Lyall Hodgins is the new leader of the Hexham Racecourse-sponsored Northern Area Men's Jockeys Championship following his double on the Jimmy Walton-trained mares, Feel The Breeze and Frankies Fire on Sunday's well supported Buccleuch card at Friars Haugh, Kelso.

Feel the Breeze gradually warmed to the task on her debut over fences in the Jockey Club & Rossie House Mares Maiden Race. After hitting the front with another slick jump four out, the 5-year-old was always doing enough in the closing stages to keep the favourite, Red Opium (Rosie Howarth) at bay and had two lengths in hand at the finish.

Hodgins said: "She learned quickly after making some early mistakes and got into a good rhythm in a slowly-run affair. She is still very green but has plenty of scope and won a shade cosily in the end."

Frankies Fire made it a red letter day for Hodgins and Walton when overturning odds-on favourite, Rio Des Echanault (Nick Orpwood) in the 3-runner Goffs UK Men's Open Race. Hodgins dictated a sedate pace from the outset on the 9-year-old who never looked being pegged back after quickening three lengths clear approaching two out.

This completed a memorable few days for Hodgins, who finished fifth on Senor Lombardy in the Cheltenham Foxhunters' Chase. He said of the winner: "She was foot-perfect at the last three fences and didn't really have a hard race as we only got into top gear on the bottom bend after three out."

After sending out a 49-1 double at Hexham Races last Thursday courtesy of Cudgel and West Lawn, these latest successes made it four winners in a row for Walton's Flotterton near Rothbury yard - the first time this has happened since he started training more than 30 years ago. Formerly one of the North's top amateur jockeys, he partnered Mighty Mark to victory in the 1987 renewal of the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Walton confirmed that Frankie Fire's next target is the Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters' Chase at Kelso on April 4.

Cooking Fat recorded the best time of the day when providing 21-year-old Jack Holliday with his first winner in the Weatherbys Hamilton Novice Riders' Conditions Race. Always close up, he went on at the eleventh with Ballydonagh Boy (Jack Power) and, after poaching a three lengths lead on the home turn, had enough up his sleeve to hold off off a late challenge from the odds-on favourite by half a length. This was a polished performance from first season rider Holliday, who has worked at Stuart Coltherd's Selkirk yard since 2019.

Cooking Fat's owner/trainer, Jack Clark doesn't believe in keeping his horses wrapped in cotton wool and the 11-year-old will make his eighth start of the season at Overton on Saturday.

Ray Owen's Denbigh raider, Thyne For Gold notched up his second Friars Haugh success this season in the Saffery Champness Ladies Open Race to give Immy Robinson a 50th career winner between the flags. The 11-year-old made virtually all the running and sealed a two lengths victory over So Satisfied (Emma Brown) with another great jump at the last.

The winner is much improved since undergoing treatment last summer for a kissing spine which had been causing him to hang badly in his races. 

For the record, Immy, 30, opened her account as a 16-year-old on only her 4th ride between the flags when partnering 16-year-old gelding Jemaro to victory in the Wheatland Members Race at Chaddesley Corbett on 13th May 2007 - one of nineteen wins under all codes that the remarkable Jemaro achieved in a racing career spanning more than twelve years.

The progressive Tom Cody (John Dawson) completed a hat-trick in the 6-runner Brewin Dolphin PPORA Club Members Intermediate Race. Confidently ridden, the 6-year-old eased his way to the front after three out and coasted home four lengths ahead of Gold Time (Fred Timmis).

After the race, Dawson was presented with the Rainy Brown Memorial Trophy as the leading jockey at this season's Friars Haugh meetings.

In an eventful 5-runner Kelso Racecourse & Musselburgh Racecourse PPORA Club Members Maiden Race, Classical Sound (Joanna Walton) looked as though he would have to settle for second place until long-time leader, Ardbruce (Abby Robertson) fell two out when still two lengths clear. Walton's decision to hug the inner paid dividends as her mount avoided the faller and kept on well to beat the only other finisher, Teds Charley Roe (Emma Brown) by four lengths. With five meetings remaining, Joanna and Emma are joint leaders in the YoungsRPS Northern Area Ladies Championship.

The 10-year-old winner is owned and trained by West Percy Hunt Joint Master and former point-to-point rider, Kirstie Hargreave and has done plenty of hunting this season since leaving Rose Dobbin's yard in October.

Classical Sound is the first point-to-pointer she has trained for five years. The last one was Pegasus Walk, who won at Witton Castle in April 2017.

A special mention for Clerk of the Course, Graham Murray and Course Manager, Jamie Innes who had levelled and reinstated the Friars Haugh track and car parks remarkably well as parts of it resembled a ploughed field following incessant rain throughout last month's Berwickshire fixture.