Firm ground at the Downhills course near Corbridge on Easter Monday took its toll with the Tynedale fixture reduced to a match and two walkovers before the meeting was abandoned after no horses were declared for the last three races.
In the 3m Fires In Stone Conditions Race, a first fence blunder by odds-on favourite Frankies Fire saw Charlotte Tailford briefly lose an iron and she did well to keep the partnership intact. The twelve-year-old then led or disputed with solitary rival Henry's Regime (Nick Orpwood) from the fifth before extending her advantage coming up the hill after two out and had the prize in safe keeping when taking a heavy fall at the last.
Having been booked for second place, Henry's Regime safely negotiated the final fence to belatedly break his duck between the flags at the 28th attempt, comprising 11 outings for the current yard in the last two seasons and 17 starts when trained in the South West by Mervyn Woodward.
This was a first training success for South Hazelrigg-based Poppi-Jayne Shepherd who announced after the race that her ten-year-old charge has been retired.
Ilkley raider Agirlcalledchloe (Felix Foster) walked over in the Stagshaw Restricted Race, as did last week's Overton scorer Fresh New Dawn (Eloise Justice-Vose) in the Womble Bond Dickinson Ladies Open Race in what proved to be the last appearance by a horse in the paddock.
The afternoon had kicked off on a more positive note with two well contested pony races sponsored by Mowden Hall School. A maximum field of 10 faced the starter in the 138cm Open which resulted in a comfortable win for Manchester raider Chaceside Catwalk ridden by 10-year-old Neive O'Sullivan, with the minor placings filled by Welsh raider Greenbarrow Goldsmith (Hugo Murray) and Silver (Freya Ainslie).
Grade 1-winning jumps owners Paul and Clare Rooney arrived in style two hours before racing in a helicopter and saw their distinctive navy and yellow quartered colours carried to an impressive victory in the 148cm Open by Leiter Lad in the hands of 15-year-old Freddie Robson. The six-year-old pony was the day's longest traveller, having made the 340-mile trip from Tim Vaughan's Cowbridge yard in South Wales. He was followed home by Cookie (Lily Milburn) and Sunshine Surprise (Sienna Lamond).
The Northern Area circuit heads to Pusk Farm near Leuchars on Saturday for the inaugural fixture at the first Point-to-Point course opened in Scotland since March 2004. The Leuchars Races card has 57 entries and starts at 2.00pm, with 14 entries for the two pony races which precede the main action.