Welcome sunshine after the recent rains welcomed Kimble's usual massive Easter crowd and racegoers were treated to 57 runners across the seven races, a celebrity winner of the centrepiece, a potential star of the future winning the Young Horse Maiden and three finishes of half a length or less.

The biggest cheers of the day greeted Lift Me Up, the winner of the feature race, the ten-runner 5G Comms Mixed Open over the shorter distance of two-and-a-half miles. Trained by Maxine Filby near Banbury and owned by Red Bull Racing's Christian Horner and his wife - former Spice Girl Geri - the progressive eight-year-old was scoring for the fifth time in eight starts. Held up early, and despite reminders with a circuit to race, rider Jack Andrews (who received a warm embrace from Geri afterwards) joined favourite Caryto Des Brosses two out and soon quickened clear to score by six lengths, with the running-on Not That Fuisse eleven lengths third.

"What a great day," exclaimed Christian - who was accompanied in the winners enclosure by their children - afterwards. "We love our pointing - it's a fun, family day out. We didn't know what to expect, because Lift Me Up hadn't won an Open, but he's now won in all the grades, including a Hunter Chase. He's qualified for the Cheltenham Foxhunters now, so that will be the plan next year." Both Christian and Geri were quick to praise their trainer, the former saying, "Maxine deserves the credit - it's all down to her," while his wife added, "Maxine's brilliant. She doesn't treat the horses like objects, but as individuals. She's the Jerry Maguire of horse racing!"

Lift Me Up's modest trainer was keen to claim the victory as a team effort, Maxine saying, "Everyone's helped - The Marston Stud, physio Claire Ford, BT Vets, Jack, Gina and Tom Ellis, and Mervyn Loggin, whose schooling fences at Hinton-on-the-Hedges we use." She'd been unsure about running, admitting, "It was his first run for me over two-and-a-half miles, so I didn't know what would happen, but other cancellations meant we had to come here, and Jack said he'd go well. He may go for the Hunter Chase evening at Cheltenham now - it depends how he comes out of this." Maxine also confirmed that Christian and Geri's Guilsborough winner Look At Mee will go to Edgcote next.

One of the cancelled meetings was at Maisemore Park, whose Goffs Four and Five-year-old Maiden Race was transferred as an extra race to the Kimble card. Eight took their chance and it went the way of the four-year-old Tormund Giantsbane, named after a Game Of Thrones character, owned by licensed trainer Dan Skelton and trained for pointing by his assistant Nick Pearce. The debutant, ably ridden by Sean O'Connor, had been positioned in mid-division before joining leader Mahbury - who had quickened clear after the penultimate fence - at the last and, as the pair went head-to-head up the run-in, got the better of the duel to win by a head, with Wake Up Hadley third, seven lengths back.

"We bought him as a store last spring," Nick told me, "And he wasn't sold, so Dan hung on to him. We know the family well - his dam is a full sister to our Grade One winner Roksana - and he's done everything nicely at home and schooled round Brafield-on-the-Green recently." He confirmed that the horse will now go into training with Skelton, saying, "We're doing it like the Barbers used to, starting their horses in points before they went into training with Paul Nicholls. He's my only pointer this season - Dan stole Firak from me to run in Hunter Chases (!) - although there may be a few more youngsters in the future, as well as older ones to teach the young jockeys. Sean's a living example of that - he started in points and is now riding winners under rules."

"That was very good," smiled the winning jockey. "He was green early on, left on his own in midfield, so I pulled him in between other horses with a circuit to go and he jumped and travelled better. He idled up the run-in but did it well." Sean, who rides Tormund Giantsbane every day at home, added, "Nick's given me winners in points and Hunter Chases, and I've had plenty of rides under rules for Dan. They've been good to me and - while I would like to turn professional eventually, I'm happy with the opportunities I'm getting at the moment."

The other Maiden on the card was sponsored by Elliott of London and nine faced the starter. It saw the closest finish of the afternoon, Premier Fantasy and Bradley Gibbs (who also trains the winner) - who had gone for home two out and were four lengths clear at the last - just holding on by a head from the strong finishing Hopping Mad Wife, with Schiapars Magern also coming with a late run for five lengths third. Both the latter pair were making their debuts and are worth looking out for next time.

The five-year-old is owned by Roy and Louise Swinburne, who live near Bridgnorth and have had plenty of pointers and rules horses over the years, including Cheltenham Intermediate Final winner Latzod'alm, who was trained by John Groucott. "We thought it was time for another pointer and who better to train it than Brad?" laughed Roy. "This season's been frustrating - he ran a good second at Garthorpe to a horse who has won since - but he wants decent ground and we're fortunate that it's just about come right today. He's not for sale and we'll run again this season - we'll talk to Brad about plans but may target the Restricted Final at Stratford."

"He's a nice horse who's been working tremendously at home," confirmed the winning trainer-rider. "We bumped into a nice one at Garthorpe and have been waiting for good ground, which is why he's had a break, but we had to take our chance today." Asked about the form of the yard after Premier Magic's Cheltenham disappointment, Bradley said ruefully, "We haven't had many runners - everywhere we enter seems to be cancelled. Hopefully Fier Jaguen goes back to Aintree (for the Foxhunters). He jumped well at Didmarton."

