DISPATCHES FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST MIDLANDS: 2, 3 AND 4 MAY

Another busy weekend saw participants from the West Mercian and South Midlands Areas on the scoresheet at five meetings, with the focus unsurprisingly being on the South Shropshire fixture (West Mercian) and the Warwickshire (South Midlands), both on the Bank Holiday Monday

Chris Barber and Gina Andrews are in contention for the national trainers title, and both ended up with two weekend winners. Andrews had a double at Dingley in Northamptonshire on Sunday, with Main Stage – who she rode herself – and Ocean View (Zac Baker), while Barber’s victories came at South Hill in West Somerset on Sunday with Stick Season and Shropshire track Eyton-on-Seven on Monday in the GB Pointing Young Horse Series Maiden with Chasing Good Times. Ed Doggrell rode Barber’s Sunday winner, having initiated a double on Just Loose Change, and Fred Philipson-Stow was on board on Monday.

Ed Doggrell wins on Stick Season at South Hill (Tim Holt)

In the saddle, Andrews – assured of a twelfth female jockeys title – also rode Validation to win at Godstone in Kent on Saturday and scored on Aramax in the Mixed Open at Warwickshire course Mollington on Monday, while Zac Baker took the Conditions Race at Eyton-on-Severn on Jo Priest’s Kauto No Risk. James King travelled far and wide over the weekend as he consolidates his bid for a fifth jockeys crown and won on Monrocco Moonlight for Alan Hill at Godstone, Inchidaly Robin at South Hill, and Luca Morgan’s J’Envoievalserenki in the Adjacent Hunts Race at Mollington. Lucas Murphy is another title chaser and his win on Fear The Deere at Godstone was his twelfth between the flags in his debut season – he is in pole position to be champion novice rider, ahead of Philipson-Stow.

Zac Baker and Kauto No Risk (Graham Fisher)

West Mercian participants made hay at Eyton-on-Severn – in addition to the winners mentioned above, Rhiannon Lodge and Henry Crow teamed up to take the Restricted with Count Frollo, Pip Pirrip broke his duck in the Maiden for Fred Timmis and Huw Edwards, and Harry O’Dwyer continued his successful partnership with Premier Fantasy in the Mixed Open.

Connections with Chasing Good Times after his win at Eyton-on-Severn (Marilyn Sweet)

It was a similar story for South Midlands trainers and riders at Mollington. The Jolly Pot was a welcome – and popular – winner for Jimmy Tarry and Joe Stevenson in the 2m4f Conditions Race, Tim Underwood’s Garde La Peche took the Novice Riders Race, and Seek Him There won the Restricted for father and son Ben and Charlie Case. Rounding off the weekend, the West Mercian-qualified Myfanwy’s Magic, now trained by Hannah Marshall in Dorset – and previously the unluckiest Maiden in training – won the Maiden.

Jake Exelby reports from Mollington here.

Joe Stevenson on Jimmy Tarry's The Jolly Pot - a popular winner (Neale Blackburn)