IN front of a bumper Ladies Day crowd in excess of 2,500 at Hexham on Sunday, female trainers rose to the occasion by saddling four of the six winners.
Dickens (Luke Scott) set the ball rolling by landing the 2m L&R Pest Control Services Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race on his first start since joining Jennie Candlish's Staffordshire yard last month.
The seven-year-old went won by 13 lengths from Blended Stealth (Peter Kavanagh).
Scott, 22, said: ''He settled well, did it nicely in the end and has made the long journey from Oxfordshire for one ride worthwhile.''
Guiseley trainer Sam England was on hand to see Glory And Honour record an 11th career win under all codes in the 2m Diana & Malcolm Pearce 50th Wedding Anniversary Handicap Chase.
Given a positive ride by husband Jonathan, the nine-year-old led after the sixth and was always doing enough in the closing stages to keep the only other finisher Beny Nahar Road (Jamie Hamilton) at bay by one-and-a-half lengths.
Receiving plenty of weight from several more fancied rivals, Belladinotte (Harry Bannister) got off the mark in the 3m Greenhead Hotel Novices' Handicap Hurdle Race for in-form Malton trainer Sara Ender.
After being held up off the pace in the early stages, the six-year-old made smooth headway from two out.
This was a landmark 300th career winner under Rules for Bannister, who said: ''She's not the most straightforward to ride but seems to have been rejuvenated by the switch to Sara's yard where she gets more individual attention.''
However, there was a sting in the tail for Bannister at the stewards' enquiry following the race. He was suspended for two days for careless riding.
Les's Legacy had been beaten in three starts since winning over the same course and distance as the 2m4f Jethros Of Haltwhistle Cafe And Restaurant Handicap Hurdle Race, but being reunited with Nathan Moscrop for the first time since that victory three months ago helped the Susan Corbett-trained eight-year-old record a fourth win at the track.
This was a fifth winner of the new jumps season for Otterburn trainer Corbett, with nine of her other 17 runners finishing in the first four.
Moonbow (Brian Hughes) made virtually every yard of the running in the 2m4f Tynedale Function Suite Maiden Hurdle Race, and was always doing enough up the run-in to hold off a late challenge from Ryebridge (Peter Kavanagh) by one-and-a-half lengths.
This was a 20th winner of the season for Hughes.
In an eventful 2m4f Chris Lowther & Brian Ellison 27 Years Handicap Chase, Cracking Destiny (Craig Nichol) showed his younger rivals the way home to record an 8th career win over fences.
The evergreen twelve-year-old, who was running off his lowest handicap mark since November 2018, tracked High Moon (Brian Hughes) from six out before overhauling the leader inside the last 50 yards to score by one-and-a-half lengths.
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