O'Shea enjoys a neat double at Hexham opener

THE Northern Area season kicked off with some top quality action on Saturday's Border card at Hexham, where three of the six races were won by horses with BHA ratings of 124, 128 and 137.

- By PETER BURGON

The 124-rated chaser Paul Marvel (Henry Crow) initiated a short-priced double for Cheshire trainer Joe O'Shea in the 3m Northern Trainers Mixed Open Race.

Left in front when odds-on favourite Givega (James King) lost its action approaching the fifth and was pulled up, the nine-year-old proceeded to make most of the running from that point and forged clear after three out to beat Conquredalofeurope (Felix Foster) by a distance even though he was eased right down by Crow on the long run-in.

Then 128-rated chaser St Cuthbert’s Cave (Amber Jackson-Fennell) completed O’Shea’s training double in the 2m4f Carr's Billington Ladies Open Race.

Confidently ridden off the pace, the seven-year-old gradually reeled in front-runner Lunar Contact (Bekah Duffy) on the final circuit and went second on the extended downhill run to three out.

On terms at the next, Jackson-Fennell’s mount asserted going to the last and stayed on well to score by six lengths.

This was a 26th Pointing winner for Jackson-Fennell, 23, who works at the Gloucestershire yard of Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies.

She said: “I had to muck out and then ride out a couple before leaving at 7am but this has made the five-hour drive worthwhile. I was confident I'd saved enough on the way round and would pick off the leader after turning for home.”