CONDITIONAL Sam Coltherd rode his 16th winner this season at Ayr on March 10 with a double for his father Stuart, who trains near Selkirk.

It was the father and son’s third victory in two days, having won at Carlisle the previous afternoon.

The Selkirk jockey partnered Hurricane Rita to win the 2½-mile handicap hurdle and, half-an-hour later, was back in the winner’s enclosure with Surprise Vendor after a 6-1 win in the two-mile handicap hurdle.

“She has been disappointing and was so much better today,” said winning trainer Stuart of Hurricane Rita. “She’s had a wind operation and that seems to have done the job.”

The previous afternoon at Carlisle, Sam had ridden Kanturk Bank to a 10-1 success at Carlisle. The Selkirk jockey gave the seven-year-old a positive ride to land the novice chase. His syndicate of owners include Kelso’s Eric Gillie and former Southern Reporter editor, John Smail, from Selkirk.

“Ever since Kanturk Bank came to us he’s always jumped well, popping away over cross country fences. He’s a natural,” he added. A previous point-to-point winner, the gelding was opening his account under rules.

Scottish trainers accounted for six of the afternoon’s seven races at Ayr, on March 10, with Nick Alexander celebrating a treble.

The Fife handler’s first win came with novice handicap chase winner Marlee Massie, who held stablemate, Buffalo Ballet, by a neck. “I expected it to be close between my two,” he admitted. “They’ve both done well and would probably prefer better ground.”

Gold Opera made it a double when the sole finisher of a three-strong 2½-mile handicap chase. The eight-year-old has now won three of his last five starts.

“That was fortuitous,” conceded Nick, “and he is going to need a break now. He’s not the type that can take several races together.”

Another Mattie completed the hat-trick to land the amateur riders handicap hurdle race in the hands of the trainer’s son, Kit. “He is an honest horse and has dropped to a mark of 115 after reaching 125,” said Nick, adding: “I thought he might win at Newcastle last time.”

Neighbouring trainer, Lucinda Russell, was also in winning form at the fixture, saddling Vertigo to win the maiden hurdle race. “He is not a big horse, but he’s got a great attitude,” she explained.

“He will be suited by going up to three miles and there’s a £10,000 handicap at Hexham that looks right for him.”

On the all-weather at Newcastle the same day, Glasgow trainer, Jim Goldie won the five-furlong handicap with 14-1 chance Sea of Green.

Nick Alexander notched his fourth win in two days, when The Bishop scored at Ayr the following afternoon. The 3-1 chance enjoyed a comfortable 12-length success in the 2m 5f handicap hurdle race.

“He just lost his confidence over fences, so we thought we’d bring him back over hurdles and this did look a weak race,” explained the Kinneston trainer. “He’ll probably go back over fences again now at Hexham at the end of the month.”

The victory provided Hawick jockey, Blair Campbell, with the second leg of his first double, having earlier ridden Imjoeking to win the handicap chase. Blair was deputising for the injured Derek Fox.

Coylton trainer, Ian Duncan, saddled Lochnell to win the mares’ handicap hurdle race, beating stablemate Spring Over.

“Of all my runners, Lochnell was the one that was most suited to the ground,” said the Ayrshire trainer. “She ran over fences last time because that looked a suitable race and she will go chasing again, but she is far better on soft ground.”

Jockey, Brian Hughes, completed a treble, riding Calix Delafayette to head the concluding bumper. “We’ve waited a long time to run him as he’s very green,” said Langholm trainer, James Ewart.

“He would probably prefer better ground. We’ll put him away now and bring him back next season over hurdles.”

The Nicky Richards-trained Progress Drive got up by a neck to land the opening novices’ hurdle race for owner Alistair Cochrane.

Northumberland handler Victor Thompson won the two-mile handicap chase at Market Rasen, on March 12, with 9-1 chance Gin Cobbler, while young Harry Reed rode a 4-1 winner at Plumpton, on March 13. The Northumberland teenager won the mares’ handicap hurdle race riding Funny Oyster.

Sky Full of Stars followed up a victory over hurdles the previous week, to score over fences at Catterick on March 8 for James Ewart. The seven-year-old justified favouritism to post a six-length win in the novice handicap chase.

Two Hawick-born trainers saddled winners at Newcastle on March 7.

Iain Jardine sent Plus Jamais from his Carrutherstown stable to land the handicap chase, while Keith Dalgleish saddled Niceandeasy to a victorious debut in the concluding bumper.

Irvine jockey Danny Tudhope rode Showboating to a 7-1 success in the one-mile handicap at Southwell.