Fran Poole’s success on Bouggietopieces in the Berkeley Members at Woodford on Saturday afternoon epitomized the true Corinthian spirit on which the sport was founded. The 12-year-old is the only horse the family have at their Frampton Cotterell base and they were rewarded for their efforts when Bouggietopieces made all the running under his 31-year-old rider.
 
Poole had scored her only previous success on One to Note in the Members at this meeting back in 2014 and they were runner up on two subsequent occasions in 2015/2016.This partnership were having their 10th race together and they had advertised their chances with a prominent run at Bitterley a few weeks ago.
 
With doubts about the stamina of some of their rivals, Miss Poole made her intentions clear from the start and was soon 5-lengths clear. The leader began to jump right at some of the fences but the opposition were never in a position to take advantage of Bouggietopieces' jumping deficiencies.
 
Always on the Run's effort petered out early in the home straight and it was left to Nuova Vita to offer token resistance over the final two fences but Miss Poole’s mount extended his advantage as they raced towards the judge.
 
The winning rider was rewarded by picking up a majority of the silverware and was also awarded the TCEH Novice Ride of the Day for her enterprising tactics.
 
Tommie O’Brien and James King started the day tied at the top of the leader board to become the Area's Leading Rider, but King travelled down to West Sussex to team up with the late Jason Warner’s Ahead of the Game.
 
O’Brien took advantage of his rival’s absence although he was beaten in both the PPORA Club Members and the Jockey Club sponsored Mares Final, but managed to add to his points total and with had the bonus of riding the winner of the Maiden which consolidated his position at the head of the table and that will stand him in good stead during the closing weeks of the season.
 
7 horses lined up for the PPORA Club Members, but that number was reduced to six when Frank and Honest declined to take part.
 
Welsh’s Castle and Ivor Herbert set a strong pace and maintained their front running position until making the long run for home. The complexion of the race changed racing towards the second from home where the riders of Lagonda, Blue and Yellow and Island Master all fancied their chances but the favourite Bawnmore moved up smoothly and mounted his challenge over the remaining fences.  
 
Lagonda blundered at that obstacle but was soon back on levels terms, before the favourite eased clear on the flat to prevail by a length in the hands of multiple Ladies Champion Gina Andrews. The winner is trained by the riders husband Tom at Marton, near Rugby for a quartet of owners including Jenny Hayward, Ray Randerson, Lynn Redman and Maurice Thomas.
 
O’Brien also had to settle for the runner up spot on Felicie du Maquis in the Mares and Fillies Final behind the hot favourite Walkin Over.
 
The favourite ran and jumped with enthusiasm and gusto throughout, while it seemed the other runners were just there to make up the numbers. Martin MacIntyre’s mount increased his already substantial advantage at the far end of the course, but to her credit Felicie du Maquis began to reduce the leader's advantage approaching three out.
 
The favourite was still well on top as they came to the last but O’Brien started to get a response and his mount began to eat into the favourite's lead as they raced towards the judge. Although beaten she came out of the race with great credit as she was conceding weight to all her rivals and 9 lbs to the winner and future events may prove that was an impossible task. The winner was bred at Robert Waley-Cohen’s Upton Viva Stud and purchased by his current connections at Arqana Sales in March 2022.
 
There was some interesting betting in the Restricted where Giants Table was installed as favourite despite his last success being back in Ireland 2019 while Gamalou D’Alene also came in for support.
 
The latter lost ground quickly at the 10th, while Giants Table began to drop back at the far end of the course.
 
Gottagottagetaway held a clear lead over Vic the Vandal jumping four out but James Jeavons' perseverance started to pay dividends on the second horse and they were on the leader's heels by the next obstacle. That effort was short lived and Tom Broughton managed to kid and cajole Lucy Smith's runner who finally put the race to bed by drawing well clear of his rivals over the remaining obstacles.
 
Twig won his fourth race of the season by getting the better of a close finish with Tuff Nano in the Men's Open. Multiple Champion Will Biddick was determined to grab the lead on runner up and succeeded in doing so and they maintained their advantage until challenged by Twig in the home straight.
 
Beau Morgan’s mount was always travelling that little bit better than his rivals and confirmed that by quickening clear on the flat.
 
Gina Andrews and Master Templar headed the market for the Ladies Conditions but they could make no impression when asked for an effort in the home straight.
 
Acitvail and Danseur de Large made the running until Knight Batchelor took over as they went out onto their final circuit and were joined by Grageelagh Girl and Wotzizname, with these three dominating proceedings from this point.
 
Katie Sinclair had to push along Grageelagh Girl to maintain their advantage approaching three out but Megan Bevan and Wotzizname soon took their measure and stayed on well to claim victory. The winner had finished runner up to the Mens Open winner Twig in his previous race and that should have been a clue to his chances.
 
Tommie O’Brien teamed up with Fran Poste to win the concluding Maiden with the 4-year-old Presenting gelding Also Known As.
 
Let’s Getaway and Immy Robinson jumped superbly in the lead and continued to travel well when they reappeared at the far end of the course. There were still 6 or 7 horses in with a chance as they turned back towards home where Lets Getaway, Also Known As, Kalabana and Straightupsnicket were in the box seats.
 
Also Known As held a commanding lead between the final two fences and was yet another winner to come off the Poste production line at Ettington, and had obviously benefitted from his experience at Edgcote as he proved far too strong for Straightupsnicket who held Kalabana’s challenge over the final obstacles to claim the runners up spot.

Tom & Gina Ellis secured their largest triumph when prevailing in a tight finish to the Randox Foxhunter Chase over Aintree's imposing fences earlier this afternoon.

The 18 fences of the Foxhunter, whose magnificent trophy of a near full size fox should prevent any politically correct removal of the title of the race, are the ultimate challenge for the amateur riders who are the core of the sport. Riding round Aintree is on every self-respecting rider's bucket list.

Gina, who rides under her maiden name Andrews, is the foremost amateur in the sport, with over 300 Point-to-Point winners to her name, and nearly 80 winners under Rules, which include a Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir 5 years ago at the Festival. This will rank right up there with the best of those winners, not least as her mount, Latenightpass, was able to overturn a 2 1/2l deficit on last year's winner, Cousin Pascal, to secure the winner's berth.

All the leading candidates were in the vanguard of the field as they headed out into the country, with Cousin Pascal leading from Cat Tiger, Jett, Clondaw Westie and Latenightpass handy. Clondaw Westie was a faller at the Canal Turn, by which time the leading candidates had defined the race for the final mile.

Porlock Bay's rider-trainer Will Biddick had swerved Cheltenham to have last year's Cheltenham Foxhunter winner in the best of form for Aintree, and that decision looked very wise as they turned in, although his chance was not helped by dropping his stick. Cousin Pascal called time at the second last, where Latenightpass went on, pressed by that most game of Corinthians, David Maxwell, on Cat Tiger. The winning distance was a just 1 1/4l, with a further 1 1/4l back to Porlock Bay, running on gamely into third.

The race was a triumph insofar as 18 of the 23 runners finished, and the win and placed horses were a true reflection of the form of the best hunter chasers in Britain. Stand UP And Fight was the nearest Irish contender, a full 39 1/2l behind the winner.

To say that trainer Tom Ellis was fizzing would be an understatement. The leading Point-to-Point trainer heads up a truly family affair in Warwickshire, with a horse owned by his mother, and ridden by his wife. This is the stuff that makes our sport so unique.

A fair-run race, a just winner, and no real hard luck stories. What better reflection of Aintree.ck here to edit.