Morpeth amateur jockey, Amie Waugh, landed the YoungsRPS Northern Area ladies championship for the first time at the recent Border card, at Hexham Racecourse.

Her day, with a winner and four placed rides, brought the curtain down on the 2017/18 Northern Area point-to-point season.

Her father, Simon’s lightly raced home-bred gelding, Royal Flush, had finished like a train when only beaten half a length by Treliver Manor at Balcormo Mains, last month and proved that was no fluke when reversing the placings in emphatic fashion in the Bed Experts’ restricted race.

Always going well, Amie’s mount was sent on again a mile from home and steadily increased his advantage after three out to score by 12 lengths. Coincidentally, his dam, Mystical Feelings opened her account in a 2m 4f open maiden contest on the Haydon card at Hexham in May, 2005.

The North’s senior jockey, Jamie Alexander (53) put any plans for retirement on hold after belatedly partnering his first winner of the season on ex-chaser, Allthekingshorses in the Par Petroleum NPPA conditions race. Always prominent, the 12-year-old Fife raider rallied to regain the initiative from Royal Avatar and Lough Derg Island on the run-in to win by two lengths.

‘’He jumps better in front,’’ said Jamie of his charge, which is trained at Kinneston by his brother, Nick. The gelding has now won four of his 12 pointing starts since being bought in early 2016 out of the Philip Hobbs’ yard.

Jamie opened his account on Fordstown, at Lanark, in February, 1996, and this latest success takes his career tally to 35 – comprising 33 between the flags and two hunter chases.

Alison Christmas made the three-hour journey from Silkstone Common, near Barnsley, pay dividends when her evergreen 13-year-old gelding, Carlos Gardel landed the Rose, Andrew and Friends of the Border Hunt men’s open race in the hands of John Dawson.

He stole a three-length advantage after three out and that proved to be decisive as Clonea Power was pegging him back in the closing stages, but still had half a length to find at the line.

Laura Fenwick’s mount, Abbeyview, still held every chance when unseating three out at Mosshouses two weeks prior but made no mistakes when powering home five lengths ahead of Nicki’s Nipper in the Ryecroft Glenton 2m 4f conditions race.

Marauder came into the 12-runner Ward Hadaway open maiden with form figures of P6PPP but, seemingly transformed by a recent wind operation, the six-year-old recorded a surprise success under Jack Andrews. He had a prolonged duel throughout the final circuit with Caherelly, before edging in front near the line to snatch a neck verdict.

Dalby owner/trainer, Cherry Coward, said: ‘’This has always been a lucky track for us. We bought him out of Henry Candy’s yard at Ascot Sales, last June and he’d only had four runs on the all weather at Lingfield before then.’’

The win completed a great week for Andrews, who works full-time in Coward’s yard, following his victory on Pass The Hat in a Southwell hunters’ chase five days earlier.

Jessica Bedi (21) made it three wins from only nine rides in her debut season on Iron Chancellor in the Le Petit Chateau ladies’ open race. Always in the leading trio, her mount kept the favourite, Winged Crusader, at bay from six out and still had four lengths in hand at the line.

This victory ensured that Jessica remained in pole position for the coveted Princess Royal Trophy, which is awarded each year to the leading U21 lady novice rider in the country.

Tom Hamilton (37pts) carried off the Albert Bartlett (Airdrie) men’s jockeys’ championship for a second time with his nearest challengers, Connor Wood and Alex Chadwick, both finishing on 19pts.

After heading the ladies’ standings for the last two months, Gilston-based Charlotte Dun drew a blank on her only ride at Hexham to finish 5pts behind Amie.

Glittering Love, owned by Paul and Clare Rooney, won both the £500 George F White champion horse award and the novice horse championship, while the Duncan Davidson-owned Worcester Pearmain was the leading mare.

For the record, the 11 surviving Northern Area fixtures – the West Percy, Duke of Buccleuch’s, Cumberland Farmers and Morpeth were abandoned – had a total of 478 runners with an average of 6.73 per race and 43.45 runners per meeting; 51.18% of 934 entries faced the starter and there was an average of 84.91 entries per meeting, a figure surpassed only once in the last four seasons.

Leading awards:

NPPA conditions race – 1, Allthekingshorses (J Alexander) 10/1, 2, Lough Derg Island (A Chadwick), 3, Whiteabbey (Miss A Waugh), five ran, 2, 1.5; Jamie Alexander (Fife).

Restricted – 1, Royal Flush (Miss A Waugh) 5/2, 2, Treliver Manor (L Ruddy), 3, Poetic Presence (J Ferguson), 7 Ran, 12, dist; Simon Waugh (Morpeth).

Ladies open – 1, Iron Chancellor (Miss J Bedi) 3/1, 2, Winged Crusader (Miss A Waugh), 3, Lucky Cody (Miss A Duncan), 7 Ran, 4, dist; Sandra Barker (Hurworth).

Men’s open – 1, Carlos Gardel (J Dawson) 5/1, 2, Clonea Power (C Carr), 3, Rolling Thunder (N Orpwood), six ran, 0.5, 6; Alison Christmas and John Kilner (York and Ainsty South).

2m4f conditions – 1, Abbeyview (Miss L Fenwick) 7/4, 2, Nicki’s Nipper (Miss A Waugh), 3, Frontier Spirit (J Andrews), 8 Ran, 5, 0.5; Laura Fenwick, Derek Milburn and John Fenwick (Morpeth).

Open maiden – 1, Marauder (J Andrews) 10/1, 2, Caherelly (Miss A Waugh), 3, Niteinshininarmour (S Burton), 12 ran, neck, dist; Cherry Coward (Middleton).