A TREMENDOUS day's racing took place at Milborne St Andrew when the South Dorset Hunt held their meeting where 82 horses took part in the seven races.

On ground that many National Hunt courses would be most envious of, clerk of the course Graham Tory received many plaudits for producing such a superb surface to race on and his efforts were well rewarded by the very high turnout.

Those in particular who will remember the day will be Jade Barber who saddled her first winner as a trainer, Nick Williams who rode his first winner on his return to the saddle this season and the impressive winner of the Ladies' Race Argocat, ridden by his owner Sarah Rippon.

The meeting began with the closest finish of the day when Swincombe Toby ridden by Lorcan Williams just headed Troed Y Melin, ridden by Jamie Thomas, in the shadow of the winning post and won by a head in the Maiden race run over two-and-a- half miles.

After his poor run at Larkhill last week, the winner did not wear the tongue tie that was applied then and this certainly produced a much improved performance.

Boher Call jumped his way to victory in the Hunt race for one of his three owners Dr George Bingham and had two lengths in hand over Creative Inerta, ridden by Darren Andrews.

Kilcrea Bridge was a winner for Wales when the gelding responded to Nick Williams strong riding to hold off the late challenge of Where’s Wilma ridden by Martin McIntyre in the Open Maiden race.

Barber got off the mark as a trainer in the Restricted race when Blackwater Bramble made most of the running under Martin McIntyre.

Argocat was the most impressive winner of the day when easily winning the Ladies' Open race under Rippon.

Paying her first ever visit to Milborne St Andrew she explained that she fell off the gelding at Thorpe Lodge last week and as he seemed so well she thought he could take his chance to run again.

This time there was no mistake and the partnership won by a distance.

Another easy winner was Facile Bien in the Men's Open race, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen, and owned by his father Robert.

The Dapper Fox outstayed his rivals to win the final race of the day, the Novice Riders race, under his owner and rider Jack Veysey.