The Haydon fixture brought the curtain down on the 2024/25 Northern Area Point-to-Point season in front of a bumper sun-drenched crowd at Hexham Racecourse on Saturday, and there was a popular local success for Fightfortheroses (Charlotte Tailford) in the 2m4f Luxe Automotive Ladies Open Race.
Drop Flight, a three-time winning chaser in France in his younger days, was sent to the front by Charlotte Parker heading out on the final circuit and was still four lengths up three out before being reeled in approaching the next. The nine-year-old was joined by Fightforfortheroses after two out and the duo had a sustained duel in the closing stages before Tailford's mount edged in front inside the last fifty yards to score by half-a-length.
This was a 60th career start under all codes for the winner, a half-brother to 2011 Epsom Derby hero Pour Moi, who made his debut in a 7f Maiden at the Curragh in August 2017 for Aidan O'Brien. He was supplementing previous Ladies Open victories at Friars Haugh in February 2023 and Witton Castle in May 2024 under Tailford, this season's Perth Racecourse-sponsored Northern Area Ladies Champion, who gets married to James Shuttlewood on July 4.
Former 148-rated chaser Killer Clown won the opening race of the season under Daisy White, 19, at Knightwick on November 9 and the evergreen eleven-year-old showed no ill effects of a long campaign when defying top weight of 12st 8lb in the 2m4f Graham Reader Motor Engineer Conditions Race.
Always jumping and travelling well behind the leaders, White's mount took it up on the long downhill run after four out and gradually extended his lead over Blouebrav (Natasha Cookson) from the second last to win by six lengths.
Bought privately out of Emma Lavelle's yard last summer, Killer Clown is owned by the winning jockey, a first year Business Management student at Newcastle University, and her mother Rachael who was rewarded for making the long journey from Wiltshire, and trained at Molesden near Morpeth by Amie Waugh, who won the Northern Area Ladies Championship in 2018 and 2019.
Daisy said: ''I was taking a pull all the way and knew we would win turning for home.''
Former Irish pointer As the Lad Says (Natasha Cookson) fulfilled the promise shown when finishing runner-up in a Curraghmore Maiden four weeks ago by going one better on his first start for Thomas Fife's Great Smeaton yard in the 3m Howden Insurance Maiden Race.
In a race of fluctuating fortunes, long-time leader Roman Rock (Ellie Callwood) was headed after three out by Boom Boom Boris (Thomas Easterby), who in turn was overhauled by Fujita Scale (Venetia Thompson) at the next. Still two lengths down in third at the last, Cookson's mount stayed on strongly to lead half-way up the long run-in and won, going away, by three lengths.
Fife said: ''He was bought privately three weeks ago on the morning of Leuchars Races from the same source that we acquired Bearwithmenow, who won later that day on his third start for us.''
Carrying the colours of the PSC Racing Club, Tushingham near Malpas raider Jolie Joue (Huw Edwards) made a winning debut in the 2m4f Jacksons of Hexham Maiden Race.
Produced with a perfectly timed challenge to head long-time leader Who Ate The Jam (Amy Milburn) at the last, the four-year-old found another gear on the flat to score a shade cosily by two-and-a-half lengths, with the improving Take A Glance a further one-and-a-half lengths away in third.
This was a 19th winner of the season for Edwards, including 4 Hunters' Chases, who said: ''He was a little green early on but gradually warmed to his task and had gained valuable experience when schooled over fences at Eyton-on-Severn.''
Jolie Joue is related to multiple jumps winners, including Robin Des Foret (rated 150 at his peak), Port Melon and Padre Mio, who won the 1995 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle under Richard Guest.
Winning trainer and former amateur jockey Fred Timmis, who also broke in the youngster, confirmed that his charge's next assignment will be at Goffs UK Doncaster Sales later this week.
Odds-on favourite Blue Sans provided Malton-based jockey Joe Wright with a 99th career winner under all codes in the 3m J S Hubbuck Ltd Maling Trophy Mixed Open Race.
The ten-year-old mare tracked pace-setting Attention All (Thomas Story) on the final circuit before cruising into the lead on the home turn approaching two out and then forged clear in the closing stages to score by eighteen lengths.
Bought privately after winning six times under Rules from Fergal O'Brien's yard between November 2020 and October 2023, this was a third Pointing success from four starts in the last eight weeks for Blue Sans, who is related to high profile jumps winners Muirhead and Thomas Darby.
This latest victory ensured that North Yorkshire farmer Charles Clark ended the season on the hot trainers list with 5 winners and 3 placed from his last 8 runners between the flags.
After a string of near misses over the last two seasons, She Is The Enemy (Gregor Walkingshaw) deservedly got off the mark at Pusk last month and the late maturing eight-year-old struck gold again in the 3m Insync Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic Restricted Race.
In receipt of 7lb from her three rivals, Walkingshaw's mount jumped well and got in a great rhythm bowling along in front from the off before finding plenty when it mattered in the closing stages to keep Shantou's Temple (Joe Wright) at bay by one-and-a-half lengths.
The winner is owned and trained by Sanquhar-based Norman Sanderson, who has 140 joiners on his books as Contracts Manager for STCS (Scotland) Ltd. The mare heads to Cartmel on Monday, May 26 for a 2m5f Maiden Hunters' Chase before being switched to Tristan Davidson's yard for a spell under Rules.
Glory (Shay Halton) finished alone in the concluding 3m High Plains Conditions Race to give Newton-by-the-Sea owner/trainer Victor Thompson a richly deserved 7th winner of the season. He sent out a total of 52 runners at 11 of the 13 Northern Area meetings and plans to strengthen his team ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Mindrum-based jockey Nick Orpwood retained the Hexham Auction Mart-sponsored Mens Championship, while Sean Cameron, 17, won the NPPA Novice Riders Championship. The various horse championships were won by She Is The Enemy (leading mare), Clapton Hill (leading novice) and Western Run (Mr George White-sponsored champion horse). The Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire (52pts) were first-time winners of the Buccleuch Arms, St Boswells-sponsored leading hunt award, with the minor placings filled by the Percy (48pts) and the Border (39pts).
The Northern Area Point-to-Point Awards Evening takes place on Friday, June 6 at the Tynedale Function Suite, Hexham Mart.
The main action at the Haydon fixture was preceded by Pony Racing, with all three contests sponsored by George Ireland Livestock Ltd.
Kaden Beasley, 14, initiated a double on The Gentle Touch in the 138cm Open Race, in which the minor placings were filled by Gold Rush (Robyn Coulson) and Warmwell Lizzie (Angus Dixon).
Cookie was partnered to victory by Lilly Milburn,15, in the 148cm Novice Rider contest from Dorlyn May Destiny (Freya Cuthill) and Farringdon Gold Skye (Lexi Everington).
Beasley completed his double on prolific winner Judge Fox in the 148cm Open Race. They were followed home by Leiter Lad (Freddie Robson) and The Firestarter (Pippa Gibbon).