There was another Welsh success for Abbie Wilmot's 16/1 outsider Emtidaad, who beat nine rivals in the Richardsons Chartered Accountants Novice Riders Race with Josh Barber in the saddle. Always prominent, he went clear after two out and - despite a slow jump at the last - had enough in reserve to hold on by a neck from the fast-finishing Port Of Mars. Favourite Monkey Puzzle was unable to quicken, three lengths away third, but ran well under a 10lb penalty.

"It took us six hours to get here but that was worth it," laughed Haverfordwest based Abbie, who also trained the third in the opener. "He was also entered at Lydstep on Monday, but we made the decision to come here - we also came last year. I ride him every day, it's our first season in our new yard and that's our first winner - we've had a few lumps and bumps! We've got six in training plus a couple of youngsters."

Emtidaad's 19-year-old rider, from Letterston near the Trecoed point-to-point course and son of former rider and trainer Marc, described the race to me. "It was frustrating to start with because they were going fast then slow, so I decided to dictate from the front, and he jumped and travelled well. He got lonely in front, and I was getting worried, but he stuck his head out. "That's my third winner," said Josh, who's also related to trainer Peter and jockeys James and Sean Bowen. "Will I go professional like them? Weight might be an issue, but never say never. I'm studying heating engineering at the moment, but after that we'll see."

Toby McCain Mitchell and Golan Fortune followed up their recent Brafield-on-the-Green success in the opening eight-runner Hildreth's Garden Centre Conditions Race, for horses aged ten and over. Always prominent, the pair went third four out, second after the next, jumped past front-running Coolagh Park at the second last and were untroubled to score by three-and-a-half lengths with Powerstown Park keeping on well in third, two-and-a-half lengths behind.

The 12-year-old is owned by Master of the Oakley Hounds Simon Paynter, who said afterwards, "Phil Middleton gave me the horse two seasons ago and I didn't think he'd run in races, but Phil lifted the non-racing agreement so this season, I hunted him until January, after which he went into training. The plan was to win my local cup (at the Oakley fixture), which I did." Explaining the choice of former South Midlands rider Barry Denvir as trainer, Simon confirmed, "I've a share in a horse with Richard Phillips, to whom Barry is assistant, and Richard lets us use his gallops."

Barry continued, "I used to ride for Simon's wife Jo, and we've all become good friends. He didn't jump well today - he only met about two fences right - but all credit to Toby, who gave him a brilliant ride. He'll hopefully go to Cheltenham next for the four-miler - he should stay, as Phil entered him for the Grand National once."

Toby confirmed the trainer's view of Golan Fortune's sloppy jumping, saying, "It wasn't as slick as last time, and I think cheekpieces might help. However, I was happy with my position and turning in, I knew I had the others beat." Asked how he came by the ride, he told me, "I'm based with Nigel Twiston-Davies and go to Richard's every couple of weeks and have sat on him and schooled him there. It was the 21-year-old's 22nd career win, including four under rules this season - he was also third in the Cheltenham Foxhunters on Time Leader - but he wouldn't be drawn on a professional career, smiling, "There are plenty of opportunities as Nigel's amateur at the moment."

The Waverton Investment Management Ltd Restricted, in which ten went to post, went the way of Nigel Padfield's Padjoes Legacy. The eight-year-old was always going well for Zac Baker and - like so many of today's winners - took the race by the scruff of the neck two out to win by five lengths and 15 from Well P and Lunar Contact.

The trainer co-owns the horse with his farrier, rider John Simpson, and described Padjoes Legacy - who gave John a debut success last season - as, "A very lazy individual who needs stoking up. That's his sixth run this season and - while he was second once - I hoped a change of jockey would do the trick. That's the first time Zac's ridden him." As to his season so far, Nigel admitted, "That's my first winner, but we've had lots of placings, I start mine late and it's still only March. I've got six in." About plans for the horse, he just laughed, "Win today!"

Alan Hill rarely comes away from Kimble empty-handed and he got on the scoresheet in the concluding Fantham Family Members Race, which had just two runners, both of whom he trained, odds-on Goleirihem and Izzie Marshall taking it by 30 lengths from Highland Glory, who may have got closer but for a slipping saddle on the final bend.

It was a tenth consecutive win (including those run at Kingston Blount) in his Members Race and he smiled, "We need others to run against us! I was worried Golan Fortune would run, as we wouldn't have beaten him." Son Joe chipped in, "We're delighted for his owners Rodney and Gillie Mann as they've been very patient. He had problems last year but has come back in form this season and won well at Cothelstone. He probably wants good to soft ground - he got jarred up on firm - and we may drop him back in trip now, and target the Stratford Restricted Final if it rains."

Jockey Izzie Marshall was setting out on a second century of wins, having reached her 100th career success at Higham the previous day and she told me, "He jumped well - that's what sealed the race - but he's workmanlike and is never going to win on the bridle." Talking about her own ambitions for the season, she admitted to aiming for to reach 100 pointing wins (she's on 94) but played down any talk of the Lady Riders title, for which she is joint-leader with Gina Andrews on 11, saying, "I've never been so close to Gina at this stage of the season, so I've got to believe I'm in with a chance of winning the title, but I wouldn't be disappointed finishing second."

The Ashley Wilde sponsored pony race that preceded the seven point-to-point contests was taken by Bruce Vaughan on On The Line.