Following on from a productive point-to-point season in which she finished runner-up in the National Novice Riders' Ladies' Championship, 20-year-old Natasha Cookson enjoyed a landmark first success under Rules on So Ladylike in front of a bumper sun-drenched crowd at Hexham last Saturday.

Running off a career low handicap mark of 74 and in receipt of up to 25lb from her main rivals, Natasha's mount dictated a steady pace from the outset with Larkfield Lusive (Ellie Callwood) in the 2m7f Langley Castle An Outstanding Small Hotel Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race.

The 10-year-old Yeats mare, a three-time winner between the flags in Ireland three seasons ago, was sent on three out and travelled well up the hill after the next before finding plenty when the chips were down on the run-in to score by two lengths from Shantou Moon (Dominic Hislop) with well-backed favourite Rumble B (John Dawson) a head way in third.

This was a real family affair as the winner carried the colours of Natasha's father James having been bought privately out of Colin McBratney's County Down yard last summer.

The delighted jockey, one of the brightest talents on the Northern Pointing circuit, said: ''It's amazing and the race couldn't have gone any better to be honest. Kinneston trainer Nick Alexander has done a great job with her and the long-term plan to come here has worked out perfectly. It's been a special day with all my family watching.''

On The Bubble - named after a poker phrase and owned by the Multifruit Syndicate of poker pals, including one from Cornwall - was the ace in the pack in the 2m Most Important 3-Year-Old Race Today Juvenile Hurdle Race.

Transformed since being fitted with a first-time hood when scoring on the Flat at Redcar a month ago, the Land Force filly, trained at Middleham by Ben Haslam and ridden by Richie McLernon, had a titanic duel with Kaaress (Brian Hughes) all the way up the run-in and the pair were still locked together as they crossed the line with the photo-finish print confirming that On The Bubble had prevailed by a nose.

McLernon said: ''Ben was very confident and fairly insistent that I came here even though I had the chance of a few rides elsewhere. Despite getting headed after the last, she showed a good attitude and battled back well.''

Last month's course winner Captain Zebo (John Dixon) faced a stiff task at the weights on his follow-up bid in the 2m Susan & Neve's Special Birthday Celebration Handicap Hurdle Race.

Always lying handy, the evergreen 12-year-old took it up three out and was still one length ahead at the last before being collared by Allbetsoff (Jamie Hamilton) and Paddy The Horse (Jonathon Bewley) well inside the final furlong, with the former prevailing by a neck.

Hamilton said: ''He can sometimes be a little bit too keen but on paper there looked to be plenty of pace on today dropping back in trip and everything went to plan. I delivered him as late as possible and he really put his head down, battling all the way to the line.''

Backbyjet made every yard of the running in the 2m4f Merrill Group Pressing To Win Handicap Chase under a determined ride from Craig Nichol who took his career tally under Rules to 300 on Geordies Dream at Kelso six days earlier.

The Brian Ellison-trained gelding was pressed by course specialist Cudgel (Charlotte Jones) approaching the last and, after seeing off that rival with a better jump, was always doing enough to deny fast-finishing Not Now Tayto's late thrust under Sean Quinlan by a neck.

The six-year-old, bought for £10,000 at Goffs UK Doncaster Sale in May 2023, has now won more than £14,000 in prize-money for owners Steel A Win & Partners and also scored on his hurdling debut for the yard at Catterick on New Year's Day.

Jumping well all the way, Worcestershire raider Motion In Limine (Luke Scott) made a bold bid for glory from the front in the 3m Hexham Legend 'Event Of Sivola' Memorial Handicap Chase and looked like he might do so until headed inside the last fifty yards by recent course winner Elleon (Jonathan England) who had half-a-length in hand at the line.

This was a fifth winner from nine runners over jumps in the last week for Guiseley trainer Sam England, wife of the winning jockey and a successful amateur rider in her own right more than a decade ago. In her final season in 2012 she enjoyed a Hexham double on Morello Mist and Optimistic Harry at the Border Point-to-Point fixture.

Jonathan said: ''He travelled a lot better today but probably didn't jump as well as usual. He's a bit of an enigma and got branded a professional loser as he was always being placed but you couldn't fault that effort as he stuck his neck out and galloped all the way to the line. His win over fences at Haydock Park at the end of March was the turning point and seemed to give him confidence.''

Huit Reflets made all the running in the 2m4f Tricia Hughes Memorial Handicap Hurdle Race for the double-seeking jockey/trainer team of Jamie Hamilton and Mark Walford until headed at the last by the Micky Hammond-trained gelding Halpha Soleil (Emma Smith-Chaston) who forged clear up the run-in to win, going away, by five-and-a-half lengths.

Emma said: ''He's a really genuine horse and we think a little bit about him. This was probably a weaker contest than last time even though he carried top weight. When he returns from his summer break, it's more than likely he'll be tried over fences.''

The next meeting at Hexham is on Saturday 15th June, with the first race at 4.17pm.