Waltham-on-the-Wolds trainer Kelly Morgan loves her trips up the A1 to Alnwick and made it 12 winners from 19 runners at the track since December 2020 with a double at the Ratcheugh Racing Club meeting on Sunday.
Batsman Jack set the ball rolling by landing the 2m4f Alncom Four & Five Years Old Maiden Race under a well-judged front-running ride from Tom Chatfeild-Roberts. Jumping well all the way, the four-year-old didn't see another rival and still had plenty left in the tank as he crossed the line two lengths ahead of Great Notions (John Dawson), with First Time Caller (Thomas Easterby) a length away in third.
Morgan said: ''We've always held him in high regard and I'm excited for his future. It was great to saddle the Chatfeild-Roberts family's first home-bred winner, and he'll definitely come on a lot for that first experience over fences.''
The winner's dam, Our Milly Acres, was a model of consistency with three wins and eight placings from her 11 pointing starts in the Chatfeild-Roberts colours.
Recent ex-Irish recruit Bride Rovers Abu, bought privately since winning a Borris House Maiden last season and running in the colours of The KM Racing Club, completed Morgan's double in the 3m PJR Blewitt Ltd Restricted Race. Confidently ridden by Joe Wright, the five-year-old eased his way into contention inside the final mile before taking it up with Lou Marvelous (Thomas Easterby) after three out. The pair had a prolonged duel down the home straight, with Wright's mount edging in front near the line to secure a short head verdict.
Half-an-hour earlier, Wright initiated his own double on Slaney Opera, who he also trains, in the 3m Newton Hall Maiden Race. After being produced with a well-timed challenge to hit the front two out, the six-year-old sprinted clear in the closing stages to beat The Village Way (John Dawson) by nine lengths and provide Wright with a 70th career success between the flags.
Now carrying the colours of Wright and first-time owner Johnny Little, the winner had shown promise at Hornby Castle and Corbridge last season for James Cookson's yard before being sold for £1,000 at the Goffs UK Doncaster Sale in July. Wright was sure a first-time tongue-tie had made a big difference.
Recent Border scorer Wild Romance followed up in a high quality 3m Rix Oil Mixed Open Race under Shay Halton. The nine-year-old had a sustained duel with course specialist Dundrum Wood (Martha Reeve) from four out before staying on best after the last to score by three lengths, with odds-on favourite Bardenstown Lad (Paul Cawley) a never dangerous third. His next target is a Kelso Hunters' Chase on January 12.
It's been a long time between drinks for Kingrullah but Laura Fenwick's mount showed the fire is still burning with a gutsy success over former 148-rated chaser Killer Clown (Daisy White) in the 2m4f Essential Food Company Conditions Race, overhauling the long-time leader half-way up the run-in after being two lengths down at the last.
Fayrely Fruitfull made the long journey from Rhiannon Lodge's Welshpool yard worthwhile with a comfortable two lengths victory over debutante Brooklynese (Paddy Barlow) in the concluding 2m Jockey Start Four & Five Years Old Flat Race. Always up with the pace, Henry Crow's mount found plenty when the chips were down in the home straight and was a first home-bred winner for Lodge's father Robin Lewis. Rhiannon was at home looking after new son Luis who was born on December 4.
Few horses can match the strike rate of the winner's dam Fruit Fayre who won 19 of 25 Pointing starts (also placed four times) between April 2012 and May 2017, and also landed a Kelso Novices' Hunters' Chase in the colours of Robin Lewis.
This was one of the mildest December days at Alnwick since the inaugural pre-Christmas meeting in 2009 and near perfect going resulted in 40 finishers from 54 runners in the five races over fences, with the overall tally being 62 runners from the 77 individual horses entered - an impressive ratio of 80.52%.
The next three Northern Area meetings are the West Percy at Alnwick on January 5, the Jedforest at Friars Haugh on January 19 and the Percy at Alnwick on January 26.