A cool and damp afternoon at Hexham last Saturday turned out to be a bookmakers benefit with only winning favourite on the six race card.

Craig Nichol took the riding honours with a 101-1 double on Kingston Bridge and Dinons to maintain his good start to the new jumps season.

Kingston Bridge set the ball rolling with a fourth career success off bottom weight over older rivals in the valuable 2m4f Billy Turnbull Celebration Handicap Hurdle Race. The Ewan Whillans-trained six-year-old gelding overhauled the in-form Imperial Data (Ross Chapman) in the shadow of the post to snatch an unlikely victory by a neck after being two lengths down at the last.

Nichol said: ''He didn't go a yard on a bit of an off day at Kelso five weeks ago but has been given time to recover and freshened up by Ewan. After not quite seeing out the trip on his last visit to Hexham, I decided to be more cautious and hold on to him a bit longer. Everything went to plan and I'm delighted.''

Nichol doubled up on former 145-rated chaser and hurdler Dinons who outclassed the opposition on his first start for 727 days in the concluding 2m7f Ian White Birthday Extravaganza Handicap Hurdle Race. His decision to employ front-running tactics on the evergreen eleven-year-old worked a treat and they had the field well strung out on the final circuit. Still going easily in the lead two out, Dinons forged clear approaching the last before coasting home ten lengths ahead of Shantou Moon (Derek Fox).

This was a landmark 600th National Hunt winner for Malton trainer Brian Ellison who took out a licence in 1989 after spending 20 years as a jumps jockey.

Guiseley trainer and former point-to-point jockey Sam England made it three winners from five runners over jumps in the last five days with Going Mobile's victory in the hands of husband Jonathan in the 2m Andy Calvert Celebration Handicap Chase.

Taking a keen hold from the outset, the nine-year-old was always in touch with the leaders before quickening two lengths clear three out and, after cruising up the hill from the next, he stayed on well to score by a comfortable five lengths from Dream Jet (Craig Nichol), with course winner Kicksaftersix (Sean Quinlan) a further two-and-a-quarter lengths away in third. The latter might well have finished much closer had he not been hampered by favourite Jet Patrol's fall three out.

After a couple of below-par efforts at Market Rasen and Perth, the unfancied Breakdance Kid got back on the winning trail under Sam Coltherd in the 3m Cleansweep Handicap Chase. Stuart Coltherd's charge pressed pace-setting Lights Are Green (Jonathon Bewley) from the off until taking it up two out. Soon in command, he forged clear before the last to beat So Be It (Derek Fox) by fourteen lengths, with rank outsider Muroor (Edward Austin) a short head away in third on his 90th career start.

On a good day for horses ridden prominently, Stylish Recruit (Ryan Mania) made virtually all the running in the valuable 2m Clarke Mairs Novices' Hurdle Race. He was challenged by Famous Liss (Sam Coltherd) and odds-on favourite If You Let Me (Keith Donoghue) approaching the last but kept on well when the chips were down to score by a neck after a sustained duel with Coltherd's mount all the way up the run-in.

The Sandy Thomson-trained six-year-old was bought by Fiona Telfer for £16,000 at Goffs UK Doncaster Sale in May 2023, a month after lading a Fairyhouse Maiden Point-to-Point contest, He is related to some high profile winners over jumps including Lead On, Artic Ale, Bitofapuzzle and Deep Bramble.

After scoring on Spot on Soph at Market Rasen the previous day, Tom Midgley's winning run continued on Huit Reflets in the 2m Northumberland Young Farmers Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Race. Always in the leading quartet, the seven-year-old went second behind Kopa Kilana (Conor Rabbitt) at the last before edging in front well inside the final half-furlong to score by a head, with the improving Foxwood (Peter Kavanagh) a length away in third.

Placed on only two of 17 starts in Ireland, the fortunes of Huit Reflets have been transformed by the switch to Mark Walford's Sheriff Hutton yard in March and he proved to be the day's only winning favourite.

The final action at Hexham before the course's traditional summer break takes place on Sunday when the popular Ladies Day fixture starts at 2.18pm.