North Yorkshire trainer, Cherry Coward has enjoyed plenty of successful days on the Northern Area circuit in the last fifteen years but none as good as Sunday's visit to Friars Haugh, Kelso which resulted in three winners from four runners at the Berwickshire meeting.

Racing was never in doubt at this well drained course with very little rain in the preceding week. The rain which had been forecast eventually arrived on Sunday morning and continued throughout the afternoon but was never too heavy and a decent crowd enjoyed a a seven race card with 47 runners on soft going although the car park was a sea of mud.

Tom Cody set the ball rolling for Coward's yard when getting off the mark in the 2m4f Lycetts & Press Mains Farm Cottages PPORA Club Members Maiden Race under a positive ride from John Dawson. The 6-year-old made virtually every yard of the running and forged clear approaching the last before cruising home five lengths ahead of Notnowbob (Jack Holliday) without coming off the bridle.

The gelding's York-based owner, Ian Wilson said: "He was operated on for an abscess underneath his tongue following his last run at Alnwick in December and that has cured his breathing problems." Wilson added: "In the late 1960's, I was whipper-in to the Bramham Moor Foxhounds and the winner is named after Tom Cody who was their huntsman for 25 years."

Stable companion, Ballydonagh Boy was the most impressive winner of the day in the Strawmax & Bedmax PPORA Club Members Maiden Race. Always in the leading trio, Jack Power's mount was sent on four out and turned the contest into a procession as he drew clear from the next before coasting home twenty lengths in front of Gentleman Sam (Joe Wright).

This was a first winner for Power, 21, who is kept busy riding out for Cherry Coward, Chris Dawson and Rebecca Menzies. He said of the 8-year-old Le Fou gelding: "I was happy to keep hold of him coming up the hill after five out and the response was immediate when I pressed the button turning for home."

Power made his debut between the flags on the Declan Queally-trained Baron Du Plessis just before the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 and also rode in plenty of schooling races in Ireland before being sidelined with a broken leg. His first UK Pointing ride was at this season's Border fixture in November.

Cool Desire's victory under John Dawson in the Active Business Partnerships Restricted Race completed a treble for the Coward yard. In a slowly run affair, The Kitchenmecanic (Ailsa McClung) appeared to have been produced with a perfectly timed challenge when heading Ardbruce (Abby Robertson) two out but had no answer to a late thrust from Dawson's mount who flew the last and, under strong driving, edged in front inside the final fifty yards to snatch an unlikely head verdict.

This was definitely the ride of the day from Dawson, who needs only four more Pointing winners to hit the 150-mark. Dawson said: "He made three or four bad mistakes which almost brought him to a standstill but my perseverance paid off and he got a great jump at the last when he needed one."

For the record, Cherry Coward has sent out 245 Pointing winners since December 2004. Holy Joe and Amalfi Storm were her first Friars Haugh winners at the Jedforest meeting in January 2009.

The veteran Towerburn, a dual course winner on soft going in 2017, rolled back the years with a vintage display in the Kelso Racecourse & Musselburgh Racecourse Scottish Borders Conditions Race. 

Always up with the pace, Ryan Nichol's mount was sent on four out from So Satisfied (Emma Brown) and never looked like being pegged back in the closing stages. The 13-year-old cruised home ten lengths ahead of his nearest rival and still had plenty left in the tank. This rounded off a good week for his Denholm trainer, Alison Hamilton following Skyhill's win at Carlisle Races six days earlier.

Nichol, who retired from race-riding at the end of June 2017 to become a funeral director in his home town of Hawick, was recording his first winner since making a comeback this season. As well as riding out for a few yards in the Scottish Borders, he is enjoying a new career as a roofing contractor.

Amy Coltherd, 24, had a dream winning debut ride on ex-chaser Oscar Wilde, owned and trained by her father Stuart, in the Prime Property Ventures Ladies Open Race. Always lying handy, the 8-year-old gradually reeled in long time leader, Takethepunishment (Immy Robinson) from three out before taking it up approaching the last and stayed on well to score by five lengths.

Formerly trained by Sue Smith and at his best under Rules on Soft or Heavy going, the winner was bought for £7,000 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale in May 2021. This was a fine training performance by Coltherd as his charge had been off the track for almost ten months.

As well as landing last year's Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters' Chase at Kelso, Jessica McKie's lightly raced 8-year-old gelding Rio Des Echanault (Nick Orpwood) has now won 4 of his last 6 starts between the flags following his latest success in the FBR Seed Men's Open Race. Content to sit behind the leaders in a slowly run contest, Orpwood eased his mount into contention approaching three out before taking it up at the last from Sartorial Elegance (John Dawson). He met it perfectly and kept on well to score a shade cosily by four lengths, with the rallying Coole Hall (Will Ramsay) a further head away in third place.

Orpwood said: "I was always looking for better ground and was going so well that I had to take a pull coming down the hill. It's a nice feeling to have plenty left and he is a pleasure to ride."

After failing to finish in his three previous outings this term, Alone No More bounced back to form under a well judged ride from owner, Lucy Brown in the Oriental Club & Wild Plum Escapes Owner-Trainer Conditions Race. Always in the leading trio, the 10-year-old was sent on five out and kicked for home after the next. He was eight lengths clear two out and never looked like being overhauled by the odds-on favourite, Senor Lombardy (Elizabeth Gale) who was still four lengths down at the line.

This was Lucy's fifth career winner and her first since scoring on Dutch Canyon at the Haydon fixture in May 2019. She was full of praise for younger sister, Emma who does all the work with her charge while she is away studying at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester.

The main action was preceded by 2 pony races, each with 7 runners. The 138cm and under contest was won by Wiltshire raider, Dough Boy (Harry Vigors), while the 148cm and under contest went to Judge Fox (Scarlett Frank).

The next Northern Area fixture is the College Valley & North Northumberland at Alnwick on Sunday 27th February.