Cheshire-based trainer Hannah Roach made pointing's first meeting of the new season her own by saddling a fabulous four-timer courtesy of victories for Paul Marvel, Barton Snow, Rewritetherules and Gracchus De Balme - all partnered by jockey Huw Edwards.

 

An understandably thrilled Roach said: "It just makes all the hard work with early mornings and late nights worthwhile. We had a feeling that we would have a few winners but we didn't really expect nearly all of the horses would win. It's my first double, my first treble and my first four-timer all on the same day so it does not get any better than that. I am also over the moon for all the owners as they have been very supportive and that support has paid off for them as well."

 

Perhaps the star of the Roach quartet was the ex-Irish Gracchus De Balme's victory in the Mixed Open as he only had to be pushed out on the run to the line after closest pursuer Take All had ducked out at the final fence.

 

 

Winning owner Derek Malam was celebrating his 110th winner Pointing and under Rules following the success and said: "This horse had decent form for Joseph O'Brien in Ireland and we hoped he would win on his first start for Hannah

 

"He is a nice horse and the hope is that he will go on from here and make up into a hunter chaser in the New Year - with that in mind I suspect he will have another run in points and we will take it from there."

 

Roach's mentor Joe O'Shea had a reputation for improving horses from other yards and some of that has obviously rubbed off as Rewritetherules gave the impression he had lost the plot with more letters in his form-line than numbers last term.

 

But, with his enthusiasm rekindled on his debut for his new handler, he sauntered to success in the Level 3 Conditions contest after easing to the front on the bridle three out and seeing off the attentions of The Composeur by an ever increasing 18 lengths.

 

Another Irish Import in the shape of Barton Snow was sent off 4/9 favourite and, after being given a patient ride by Edwards, proceeded to get the better of Great Valley by three lengths in the Restricted contest.

 

Steve Allen, representing winning owners The MMI Partnership, was all smiles following the win. He said: "It's our first horse with Hannah and she has done a brilliant job with him.

 

"I think he wants better ground than the softish conditions he encountered here so he might have one more run if the weather allows and then come back in the Spring, however, he is new to all of us so we will take it one race at a time."

 

Paul Marvel started the ball rolling for Roach and Edwards when taking the honours in the Conditions (Level 3) race but the seven-year- old had to be driven out by the rider to secure his superiority over Henscke.

 

Winning joint owner Nathan Richards: "He needs every yard of three miles but we were ultra confident he would be up to the task on his first run in Britain since being bought out of the Willie Mullins yard in Ireland

 

"The longer term plan for the horse is to end up in hunter chases  but he is more than likely to have another run or two in points in one of the longer distance races that start in the New Year."

 

It was not only Roach who was wearing a big smile at the meeting as it proved a red letter afternoon for 19-year-old Daisy White as she partnered her first ever winner after Killer Clown collected the opening Conditions race for Grass Roots Riders.

 

White took time off from her studies at Newcastle University to make the trip to Worcestershire and was obviously ecstatic about her first ever winner from 11 previous tries.

 

She said: "I was always travelling nicely on the horse but I did not want to hit the front too soon so I gave him a pull on the home turn and then had to hold my nerve before kicking on going to the final fence."

 

The two legs of the split maiden, which concluded the card, went the way of Dropematthestation, trained by Gina Ellis, and Kilfilum Woods, was having his first outing for Fran Poste's yard after being sold out of the Paul Webber yard.

 

Despite making an error at the third fence from home, the first named jumped well in the main to take division one with Jack Andrews not having to get too serious in the saddle to come three lengths ahead of favourite El Capitaine.

 

Kilfilum Wods profited via a confident waiting ride from off the pace by Zak Baker as he only had to nudge his mount out in the closing stages to score from The Village Way.