IN-FORM owner-trainer John Wade sent out his fourth winner during the last 12 days when Devil's Run defied top-weight to record a runaway success at a bleak and windswept Sedgefield yesterday.

"This is marvellous," exclaimed Wade, who combines a successful haulage business with looking after around 15 horses at the popular Permit Holder's nearby Howe Hills base, just a few miles down the road from his local course.

"Devil's Run was in good order before the race and Jim Crowley (the winning rider) said the further he went the better he jumped," added Wade, prior to picking up the trophy for winning the feature event at the meeting, the John Smith's Extra Smooth Handicap Chase.

The opening Mares' Only Novices' Hurdles produced a furious tussle between La Perrotine and Farne Isle, the pair crossing the final flight virtually in unison.

But in the battle to the line it was the jumping newcomer, La Parrotine, who forged ahead near the finish to maintain the excellent recent form of her trainer, Howard Johnson.

The clear-cut victor of the Selling Handicap Hurdle, Longstone Lass, was sold out of Richard Guest's yard for 8,000 guineas to bookmaker, Lee "Macbet" Ibbotson, following an impressive 12-length triumph in the two-mile-and-five-furlong contest.

Guest was philosophical about the loss of the five-year-old from his stable, attributing the improvement of Longstone Lass to Claire Metcalfe. "You're only as good as your staff and Claire has done a great job getting Longstone Lass settled because she used to be a horrible ride.

"Claire got her just reward when she won on Longstone Lass at Towcester last week, unfortunately being an amateur she wasn't qualified to partner the mare in this race," explained Guest.

Newcastle-based handler Bob Johnson ended a losing streak stretching back exactly 100 days when his son, Kenny, booted home Sands Rising in the two-mile Novices' Chase.

"We had our best ever season last year with 14 winners, although as a result a lot of our horses have been too high in the weights to win again. This was the third time Sands Rising had tried fences and he's now getting the hang of it," reported Bob.

Not for the first time, nor the last, the layers had the last laugh when 33-1 shock scorer, Sailor A'Hoy, stunned punters by edging out Super Sammy in the closing gg.com Handicap Hurdle.

l Truckers Tavern, who came out of the wilderness to plunder the valuable Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day, could be in line for a tilt at the totesport Gold Cup if he continues to please trainer Ferdy Murphy.

Murphy said: ''He'd been dropped 19lb before Wetherby and anyone with his head switched on could see he was ready to win again."