THE Northern Area Point-to-Point season got back on track after a six-week break with Sunday's Percy fixture at the Ratcheugh Farm course near Alnwick, which had somehow managed to miss the worst of last week's heavy rain.
It proved to be a red-letter day for Flotterton, near Rothbury, farmer and Hexham Mart chairman Jimmy Walton as home-bred duo High On The Hill and Eastern Storm provided him with a training double at his local track.
After several near misses in recent seasons, High On The Hill finally got off the mark in the 3m MGL Group Maiden Race.
Never too far off the pace under Joanna Walton, the eight-year-old mare was held on to as long as possible before being produced to challenge Where's Willy (Nick Orpwood) for the lead at the last.
There was nothing to choose between the pair all the way to the line, with the photo finish camera confirming that High On The Hill had secured a short head verdict to give Joanna a long overdue first Alnwick winner.
Given a confident ride by Nick Orpwood in the 2m4f Northumberland Estates-sponsored Alan Wilson Memorial Mixed Open Race, Eastern Storm came from last to first on the final circuit to score with plenty in hand.
Sent on up the hill after four out, the six-year-old gradually forged clear from the next to beat Brandy McQueen (Lucy Brown) by 13 lengths, and still appears to be on an upward curve.
Mindrum-based jockey Nick Orpwood had earlier initiated his own double on Morag Herdman's home-bred debutant William Crump, who he also trains, in the 2m4f Spirit Of Golf At Sharpley Maiden Race.
Still eight lengths behind long-time leader Claramount (Amy Milburn) three out, the six-year-old engaged overdrive down the home straight to hit the front after outjumping his rival at the last, and found plenty when the chips were down to maintain a one length advantage to the line.
Orpwood said: “That was a perfect introduction to Pointing in a small field contest and I managed to get him switched off out the back in the early stages. He jumped the last three fences really well, finished full of running and took some pulling up after the line.
“It's also great that he's the first winner trained on the new all-weather gallop I installed last year.”
On a good day for Northumbrian trainers, Lunar Contact (Bekah Duffy) provided Susan Corbett's Otterburn yard with a first winner of 2026 in the 3m Meldrum Construction Ladies Open Race.
After taking it up four out, the eight-year-old never looked like being pegged back by Midlands raider Somptueux (Marina Bealby) in the closing stages, and still had plenty left in the tank as he sprinted across the line with four-and-a-half lengths in hand of his rival.
A first visit to Alnwick for the Rutland-based Bealby family proved to be one to remember as Easy Rider followed up last month's Chaddesley Corbett success in impressive fashion in the 3m Ryecroft Glenton Restricted Race.
Owned by Annabel Bealby, trained by husband Ashley and ridden by daughter Marina, the eight-year-old didn't see another rival in the final mile and stayed on strongly to beat Theoldboggroad (James Innes) by 12 lengths.
Marina, a former Newcastle University biology student who now works in London for a New York-based private equity firm, said of the winner: “He seems a different horse this season and literally took off with me a mile from home. I came back early from a skiing trip to Verbier so that we could come to Alnwick and it's paid off.”
The closing stages of the concluding 3m Joiners Arms Northern Area Conditions Race proved to be eventful in the gathering gloom, with long-time leader Harjo unseating three out before Economic Editor ran out at the next when still holding every chance.
Their departures left So They Say (Lisa O'Connor) and Annie Magic (Lucy Brown) to fight out the finish, with the latter rallying gamely inside the last fifty yards to score by a neck on her first start for 12 months.
Ridden out most days by Karen Lynn, the 10-year-old is Lucy's favourite in her Bonchester Bridge yard and was a first winner for her Racing Club.
The Westerner mare has made an amazing recovery after a heart problem, diagnosed as Atrium Fibrillation, showed up following her run at Friars Haugh last January which required an operation at the Royal Dick Veterinary Hospital in Edinburgh.
The next two Northern Area fixtures are the Berwickshire at Friars Haugh, Kelso on Sunday, February 8, and the College Valley & North Northumberland at Alnwick on Saturday, February 21.
Share