IRTHINGTON near Brampton trainer Tristan Davidson netted one of the biggest wins of his career when he saddled Breizh River to land the feature 2m4f Class 2 Virgin Bet Auld Reekie Handicap Chase at Musselburgh on New Year's Day which carried a bumper first prize of £26,000.
The 15-2 chance made all under Hexham-born jockey Harry Reed to hold off unfancied Irish raider Rexem (Dylan Kidd) by three-quarters-of-a-length and register his first success since joining Davidson's yard in October.
Reed, 29, who has ridden more than 150 career winners under Rules, also landed the corresponding race a decade ago on Indian Temple.
''We ran him in a novice hurdle first just to get his confidence up and then he ran well over fences at Newcastle on November 29, and the form of that race has worked out well with the runner-up Grand Geste winning easily next time out in a Class 2 contest at Haydock Park,'' the trainer said.
''The only thing we were worried about today was he's always been disappointing at Musselburgh previously, but he was well at home, so we thought we'd try.
''It's grand. We'll wait and see what we do next. We'll get him back home and keep him happy. His jumping was fantastic.''
Nine days earlier, O'Faolains Glory made it two wins in a row at Musselburgh under Conor Rabbitt to give Otterburn trainer Susan Corbett a 9th winner of the season, and she needs only five more in the next four months to beat her previous best tally of 13 set in the 2017-18 and 2023-24 campaigns.
The latest victory came in the 2m4f Virgin Bet Handicap Chase, in which the experienced nine-year-old mare produced a fluent round of jumping before pulling clear on the run-in to beat Carcaci Castle (Jamie Hamilton) by five lengths.
''She's been an absolute superstar for the Girsonfield Racing Club,'' said Corbett. ''She only cost £4,000 at Goffs UK Doncaster Sale in January 2025 and she's been brilliant - a great win today round her favourite track.''
The mare has now earned just over £22,000 in win and place prize-money since being bought out of Ian Donoghue's County Meath yard, and her latest success was a career-best effort.
Corbett now faces a decision over where O'Faolains Glory could head next. She said: ''She has qualified for the valuable Go North finals over two miles and two-and-a-half miles over fences, but those chases are at Carlisle and she loves Musselburgh. She could go back hurdling and try to qualify for the Go North finals here.
''She's a brilliant jumper and I don't think she minds whether it's fences or hurdles. The Go North series is great for northern trainers, it's an excellent initiative.''
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