BRIDGNORTH trainer Phil Rowley and jockey Alex Edwards both finished the season on a high with doubles at the Albrighton and Woodland (South) point-to-point meeting.
Chaddesley Corbett has proved to be a happy hunting ground for the pair over the last six months and their winning streak continued on Saturday.
Rowley and Edwards combined to take the Conditions race with Namako but then went their separate ways to record their doubles.
Traceyswestcountry adopted his customary forcing tactics but Namako was never far away and took command as the leader weakened half a mile from home.
Edwards’ mount led up the final hill and with the opposition struggling to get in a blow, Namako kept up his relentless gallop in the home straight to win by 18-lengths while Judge Tim Sage who was officiating at his final meeting before retirement was unable to split Forget Bob and Well Mett for the runners up berth.
Edwards was able to confirm this was his 100th winner.
An hour later he was back in the winner’s enclosure following Sleepy Sunday’s victory in the Mares Maiden.
Mares Maiden was prominent throughout this contest but had to contend with the challenges of Woodfield Robin and Come on Harriet with four fences to jump.
The former hit the third from home and was immediately pulled up while Come on Harriet could only stay on at the one pace which allowed the leader to extend her advantage all the way up the home straight to prevail by 30-lengths in the colours of Shropshire-based owner/trainer David Roberts.
Not to be outdone, Rowley completed his double with Tidy Dancers victory in the concluding Maiden.
He was settled behind the leaders for most of this contest before Lester Futter sent his mount to the front with four fences to jump.
They had established a four length advantage turning into the home straight but his stride began to shorten approaching the penultimate which allowed Ober Water and Seero back into contention and the result looking in doubt.
Having looked vulnerable Tidy Dancer then found hidden reserves and came to the last with a narrow lead and stayed on dourly to land the spoils for his connections.
The Points gained at this meeting allowed Edwards to secure his first West Midland Area Jockeys Title while Rowley was following up his 2013 success in the Trainers Champions.
These Awards and many others will be presented at the Annual West Midland Area Awards Dinner at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday, June 30.
The rest of the meeting proved frustrating for the locals who kept missing out by narrow margins.
Henry Crow and Againn Dul Aghaidh led for much of the Novice Riders and stormed to the front again after looking beaten climbing the final hill and outstayed Kyles Faith and Allerton to land this race for the riders father Alistair.
One More Tune had scored an impressive win at the last meeting but it looked as though that race had left its mark because he lost touch at halfway in the Mens Open, while Stone struggled to reproduce his early season form and was also fighting a losing battle in the final mile.
David O’Brien and Numbercruncher held a healthy advantage at the 14th but had nothing left in reserve when James Bowen produced Tinkers Hill Tommy to take the lead on the climb into the home straight.
David Redvers and Sacre Toi finished like the proverbial train but the winner had gone beyond recall.
Bowen only started race riding on his 16th birthday on March 12 but this victory allowed him to set a new record for a Novice Rider as this was his 26th success of his short career.
It is understood he will join one of the big National Hunt yards at the end of the current point-to-point season.
Welsh Horses did well at this meeting with runners from the Principality recording successes in the Ladies Open with Patricktom Boru where the favourite Western Diva was pulled up while Massini’s Dream landed the Restricted under Bryon Moorcroft after his nearest rival Wild Ginger had fallen at the last when three lengths behind.
