Andrews rides her 300th winner at Ratcheugh point to point

The event was hosted by Ratcheugh Racing Club and featured a seven race card.

It was the first of four planned meetings at the north Northumberland track this winter, the others, subject to government coronavirus restrictions being: the West Percy on Sunday, January 9; the Percy on Sunday, January 30; and the College Valley and North Northumberland Hunt on Sunday, February 27.

A meeting will also be held at Tranwell, near Morpeth on Sunday, April 2.

Alnwick is almost like a second home to last season’s champion trainer, Tom Ellis, who recorded his fourth double in as many visits at the Ratcheugh meet.

It was also a good day for his wife, Gina Andrews, who became only the second lady rider to record 300 point to point victories following her win on Latenightpass, and after doubling up on Deafening Silence, needs only two more to equal Polly Gundry’s all-time record total of 303, set in 2011.

Latenightpass, bred and owned by Tom’s mother Pippa, made it six wins from his last nine starts between the flags in the Ladies’ open race.

A 4.45am start and a 500 mile round trip for the Ellis team was made even more rewarding by the ipressive victory of Deafening Silence in the second division Maiden Race.

Senior Lombardy (Lyall Hodgins) repeated last year’s pillar to post win in the Conditions Race, heading Frankies Fire (Nick Orpwood) by eight lengths.

Soft ground specialist, Overworkedunderpaid defied top weight of 12st 10lbs when initiating a double for Leicestershire trainer Kelly Morgan and jockey George Chatterton in the Men’s Open Race, winning by 12 lengths.

Half an hour later, Chatterton was celebrating his first double after steering Vinnie Lewis to a second course success in the 5-years and over Conditions Race.

The Great Phoenix, trained and ridden by Jack Teal, won the first division Maiden Race and Cinetta, under John Dawson, showed her class when making a winning debut between the flags in the concluding Restricted Race.