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ROBBERS GLEN: Ladies Open winner with Val Jackson
photo: Grace Beresford

Cumbrian sheep farmer and reigning Northern Area Men's Champion jockey Tristan Davidson extended his lead in this season's title race with the first four-timer of his career in Sunday's Percy Point-to-Point fixture at Alnwick.

Indian Print initiated Davidson's red letter day with a fourth consecutive victory at the track in the North East Livestock Sales Percy & West Percy Hunts Members Race. After taking it up five out, he kept on strongly down the home straight to beat Saddle Pack by eight lengths. Victor Thompson's stable star has now won nine times inside the last 12 months and Davidson said of him: "He didn't travel as well as usual and made a few uncharacteristic mistakes but can be excused as the going was as testing as I can ever remember it around here."

Former Irish pointer Pear Charles scored on his first start since joining Davidson's Irthington yard in the second division of the Portland Financial Management Ltd & Rycroft Glenton 2m4f Open Maiden Race. Always lying handy, he went on four out and was still two lengths up when the only danger, Through The Mist, fell at the last. The six-year-old cost £7,500 at the 2010 Doncaster May Sales and runs in the colours of the four-strong Belmount Racing Club. Davidson has a quarter share in the winner and said: "He will be an even better horse on good ground but like everything else in the yard, is for sale at the right price."

Anns Benefit completed Davidson's treble and Trainer Victor Thompson's double in an incident-packed KPC Construction NPPA Club Members race. Val Jackson's mount, Wave Power, fell two out when almost back on terms with the leader Olmetta and then the latter, with the prize sewn up, unseated Jacob Holliday after the last when five lengths clear. Their departures gave Anns Benfit a very fortuitous one-and-a-half length victory over Clueless.

Davidson's memorable afternoon was rounded off by Royal Curtsy in the Rix Petroleum three mile Open Maiden race. Making her debut over fences, having been off the track since an outing on the Flat in June 2006, the eight-year-old mare jumped like an old hand and kept the favourite Rosses Leader at bay from three out to score by a couple of lengths. This half-sister to Natiain was bought privately last Summer by Stuart Coltherd from Andrew Spalding's Hedgeholme Stud near Darlington.

Newmarket-based Rider, Michael Ennis made the long drive north worthwhile by teaming up with Hold On Julio to land the John Hellens Restricted race in the best time of the day. The partnership did well to stay intact after a bad blunder two out but recovered well and flew the last to beat Commonburn by three lengths.

Earlier in the afternoon, Ennis had arrived too late to ride Drumgray in the first division of the 2m4f Open Maiden race after his windscreen shattered near Bishop Auckland.

Danny Ockenden picked up the spare ride on Drumgray and steered the youngster to an impressive victory by a distance over Port Echo. Rob Bewley bought the winner as an unbroken four-year-old for £2500 at Doncaster Sales in 2009 and has given him plenty of time to mature and strengthen up.

Less than 24 hours after sending out Silver By Nature to land the Totesport Grand National Trial at Haydock Park with a first prize of £43,000, leading Scottish Trainer Lucinda Russell was on hand to show that little fish are sweet as stable companion, Badger Foot carried her father Peter's colours to victory in the TSG Mens Open Race for a first prize of £350. The six-year-old was sent clear four out by Danny Ockenden and still had two lengths to spare over Another Rum at the line.

Almost 34 years to the day since opening her account on Lothian Brig at Alnwick, Belsay amateur, Val Jackson, 51, is still going strong and lifted her career tally under all codes to 88 on Robbers Glen in the Optipro Ladies Open race.

Off the track since finishing sixth behind Baby Run in last year's Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase, the 11-year-old relished the testing underfoot conditions and made virtually all the running from the third to beat Delfinia by four lengths. His main target this term is likely to be Stratford's Champion Hunter Chase on Friday May 27th.

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