YARRIDGE Heights was not for the feint hearted when Hexham Racecourse staged an extra National Hunt meeting.

With a scheduled meeting at Newcastle moved to allow construction work to progress on their new all weather track, racegoers to Hexham were met by a biting wind and frequent squally showers.

Having been deluged with more than 60mm of rain in just a few days, it was to the great credit to the ground staff, led by head groundsman Mark

Cameron, that racing could go ahead, albeit in strength sapping, heavy going.

All six races on the card were sponsored by 188Bet and favourite followers were off to a profitable start in the first two contests, the opening two mile Novices Hurdle  a stroll for Irish point to point winner Master Jake (4/11 fav.) which made the long journey with trainer Dan Skelton from Alcester, Warwickshire, along with jockey Ian Popham to record an 18  length win.

The second race, a one mile and seven-and-a-half furlong Novices Limited Handicap Chase, was a much closer affair but the victory went to 6/4 fav.  Mossies Well, making his debut over fences, trained by Sandy Thomson at Greenlaw, ridden by James Reveley, by just a short head.

The Bewley family, enthusiastic supporters at Hexham, made their presence felt in the next two races as Innis Shannon (5/1), trained by George Bewley at Hawick and ridden by Jonathon Bewley, won the Mares' Maiden Hurdle run over two-and-a-half miles.

The Bewleys were again in the winners‘ enclosure after the next race, a two-and-a-half mile Handicap Chase, when Callum Bewley, cousin of the previous winning jockey, triumphed on Tikkandemickey (11/2) trained by Raymond Shiels at Jedburgh.

The unrelenting wind, hail and rain showers continued as eight runners went to post for the longest race on the card, a Handicap Hurdle over almost three miles.

Not surprisingly it was another hard slog with just three runners completing the course, and the triumph went to Native Optimist (11/4), trained locally by Sheena Walton, ridden by Catherine Walton, who defied top weight of 11st 12lbs, to break clear and romp home by 22 lengths.

The final race, a Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race over two miles, resulted in favourite backers going home happy when Lake View Lad (6/5

fav.) trained by N.W. Alexander at Kinneston, ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, won by six lengths.

To bring a successful meeting to an end, racecourse director Ron Woodman made a presentation of a print of the course to Billy Brown in recognition of his 1,000th stewarding appointment.

Billy enjoyed 20 years as a jockey, which included being Northern Point to Point champion in 1974, and he started his stewarding in 1989.