Victorious debut for O'Connor

An Irish student scores on her first outing, while an older pointer makes a winning return following injury and a promising maiden makes his first run a winning one

- STEPHANIE BATEMAN

IRISH jockey Lisa O'Connor broke her riding duck when landing the conditions (level two) riding National Hunt trainer Lucinda Russell's nine-year-old Aizavoski gelding, Whatdeawant. Lisa came over to the UK a year ago and works full-time at Lucinda's while studying law and accounting at the University of Dundee.

“It was brilliant,” she said of her win. “He jumped amazingly and quickly brought me up through the positions. He got a nice breather and then rolled down the hill and winged the last for me. It was all I could ask for.”

Lisa enjoys the balance of working on the race yard and studying.

“Lucinda has been great to me,” she added. “She really liked this horse and wanted to keep him around, so gave me the chance to point him.

“I wanted to do a few point-to-points to see how I liked it. Now I definitely want to pursue it and get my licence.”

Jockey Joe Wright landed a double, which kicked off with a win the PPORA maiden with Portgloriam for trainer Lesley Coltherd and owners Ed, Hazel and Grant Nelson. This was the six-year-old by Bullet Train's first time between the flags.

"I've ridden for the horse's owner, Ed Nelson, for a few years, and when his last horse retired, he asked me to keep an eye out for something to replace him," explained Joe.