ST BOSWELLS owners, Paul and Clare Rooney, have enjoyed a winning roll lately, seeing their colours carried to victory eight times in eight days.

Titi Makfi gave the Borders couple their most recent success, when the Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old got up by a head for a 12-1 win in the £25,500 Listed race on the all-weather at Kempton, on November 6.

The previous afternoon, the Ben Pauling-trained Willoughby Court made a victorious debut over fences to head the 2½-mile novice chase at Huntingdon, on November 5.

A winning weekend began on Saturday, at Ascot, when Go Conquer – in line to give the Rooneys another tilt at the Grand National next year – scooped the feature £100,000 handicap chase at Ascot. “He loves jumping and is a grand horse, said winning trainer, Jonjo O’Neill.

“He was going smashing in the Topham, but who can tell you if you’ve got a National horse? Our options are open, but he’s in the BetVictor or we could come to Ascot in December depending on the ground. A sounder surface is better for him, but not too fast.”

Who’s My Jockey gave the Rooneys a victory the previous afternoon, when landing the 2½-mile novice hurdle race at Uttoxeter, on November 3. That victory came on the back of another a day earlier, when Starchitect landed the two-mile handicap chase at Stratford, on November 2.

The Borders-based couple celebrated their third win in two days on October 31, with an across-the-card double.

The Keith Dalgleish-trained Mixboy headed the 1m 4f handicap at Catterick, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained One for Rosie was victorious at Bangor. Keith Dalgleish was also responsible for the Rooney winner on October 30 at Redcar, where I’m Improving landed the novice stakes.

There has been a huge following for Nakeeta, who made history as Scotland’s first runner in the prestigious £3.8m Melbourne Cup, in Australia, on Monday. Iain Jardine’s runner did Scotland proud to finish a creditable third, picking up some £102,000 prize-money for his gallant effort Down Under.

The Ebor victor has now collected over £250,000 in his last two runs. “We’re very proud to be first the Scots to have a runner,” said the Carrutherstown trainer, who travelled some 10,500 miles to compete at Flemington. “It’s what all the team work hard for every day.”

Langholm jockey Jamie Gormley had a winner at Catterick, partnering Ebitda to land the five-furlong handicap.

Selkirk jockey, Rachael McDonald, rode the Sandy Thomson-trained 2016 Borders National victor, Harry the Viking, to a 25-1 victory in the £15,640 three-mile handicap chase at Carlisle, on November 5, clinching victory by a head.

“I hope the handicapper won’t be too severe on him,” said the victorious Greenlaw trainer, whose wife Quona co-owns the 12-year-old with Jim Beaumont. “The plan has always been to go back for the Borders National and that might be it for him as he owes nobody anything.

Hawick handler, Alistair Whillans, made a worthwhile journey to Newmarket, on November 3, to see Donnachies Girl, in first time cheekpieces, post a 2-1 win in the 1m 4f fillies handicap in the hands of Hawick jockey, Rowan Scott.

“The prize money is so good it’s worth travelling,” said the trainer’s son, Ewan, who also praised the jockey. “Rowan gave Donnachies Girl a lovely ride.”

At Wetherby the same afternoon, Aristo Du Plessis headed the two-mile handicap hurdle race for Langholm trainer James Ewart; then Hawick jockey Jason Hart rode Castlebridge to win the five-furlong handicap on the all-weather at Newcastle.

Alistair Whillans was quickly back in the winner’s enclosure when Gun Case, in a first-time visor, scored on the all-weather at Newcastle, on November 4, heading the opening division of the seven-furlong handicap.

Over the jumps at Ayr, the same afternoon, Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell completed a double. She first saddled Miss Tiggy to an 8-1 win in the mares maiden hurdle race. This mare underwent pioneering surgery on a broken hind leg last year and defied an absence of 380 days to clinch victory by a neck.

“The vet put three pins in the damaged leg under standing sedation,” explained Lucinda. “We were just delighted to see her back racing.”

There was also a further victory for Arlary House stables when former Irish winning pointer, Ask The Tycoon, won the concluding maiden bumper. The 5-1 winner – a £22,000 purchase at Ascot sales – was ridden by Hawick jockey, Blair Campbell.

Another Hawick man in victorious form at the track was Craig Nichol, who rode the Pauline Robson-trained Martila to a 7-1 success in the two-mile handicap hurdle race. The winner carries the colours of East Lothian owners Ray and Anita Anderson Green.

“It was always the plan to try to win the race after she finished second in it last year. The ground conditions are not that important to her and she could go for the big handicap at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day,” he said.

Two Ayrshire jockeys ended October with winners – David Allan riding Quick Look to take the opening division of the six-furlong handicap, and Daniel Tudhope winning the second division on Short Work.

On the all-weather at Wolverhampton, Jim Goldie also saw out October with a winner when Thorntoun Lady scored in the six-furlong handicap for the Renfrewshire trainer.