After a two month summer break, Hexham’s National Hunt season resumed on Tuesday evening with 60 runners in seven races on perfect jumping ground and it paid to follow the long distance travellers with winners trained at Alvechurch, Cheltenham, County Limerick, Edgecote and Haverfordwest.

The versatile Kensington Art, who had previously won three times on the Flat, opened his account over timber at the fifth attempt in the Racing League On Sky Sports Racing Maiden Hurdle Race to get favourite backers off to the perfect start.

Theo Gillard’s mount went on with Low Profile (Jamie Hamilton) as they hit the rising ground approaching the home straight before quickening away after jumping the last to score by one and three quarter lengths.

Gillard said: “He travelled well from the off and was suited by the strong gallop set by Stone Picker.”

Peter Bowen doesn’t often make the 860-mile round trip from his Haverfordwest yard to Hexham without going home with a winner and Kapsize ensured it was another profitable visit when landing the Visit attheraces.com Handicap Chase at generous odds of 9/1.

Given a positive ride by Jamie Moore, the seven-year-old led after the third fence and although his advantage was reduced from two out he still had enough in reserve to repel a late challenge from First Revolution (Danny McMenamin) by half a length.

The gelding had disappointed on four occasions since winning over course and distance in June. The trainer’s son, Mickey Bowen thought that he may have benefited from the re-application of blinkers and a return to Hexham. This was a rare Hexham winner for the vastly experienced Jamie Moore, 36, who wasn’t looking forward to the six hour drive back to Sussex.

You had to feel sorry for Hexham specialist Sheriff Garrett (Jamie Hamilton) who was only collared in the final strides when beaten by a head by County Limerick raider, Henry Sellers (Kevin Brogan) in the 2m4f Follow At The Races On Twitter Handicap Hurdle Race.

On his debut for the Patrick Neville yard and carrying the colours of Eamon McElligott for the first time, the six-year-old was winning here off a 17lb higher mark than when scoring at Punchestown three months ago for Shane Crawley’s yard. Connections hinted that he might make a quick reappearance at Perth next Monday.

No No Maestro (Paddy Brennan) was a 46th winner of the season for Cheltenham-based Fergal O’Brien in the 2m4f Download The Free At The Races App Novices’ Handicap Chase. O’Brien, who leads the Jumps Trainers Championship, was also on the mark with Cheltenam de Vaige at Newton Abbot on Tuesday evening.

The six-year-old made all the running and, despite not being too fluent at the last, just did enough to hold off a strong challenge from Animore (Conor O’Farrell) by half a length.

After a few near misses earlier this season, Regaby finally got off the mark at the 12th attempt in the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Handicap Chase. Always in touch with the leaders, Tom Scudamore’s mount headed Dutch Canyon (Sam Coltherd) after the last before forging three lengths clear on the run-in.

This was a ninth Jumps winner of the season for Alvechurch trainer, Ian Williams, who has also sent out 29 winners on the Flat.

Abington Park (Harry Bannister) dictated the pace with Trumps Benefit (Ned Fox) in the Read Hollie Doyle’s Column On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle Race before hitting the front after two out. For Jim (Sean Quinlan) closed the leader down up the hill and was only a length behind at the last but proved no match for Abington Park who found another gear on the run-in to score by two and a half lengths.

Formerly with North Yorkshire trainer, Phil Kirby, who also bred him, the six-year-old was having only his second outing for Edgecote-based Alex Hales and is clearly on an upward curve.

Abington Park’s stable companion, Sea Prince (Harry Bannister) looked like repeating last October’s pillar to post course success in the Free Tips Available On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle Race until being headed inside the last fifty yards by the well backed Lord Caprio (Richie McLernon), who won, going away, by a length.

This was a fifth career victory, including three on the Flat, for Ben Haslam’s charge, who had been off the track for 870 days prior to his return to action at Newcastle in March and doesn’t have many miles on the clock for a 6-year-old. Coincidentally, his other win over hurdles came at Hexham in June 2018.

The remaining 2021 National Hunt fixtures at Hexham are on Friday 1st October, Saturday 9th October, Friday 5th November, Wednesday 17th November and Wednesday 8th December.

In addition, the course hosts the Border Hunt Point-to-Point Races on Sunday 28th November, the opening fixture of the 2021/22 Northern Area season.