LAST Saturday's Bilsdale point to point, held at Easingwold, saw a double for Michael Brown's stable.
The first leg came when the promising five-year-old Bohemian Spirit (P Armitage/York & Ainsty) won the restricted under Ben Woodhouse.
The Sylvia Robinson-trained Abinger (D Wilkinson/York & Ainsty) led for most of the final circuit under Michael Morley, but Bohemian Spirit was always going well in behind.
He took it up three from home and, despite Abinger sticking to his task well, was three lengths clear at the line. Abinger finished second, a distance clear of Alan Lockwood's The Hazel Harrier (Sinnington), who stayed on late under Stephen Charlton.
Brown's double was completed when Young Rab (Sinnington) made every yard of the running to win the open maiden.
Jumping well, Young Rab's task was made easier by the fall on half way of the favourite Mister Rose, but this should not detract from an excellent performance.
The eight-year-old gave Stephen Charlton an armchair ride and they never looked like being headed over the last mile. Duke's Court (York & Ainsty), trained and ridden by Phillip Cornforth, chased the leader hard but could make no impression.
He was well clear of the rest of the field, with the Tina Jackson-trained and ridden Leaping Lady (H Thompson/Cleveland) a remote third.
Nigel Tutty went to the top of the men's jockeys championship when the men's open went to Little Worsall (Hurworth), which he owns.
Little Worsall was winning for the fifth time this season and all have been relatively easy. As usual the favourite was held up as the much-improved Shankly (Sinnington), trained by Christopher Barker, cut out the early running.
Ridden by Mark Walford, Shankly defied Little Worsall until the second last, when the ten-year-old hit the front and quickly opened up a 12-length lead which he kept to the line.
Shankly kept on gamely to finish second, a distance clear of third-placed Calleva Star (M Abrahams/West of Yore), who plugged on at one pace under Rupert Abrahams.
The David Easterby-trained Silver Groom (Holderness) scored for the third successive time in the ladies open.
He travelled well throughout for Jo Foster, while Alan Jackson's Wynyard Dancer (Cleveland), trained and ridden by Tina Jackson, gave him a race to the second last.
But Silver Groom's superior turn of foot saw him run on well for a 12-length win. Only two finished.
Silver Groom's success completed a double for owners Kay Baron and Tim Rose, who had earlier won with Nordic Crest (Holderness), trained by Cherry Coward, in the confined.
Nigel Tutty forced the pace on his own Darak (Hurworth), but Nordic Crest was always travelling well for Mark Walford and ran on strongly from the second last to win in good style by ten lengths.
Darak kept on well for second, ten lengths in front of Kanona (Hurworth). Ridden by Nigel Smith, he was unable to dominate in his usual style and dropped away tamely.
There was a deserved first win for the Chris Cundall-owned and ridden Colonel Ludlow in the young horses maiden.
In a slowly run race, Ollie Turner's Thornton Bridge (York & Ainsty) led, but the Mary Sowersby-trained Colonel Ludlow was always going easily in behind.
He led four from home and forged clear from the last to win by ten lengths. Thornton Bridge, ridden by Richard Wakeham, finished second, a distance clear of the Charmaine Raw-trained Inner State (Bilsdale), who kept on in rear on his debut under Lee Bates.
* The Yorkshire area season concludes with the South Durham meeting at Howe Hills tomorrow, first race 1pm
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