The Jedforest at Friars Haugh Kelso was an excellent second Northern Area meeting of the season and first Scottish Point to Point of 2000. The rain held of for the eight races which saw some very good racing and very close finishes. The official going

Reigning Mens Champion Jockey, Clive Storey, had an amazing and well deserved four winners with Rainbow Times in the Mens Open Race who was an easy winner. Highland Monarch, owned by Jenny Wauchope, was his second winner in the Restricted Race. This led for most of the race and won by a whisker on the line from Pauline Robson on the Jed horse Mountain Thyne. Clive Storey’s third winner was in the Mares Maiden race with the impressive Queen Biddy a surprise winner from the College Valley. Luke Morgan was second on Lady Alice, the Fife horse. The final winner for Clive was in the eighth and final race, Maiden division 2. Maximize, the unraced horse from eventer Ian Stark’s stable, steered clear of the promising Nisbet and Maxine Bremner who had an unlucky fall at the last and Tom’s Man with Tom Oats on board who came in a close second.

Talking of Maxine Bremner, she did well to win Maiden division 1 on Bill Hughes’ River Of Gold, a popular local winner beating Clive Storey on Happy Blake. Ladies Champion Pauline Robson won the Ladies Open Race, going well on Riparius, a newcomer to the Northern Area and a serious challenger for the season. Astrac Trio and Alison Hamilton fought on to be second.

It was a day for Robsons as Andrew Robson won the Intermediate Race on Riverside Run, a horse he trains, with the old favourites Boyupbrook and Tommy Morrison coming second. Paul Robson, a first time jockey from Hawick won the first of the afternoon, the Members Race on the Shirley Bevan’s The Alleycat in a very good race which saw Hookys Treat and Morag Neil come in second. If you think there is something dodgy with all these Robson’s, none of them are related.

The next Northern Area meeting is this Sunday, the 13^th February, the College Valley and North Northumberland at Ratheugh, Alnwick, first race 12.30.