CHRIS FAIRHURST'S game, front-running gelding Rahwaan routed the opposition to score a pillar-to-post victory on his hurdling debut at Catterick yesterday.

"Rahwaan is a hard horse to pass and it'll be a case of mix and match from now on for him, his next race will be a two-mile-two-furlong staying handicap on the Flat at Doncaster's Lincoln meeting," explained the delighted Middleham handler.

"Ideally, we would also like to win there because he needs to go up a few pounds to be sure of getting a run in the Chester Cup in May (a race he finished fourth in last year), after that he could go back jumping," added Chris.

Tim Easterby was also on the mark when Doe Nal Rua defied top-weight to take the Novices' Handicap Chase in facile fashion.

Jockey Russ Garritty soon had his mount at the head of affairs, pulling further and further clear by virtue of a string of spring-heeled leaps in the back straight. Having been placed on all of his last five starts, the eight-year-old richly-deserved the victory.

"He really jumped well today and I could see him having a crack at a race like the Eider Chase at Newcastle next season," said the winning trainer Tim Easterby, who has high hopes of picking up a major staying chase Doe Nal Rua during the next couple of years.

The four-runner Edinburgh Maiden Chase was quickly reduced to half that number when the market leaders, Factor Fifteen and Magical Field, both paid the penalty for not getting high enough at their respective fences.

The 28-1 outsider Ratty's Band appeared to have the race in the bag until bungling the final obstacle, allowing the Micky Hammond-trained 12-1 shot Shogoon to grab the initiative on the short run-in to the winning line.

The meeting ended in drama when Garry Berridge, the successful rider aboard The Weaver, parted company with his horse just after they had passed the post in the National Hunt Flat race.

Fortunately Berridge was not badly hurt and was able to complete the weighing-in procedure to claim first prize for astute trainer Lenny Lungo.

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