LOCAL trainers Susan Corbett, Ann Hamilton and Jane Walton were all among the winners at Hexham's flagship meeting of the season last Friday where a record prize-fund of almost £90,000 attracted a total of 87 runners on a bumper eight-race card.
They say good things come to those who wait, and that was definitely the case for Otterburn trainer Jane Walton as Eveque (Peter Kavanagh) provided her with a first winner since March 2024 in the 3m1f Old Rondo At 80 Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase.
The evergreen 11-year-old was held up in rear from the off before making steady headway on the second circuit into fourth approaching two out and, after being a length down at the last, headed King Of Cong (Tom Midgley) inside the final furlong to win, going away, by two-and-a-quarter lengths at odds of 22-1.
This was an 80th career winner under Rules for Kavanagh, who said: ''He usually needs a couple of runs to put him right after a break, but was spot on today and has done it well on his favoured soft ground.''
After finishing in the first four on six of his last seven starts over hurdles, including being runner-up three times, the Susan-Corbett-trained Wee Alki (Conor Rabbitt) deserved to get his head in front for the first time in the 3m Unibet Offer Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle.
On his second outing since undergoing wind surgery, the likeable six-year-old was always prominent and, after hitting the front with a slick jump two out, found plenty when the chips were down up the run-in to beat Maura Jeanne (William Maggs) by one-and-three-quarter lengths, with long time leader Shoeshine Boy (Charlie Maggs) 12lengths away in third.
Fully recovered after sustaining a broken leg at one of Hexham's meeting's in June, Rabbitt, 23, said: ''I'm delighted as it's my first winner in a while.''
There was another popular local winner in the feature £20,000 2m5f Unibet Bet £20 Get £20 In Free Bets Handicap Chase - one of two races shown on ITV Racing as the track was given terrestrial coverage for the first time since March 1982 - when the Ann Hamilton-trained Hello Judge (Danny McMenamin) dug deep to get the better of Bridgnorth raider Malaita (Toby Wynne).
Always prominent, Malaita was sent to the front more than a mile from home but had nothing more to give when headed well inside the final furlong and went down by a couple of lengths, with the improving Sunset Hill (Nathan Moscrop) a close third.
Still on the upgrade, this was Hello Judge's third win from his last four starts and a career-best effort off a mark of 118.
South Hazelrigg near Chatton trainer Paul Robson was back in good spirits after a tough few months following Diamond Mix's success in the 2m Sidgwick Memorial Handicap Chase.
Sent on by Ryan Mania a mile from home, the six-year-old forged clear after two out and recovered well from a bad blunder at the last to beat last month's course winner We Got Your Back (Brian Hughes) by nine-and-a-half lengths.
Robson suffered a bad fall at his North Northumberland yard in January and faced a long road to recovery after breaking his pelvis in three places and his back.
Diamond Mix's victory was a welcome tonic after the stable had drawn a blank since Okavango Delta obliged at Worcester six months ago.
Following the gelding's 5-1 success, Robson, a former undertaker, said: ''I'm a damn sight better now I'm back riding again - I'm very happy.''
Stable jockey Mania added: ''Diamond Mix just wasn't paying attention at the last. He's been in to run a few times, but we've been looking after him because he wants soft ground and he did it well on his first start since mid-April. The stiff two miles on that ground was perfect for him.''
Out Of The Woods (Derek Fox) initiated a double for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore in the 2m5f Unibet Money Back Races Every Day Maiden Hurdle.
Always in touch with the leaders on hurdling debut, the five-year-old took it up approaching two out before drawing clear up the run-in to beat stable companion Kool Raoul (Gregor Walkinshaw) by a comfortable six-and-a-half lengths despite conceding 10lb to his rival.
After being backed in to 3-1 favourite from an overnight high of 18-1, Hay Meadow (Conner McCann) doubled up for Russell and Scudamore's Kinross yard in the valuable 2m5f Unibet More Extra Places Handicap Hurdle.
Suited by her return to a stiffer track and softer ground, the five-year-old cruised into the lead on the home turn before staying on strongly to beat Tineggiori (Jamie Hamilton) by thirteen lengths.
Bought for £42,000 at Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in April 2024, less than six weeks after scoring between the flags on heavy ground at Ballyragget, the impressive winner might be set for a switch to fences sooner rather than later.
Ninna Collina (Sean Quinlan) followed up last month's Hereford success in the 2m1f Debra Corner Birthday Mares' Novices' Hurdle, while Forthfactor (Heidi Palin) completed an across the card four-timer for Warwickshire trainer Dan Skelton in the concluding 2m1f Unibet Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Palin's mount swept past Ludlow raider Titanium Ring (David Bass) a furlong out and quickly went clear to score by six lengths, with the Susan Corbett-trained Ratemenow (Ross Chapman) a promising third on his racecourse debut.
The next meeting at Hexham is on Wednesday, November 19, (First Race at 12.46pm).
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