POLYDORA gave Alan Hill a seventh win in the Ineos Grenadier Home Counties Grand National Mixed Open and capped a treble for the Oxfordshire trainer at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor, on Sunday.

The 10-year-old had dead-heated for second behind Fifty Shades in the Lord Ashton of Hydes Cup at Cocklebarrow on his debut for the Aston Rowant handler before getting stuck in the mud at Bangor-on-Dee.

But presented with good ground here and facing just one rival in Skipthecuddles, the gelding returned to form under owner Guy Myddelton's son, Harry.

The decisive moment in the four-mile marathon came when the front-running Polydora flew the fifth-last fence while Skipthecuddles got it all wrong and did well to stand up as Gina Andrews sat tight.

There was no way back for Tim Underwood's charge, and Polydora stretched clear to score by 25 lengths.

Hill's previous wins in the Sandhurst feature race had come with Mysaynoway (2010 and 2011), Ocean Du Moulin (2013) and Supreme Danehill (2016, 2017, 2018), while his wife, Lawney, trained the 2005 winner Murphy's Magic.

"It has been lucky for us," he said. "It just shows I train slow horses! Harry got off him and said the horse bounced off the ground and loved it."

Polydora could now go for the series final at Cheltenham on April 29, and Hill added: "The aim is to run in it. It would be good fun, and Harry is excited about riding there."

Guy Myddelton's grandmother, Lurline Brotherton, won the 1950 Grand National at Aintree with Freebooter, and the Malpas-based owner's horses run in her colours.

Oxford Brookes University student Harry said: "It's always class to ride a winner in those colours, even if it's not quite 'the Grand National' today. He had his ears pricked all the way and jumped well."

Hill's hat-trick was kicked off by Knight Bachelor, who turned the tables on his Ampton conqueror, Myplaceatmidnight, in the Philip Scouller Memorial PPORA Club Members Veteran Horse Conditions Race (Level 2).

Alex Chadwick led on the Rob Cundy-trained 10-year-old, but Knight Bachelor was always going well under Izzie Marshall, and she sent her mount to the front at the fourth-last.

With Myplaceatmidnight fading into fourth, it was left to Raven's Tower and Megan Fox to chase home Knight Bachelor, who was always in control to triumph by four lengths.

Hill said: "It's an easier run-in than at Ampton where it's a stiff uphill finish. I also put cheekpieces on him as Izzie said he was running a bit free in his races."

Marshall added of the Cranfield family-owned 12-year-old: "He is always knocking on the door, so it is great to get his head in front."

Mythical Prince provided the middle leg of Hill's treble with Marshall doubling up as her mount led home a one-two for the Aston Rowant trainer with victory over Da Boy Charlie in the Maiden over 2m 5f, sponsored by Norcal Vets.

Tackling the day's biggest field of 11, the 10-year-old, who was bought out of Warren Greatrex's yard at the Doncaster Sales in May 2019, took over the running from Myddelton's mount at the third-last, and shot clear to win by four lengths.

Hill, who also owns the son of Beneficial, said: "We cannot gallop him at home. He lives his life on the deep sand. I was a little bit surprised. It was a very inspirational ride by Izzie for the second time today."

Marshall added: "This horse had a hayseed infection and a sinus operation last year, and he was back in the yard the next day. He is a tough horse."

Hill had high hopes for Normofthenorth in the opening Guy Luck Memorial Conditions Race (Level 2), but had to settle for second spot as lone rival Latenightfumble completed a three-timer, which saw trainer Tom Ellis equal his previous best total of 43 winners in a season set in 2019.

Marshall set out to make all the running on Hill's charge, but Andrews always had her covered on the seven-year-old mare, owned by Ellis's mother, Pippa, and took it up at the second-last before holding off her rallying rival by two lengths.

The champion trainer said: "She was not coming here until 10 o'clock this morning. We wanted to enter her at Fakenham, but found she was not eligible. For a two-horse race I thought it was brilliant."

Having matched his previous best tally, Ellis, who is based at Marton, near Rugby, is now eyeing Jack Barber's record of 51 winners, saying: "That is a massive target now. I had not thought about it until I was told about it."

Oliver Timms celebrated his first winner when 15-year-old Tempelpirate - the course's winning-most horse - took his tally at the track to 11 with victory over Carrig Dubh in a match for the PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 3) for Novice Riders, sponsored by Field Seymour Parkes.

Timms, 19, from Beaconsfield, jumped alongside Carrig Dubh on Tim Underwood's veteran as Brooke Gardner-Wollen's 13-year-old fiddled the fifth-last. The pair duelled down the back straight, before Tempelpirate got the upper hand going to the second-last and galloped away to score by five lengths for his 24th career win.

A former apprentice with Mick Channon on the Flat, Timms was opening his account on his 11th ride between the flags. "It is absolutely unreal - it is amazing," he said. "It was a great opportunity to ride Tempelpirate and I'm delighted. He is just a legend to ride round here. He does it all for you. I just had to sit there and steer him."

Tempelpirate had been pulled up here on his seasonal reappearance, and Underwood, who trains at Beedon, near Newbury, explained: "We found he had a temperature when he got home. He's not won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but he is hardly blowing. He will have a few more runs."

Tristan Durrell was thrilled to ride a winner for his trainer-father, Ben, as Bonamargy took the Restricted over 2m 5f, sponsored by Ashley Wilde Group.

An amateur jockey with Dan Skelton, he delivered the eight-year-old to collar Arctic Oscar going to the last, before powering away to beat Gina Andrews's mount by two and a half lengths. 

Durrell said: "It is a real privilege to ride a winner for mum and dad. They work so hard at it, and it means more than anything to do it for the family. I'm really happy."

Formerly with Dale Peters, Bonamargy was having just his second outing for Ben Durrell, who trains at Chapel Brampton in Northamptonshire, and also heads the DryDurrell Partnership, which owns the son of Arcadio.

The trainer said: "He came to us and has done a lot of hunting. He was slightly withdrawn and is very happy now, which seems to be making a difference.

"He ran at Larkhill two weeks ago and could have won, but was brought down at the last fence when he jumped on top of another horse that fell."