prolonged battle for the lead with market rival Hermann Clermont (John Dawson) from six out before asserting on the run-in to score a shade cosily in the end by a length.
A rejuvenated Oscar Wilde brushed aside a 3lb penalty when following up last week's Corbridge victory in the valuable Kilbryde Hospice Mixed Open Race. Left in front by default two out when tiring long lime leader Rock On Harry was pulled up quickly by Pippa Brown, Coltherd's mount coasted home eight lengths ahead of Fightfortheroses (Charlotte Tailford) in a fast time.
Last month's Overton Maiden scorer Incisive dictated a modest pace in the JH Civil Engineering Restricted Race under Nick Orpwood and still had plenty left in the tank as he crossed the line five lengths in front of the promising Easter Glory (Paddy Barlow). Orpwood said: ''He was running with the choke out most of the way but I always knew there was plenty of horse under me.'' The next assignment for Ronnie Bartlett's six-year-old Crillon gelding, who had a racecourse gallop at Ayr the previous Sunday under Tony McCoy, is the 2m1f Point-to-Point Bumper at Aintree on May 17.
Orpwood and Lyall Hodgins are now joint leaders in the Hexham Auction Mart-sponsored Northern Area Mens Championship.
Northumbrian raiders Blouebrav and First One D'Ana had the 2m4f St Andrew's Hospice Novice Riders Conditions Race between them from three out and, after jumping the last in unison, were still inseparable as they hit the line, and the announcement of a dead-heat was met with approval by both sets of connections.
First One D'Ana was a welcome first winner of the season for 41-year-old James Innes, while James Cookson-trained Blouebrav's second course success means that daughter Natasha is 5pts behind Amy Coltherd in the Ladies Championship ahead of the concluding Haydon meeting at Hexham on May 18. Now trained at Mindrum by Nick Orpwood, First One D'Ana made his racecourse debut for Sean Thomas Doyle in a Leopardstown Juvenile Maiden Hurdle in December 2018 and subsequently had a spell under Rules for DJ Jeffreys before heading to North Northumberland. Orpwood thought the shorter trip and sounder surface had made a big difference.
James Cookson's impressive record at the South Lanarkshire venue now reads 7 winners and 6 placed from 16 runners since February 2013.
Inviction turned the form book upside down with a first win for two years in the 3m M8 Recovery Conditions Race under his trainer Ross Wilson in the best time of the day. Still more than a length down at the last, the nine-year-old came with a late rattle to overhaul long-time leader Nick Lost (Natasha Cookson) near the finish and score by a length, with the consistent Bintheredonethat (Eloise Justice-Vose) a further four lengths away in third.
This was a first winner for the recently launched Tweeddale Racing Club, and Wilson said: ''Quick ground makes all the difference. He has the ability but it all depends if he's in the mood or not on the day.''
Modder River landed the concluding 2m4f William P Mullins Maiden Race after being given a positive ride by Warwickshire-based multiple national ladies champion jockey Gina Andrews. Always prominent and travelling well in a strongly run affair, the five-year-old edged in front down the back straight approaching five out and, after drawing four lengths clear on the home turn, was always doing enough in the closing stages to keep She Is The Enemy (Ross Wilson) at bay by a length, with Toucan Sam (William Hamilton) a further length away in third.
Home-bred by Skewsby-based Peter Maddison and trained by Jack Teal, the youngster appreciated a sounder surface on only his second start over fences and was a first winner sired by Forever Now. The win gave Maddison a special thrill and he recalled past successes with the likes of Minden Rose and Lothian Falcon. Minden Rose scored between the flags at Hornby Castle (April 1999), Alnwick (January 2000) and Cottenham (January 2002) before landing a 2m4f Newcastle Novices' Hunters' Chase in April 2002, while Lothian Falcon was one of the best he trained. He was a 5-time winner under Rules including the 2007 renewal of the Grade 3 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby. Coincidentally on the corresponding day in 2008, Maddison was at Sandown Park where Lothian Falcon finished six-and-three-quarters-of-a-length 5th to Monkerhostin in the 3m5f bet365Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
Following the Overton fixture, the Northern Area continues to boast one of the highest ratios in the country of runners to individual horses entered (78.2%), while the average number of runners per race stands at a healthy 7.58.
As usual, the main action was preceded by pony racing. The 138cm contest was won by Mayday Black Mink (Jack Yardley) from Silver (Freya Ainslie) and Mohammed Ali (Cara Wilson), while The Cork Man (Cara Tuke) landed the 148 cm contest from Lucky June (Tara Kane) and Dino Royale (Robyn Coulson).
The Northern Area season concludes with the Haydon fixture at Hexham Racecourse on Saturday 18th May.