Cumbrian trainers almost swept the board at Hexham on Friday, November 10, winning five of the six races with the highlight being a treble for Cartmel-based Jimmy Moffatt - all ridden by stable jockey Charlotte Jones.
Lunar Discovery set the ball rolling when making a successful debut over the smaller obstacles in the 2m Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Mares' Novices' Hurdle Race.
After being held up towards the back of the 13-runner field, the six-year-old made smooth headway after two out into second place approaching the last before taking it up from Upper Lambourn raider Chosen Hero (Nick Scholfield) inside the final furlong and kept on well to score by two-and-a-half lengths.
The win made it an unforgettable day for owner/breeders Kevin and Anne Glastonbury who became grandparents for the first time on Friday morning. Kevin said: ''That's our sixth winner on the trot at Hexham. Bingoo won his first four, Lunar Discovery has now won first time out on both visits and this was a GB bonus race which makes it even better.''
Charlotte added: ''She's a decent mare with a good engine but didn't jump too fluently. I thought we might be in trouble when still only seventh at the second last but it all worked out well in the end.''
Moffatt and Jones doubled up with dual Irish point-to-point winner Great Pepper in the 2m4f nationalrail.com Railway Map Of Britain Maiden Hurdle Race.
The five-year-old tracked Irish raider Jimmy Chou Pecos AA (Dylan Johnston) from the off until hitting the front after two out. He faced a determined challenge from Mumford's Magic (Fergus Gillard) all the way up the run-in and just did enough to secure a neck verdict.
The winner was bought for £70,000 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale on May 24 and Moffatt said of his new recruit: ''We knew he stayed well and despite running green in the home straight he got the job done. We'll give him a break now as that was a tough race.''
One Mill Harbour, bought out of Lucinda Russell's yard for £22,000 at the same Goffs UK Sale in May, then followed up last month's successful yard debut at Carlisle in the 2m Sidgwick Memorial Novices' Handicap Chase to complete a first treble for Moffatt and Jones away from Cartmel - their home track.
Always prominent, the six-year-old led narrowly three out before forging clear on the run-in to score with plenty in hand by seven lengths from Overcourt (Sam Coltherd).
Charlotte said: ''That was the most straightforward of my three winners. He jumped better than he did at Carlisle last time, got in a great rhythm and the slower ground was ideal.''
The red hot form of Moffatt and Jones continued at Kelso on Saturday with a double courtesy of Secret Secret and Union Avenue to set new career-best records for both trainer and jockey of five winners in a row.
The Nicky Richards-trained gelding Serious Ego (Conor Rabbitt) ended a losing sequence stretching back to January 2021 in the 2m Langley Castle An Outstanding Small Hotel Handicap Hurdle Race to make it four winners on the day for Cumbrian yards.
Well handicapped on the pick of his form on heavy ground in his younger days and now 20lb below his last winning mark, the ten-year-old was patiently ridden before making good headway after two out to head Bouncing Bobby (Theo Gillard) on the run-in and kept on well for a comfortable three lengths success.
Rabbitt said: ''The leaders didn't get away from him like they did on less testing ground at Carlisle last time and he seemed to enjoy passing horses in the closing stages.''
Running for the first time since undergoing wind surgery, Solway Primrose (Danny McMenamin) came up trumps off bottom weight in the 3m Download The NE-Bet App Today Handicap Hurdle Race.
After being held up off the pace, the nine-year-old home-bred mare travelled well up the hill from two out to head long-time leader Cowboy Copper (Craig Nichol) at the last before staying on strongly to repel a late challenge from You Say It's Over (Brian Hughes) by one-and-a-half lengths.
This was a seventh winner of the season for Wigton trainer Lisa Harrison who is on target to surpass her previous best tally of 13 recorded in the 2015/16 campaign.
Dr Richard Newland's Droitwich raider Rostello (Cillin Leonard) was the afternoon's only winner trained outside Cumbria.
Still three lengths behind Gibberwell (Philip Armson) at the last and looking beaten, the gallant eight-year-old carrying top weight of 12st conjured up a late rally to edge in front near the line and snatch an unlikely victory by three-quarters-of-a-length in the 3m First Class Catering From Falcons Events Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase.
Leonard said: ''He's a quirky sort but is very tough. He was suited by the heavy ground and slow pace and that's the fifth time I've won on him.''
The next meeting at Hexham is on Wednesday, November 22 where a seven-race card starts at 12.15pm.
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