DISPATCHES FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST MIDLANDS: 13 AND 14 DECEMBER

Two was the magic number at the weekend as several leading protagonists in the South Midlands and West Mercian Areas celebrated doubles.

Saturday saw racing at Alnwick and Charing and Gina Andrews took three horses on the 500-mile return journey from her Marton, Rugby base. She returned home with wins from pointing debutants Azlad and The Dog Thief, both of whom she rode herself. This took her to five for the season – as both trainer and jockey – and continued the splendid record of her yard at the Northumberland venue, where she and husband Tom Ellis have had 22 wins from 42 runs since 2019.

The Andrews yard has a great record at Alnwick (Grace Beresford)

Another trainer to move on to five wins for the season was Alan Hill, whose Charing double came courtesy of Monrocco Moonlight and pointing debutant Lucky Zebo, formerly trained by Henry de Bromhead. The latter was ridden by Ellie Holder in the absence of Hill’s stable jockey and daughter-in-law Izzie with a broken leg.

Champion jockey James King, bidding for a fifth title in six years, was also on the double at Charing, on horses trained by Luke Price in Wales. The second success was his 300^th between the flags and he quickly embarked on his fourth century when the Chris Barber-trained Grace A Vous Enki made it eight from eight at Larkhill, all in the hands of King.

Grace A Vous Enki and James King at their beloved Larkhill (Tim Holt)

Barber had initiated his own brace with the Ed Doggrell-partnered Carrillo in the Young Horse Maiden. His yard’s form eclipses even that of Andrews and Hill – this season, he has had seven winners from just nine runners, five ridden by Doggrell, and is joint-top of the national trainer standings.

Ed Doggrell (left) and Chris Barber - teamed up to win again

Also at Larkhill, current leading national novice rider Fred Philipson-Stow had his fourth win of the season, on Dorset Dazzler, on whom he had scored at the previous fixture at the Wiltshire course. And there was a first success – with just his second runner – for Matthew Gill with the Ledbury-qualified, but Lambourn-trained, Kandor. Both the winning trainer and jockey Daniel Williams – enjoying the fourth win of his career – work for Nicky Henderson.