Britain's most valuable fixture at Overton Farm in South Lanarkshire was a resounding success on Saturday with 60 runners on the seven race card and a bumper 2000+ crowd.

Bonchester Bridge-based rider Lucy Brown is the new leader in the Perth Racecourse-sponsored Northern Area Ladies Championship following her win on former Nicky Henderson-trained hurdler and chaser Fugitives Drift in the 2m4f Goulding's Garden Centre Conditions Race. Named after a landmark near the Rorke's Drift battlefield in South Africa, the nine-year-old son of Yeats was always prominent and, after being sent on with Dream Over three out, got the better of a prolonged duel with Shropshire raider Little Light (Henry Crow) from the next to score by one-and-a-half lengths.

Brown said: ''Coincidentally, I was at the Tattersalls Sale in Ireland in November 2015 when he was sold as a foal and, after following his progress under Rules, it was great to get the chance to buy him privately in January 2023. He hasn't been the easiest to train with various ailments including ulcers as well as back and foot problems to overcome, so it's a relief to get his career back on track.''

The win on Fugitives Drift along with a second on Reve De Niamh, both of whom are also owned and trained by Brown, ensured that she won the £250 prize as the Dales Solicitors LLP-sponsored leading owner on the day and was also the NFU Mutual-sponsored leading jockey on the day.

Cheltenham Festival winning owner Ronnie Bartlett was on hand to greet his well related debutant Incisive back into the winners' enclosure after the 3m Overton Point-to-Point Maiden Race. Given a patient ride by Nick Orpwood, the six-year-old was always in touch with the leaders before moving into third after three out. Finding plenty up the home straight, he eased past Toucan Sam (William Hamilton) approaching the last and kept on well to score by three lengths.

Bartlett, who paid 120,000 euros for the son of Crillon at Goffs Land Rover Sale in June 2021, said: ''He broke his pelvis later that year and at one stage we thought he might have to be put down but an extended period of recuperation has done the trick. We knew we had something to work with following a piece of work he did four weeks ago and Nick give him a great ride. He'll improve again on better ground and will return to Overton on April 27.''

Paramaribo provided Newton-by-the-Sea owner/trainer Victor Thompson with his second winner of the season in the STCS (Scotland) Ltd NPPA Conditions Race. After taking it up a mile from home, Joe Wright's mount was pressed all the way to the line by ex-chaser Not The Chablis (Jess Jubb) and had to pull out all the stops to secure a neck verdict in easily the best time of the day. Successful in a 1m5f contest on the Flat at Ayr on 23rd May 2023, the winner was bought out of Iain Jardine's yard two days later at Goffs UK Doncaster Sale for £22,000.

Eagles Rock was the most impressive winner of the day in the Priory Bridge Landscaping Restricted Race. Given a supremely confident ride by Cheltenham Foxhunters' winning jockey John Dawson, the six-year-old picked off his rivals one-by-one on the final circuit before hitting the front two out and coasted home six lengths ahead of Reve De Niamh (Lucy Brown). The Conduit gelding is related to multiple jumps winners including Perfect Candidate, Path Of Peace and Satin Lover.

This was a first training success for Mosshouses-based Mike Cregan who worked for Mouse Morris when he was living in Ireland. The winner was bought privately and unseen by Vicky Russell (formerly Vicky Simpson) from Ben Crawford. An accomplished amateur rider and trainer more than a decade ago, Vicky won 2 Ladies Opens and a Kelso Hunters' Chase on her own Jacksonville between March 2006 and January 2007. The best horse she trained was Hold On Julio who won 4 Points and the Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters' Chase under Mikey Ennis between May 2010 and April 2011.

Few horses in the North can match the consistency of Ballydonagh Boy in the last three seasons and the admirable ten-year-old delivered again in the valuable Hillhouse Quarry Group Ltd Mixed Open for Novice Riders. Always prominent, he looked in command when drawing two lengths clear at the second last under 16-year-old Askham Bryan Agriculture student Isla John but had to dig deep in the closing stages to keep the rallying Vivas (Natasha Cookson) at bay by a short head for his eighth Pointing win since December 2021.

Almost six years since making a winning debut between the flags in Ireland, Buster Valentine (Paddy Barlow) proved that the fire is still burning with a second success in the space of three weeks in the valuable Atlas Cranes UK Ltd Mixed Open Race. After being sent on six out, the Will Milburn-trained eleven-year-old was always doing enough in the closing stages to prevent Avoid De Master (Emma Brown) from getting back on terms and still had one-and-a-half lengths in hand at the line.

Ex-hurdler Bellaney Lord (Thomas Easterby) fulfilled the promise shown when eight lengths 3rd to It's A Diamond in a 2m6f Holderness Maiden last time out when getting off the mark in the 12-runner 2m4f Mackenzie Transport Ltd Maiden Conditions Race. Appreciating the drop in trip and sharper track, the William Easterby-trained eight-year-old drew clear two out before cruising home five lengths ahead of The Back Braes (Lyall Hodgins). Formerly with Stuart Crawford, this 113-rated hurdler was bought for £15,000 at Goffs UK Doncaster Sale in May 2023.

The main action was preceded by pony racing, with the Get Ahead Hats-sponsored 138cm Open won by Silver (Freya Ainslie) from Kitty (Pippa Gibson) and Mohammed Ali (Cara Wilson), while the Get Ahead Hats-sponsored 148cm Open was won by Judge Fox (Caden Beasley) from The Cork Man (Cara Tuke) and Lucky June (Tara Kane).

The Overton Farm course was reinstated and rolled on Sunday in readiness for the Family Day fixture on April 27, with all proceeds that day going to Kilbryde Hospice and St Andrew's Hospice. The next Northern Area meeting is the rescheduled Tynedale at Corbridge on April 20 and, as usual, the Haydon stages the season finale at Hexham Racecourse on May 18.