JOCKEY Andrew Thornton has endured a frustrating season with injuries but he showed he can still perform with a polished performance aboard front-running Pauntley Gofa to win the two-mile handicap chase at Hereford.

Aboard the 11-year-old 20/1 outsider in the 11-runner field, Thornton had his mount at the head of affairs from flag-fall and, despite the challenges from the well-fancied duo of Bollitree Bob and Just Muckin Around throughout the final circuit, held on well to win by four lengths.

Thornton said afterwards: "My plan was to bounce out and hold a position where he was comfortable and it happened to be in front and it worked."

The meeting, staged at short notice after Taunton racecourse withdrew, attracted a good-sized crowd and they saw another accomplished performance from jockey Jamie Moore in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle aboard Gabier, although this was a waiting-race compared to Thornton's success.

Riding for his trainer father Gary Moore, Jamie Moore was content to bide his time throughout the race and with supreme confidence aboard the even-money favourite he allowed Gabier to hit the front on the run-in to sweep past runner-up Commemoration Day and third-placed Archimboldo.

The extended three-mile hunterchase saw another success for a favourite and another waiting-race executed by the jockey.

This time it was amateur Josh Guerriero who stylishly allowed his mount to track the leading Young Thruster for a large part of the race, only to quicken up approaching the final fence and pass runner-up Phar City on the run in.

The performance of the race was the recovery from jockey Felix de Giles aboard Young Thruster at the final fence in the back straight that would have dislodged many a professional. But he kept the partnership intact and still had his mount back in contention at the second last, but to no avail.