THE last week of the 2025-26 National Hunt season proved to be one to remember for Otterburn trainer Susan Corbett as victories by Kilmore Rock and recent recruit Ebselysees meant she finished on 12 winners over jumps, only one short of her previous best tally achieved in the 2023-24 campaign.
A change to Kilmore Rock's usual training routine at home had obviously worked the oracle as he bounced back to form under Conor Rabbitt in the 2m6f Malcolm 'Scarra' Scott Memorial Handicap Hurdle Race at Kelso last Monday.
Always prominent, he led approaching five out and repelled all challengers after two out before going clear up the run-in to beat Jericoacora (Joshua Thompson) by four-and-a-quarter lengths.
Things got even better at Perth two days later when Ebselysees struck gold on her second start for the yard in the second division of the 3m Equine Products Best Turned Out Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race.
Always in the first two under a positive ride from Bekah Duffy, the seven-year-old kept Maillot Blanc (Jesika Rennie) at bay after three out before forging clear in the closing stages to win, going away, by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
In the final analysis of the 2025-26 season, 55 of her 122 runners finished in the first four and accumulated more than £120,000 in prize-money.
Also at Kelso, Breizh River provided Irthington near Brampton trainer Tristan Davidson with his ninth winner of the season in the 2m5f Royal Caledonian Hunt Handicap Chase. Always up with the pace under a well-judged ride from Harry Reed, the eight-year-old led approaching the last and stayed on well to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths from course specialist Looking Splendid (Dylan Johnston).
Rounding off a good week for some of our local yards, there was a memorable first winner as a trainer with only her second runner for Broomley near Stocksfield-based Charlotte Crozier at the Fife Point-to-Point near Leuchars last Saturday courtesy of Carrhill.
Carrying the well-known black and white striped colours of Dave Armstrong, the six-year-old was sent to the front by Nick Orpwood going up the hill after two out and stayed on strongly to beat Royal Cave (Natasha Cookson) by seven lengths in the 3m Restricted Race.
This promising Getaway gelding might well bid to follow-up at the Haydon fixture on Saturday, May 16 at Hexham Racecourse which concludes the Northern Area season.
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