RICHARD Johnson may have had to settle for second place in the Jockey's Championship last season but he was back scoring winners at his local track as the Madley jockey scored a double on the card at Hereford.

Striking first aboard Native Daisy in the selling hurdle for Westbury on Severn trainer John O'Shea, Johnson went on to complete his double with a win for his retained stable of Phillip Hobbs when he partnered Picacho to an easy victory in the mares only novices hurdle.

Jockey Christian Williams endured a frustrating last season, curtailed by a serious shoulder injury, but he showed he is fighting his way back with a win aboard the Evan Williams trained Sky Warrior in the extended three-mile one-furlong handicap chase.

Under a determined ride, Sky Warrior just had enough reserves to hold on to record a length win over Good Man Again, with Lets Go Dutch only a head away in third place.

Evan Willams was also in double form with the win of Gan Eagla, in the hands of jockey Paul Maloney, in the two-mile three-furlong beginners chase.

Maloney sent his mount at the front from flag fall and they were never troubled to score by four lengths from runner up Armariver.

Local stables were in fine from at the Cheltenham Hunterchase evening with wins for the Bromsash yard of Marilyn Scudamore, Shobdon trainer Steve Flook, and Paul Davies who trains near Bromyard.

Scudamore struck in the opening two-mile event when the 14-year-old Galway, who performs the role of Scudamore's hack in the yard, gave a vintage performance under Jeremy Mahot.

Canon Bridge scored for Paul Davies and rider Dai Jones in the Champion Hunters Chase, jumping superbly to record the veteran jockey's second win in the race - 10 years after his success with another horse from the area in Celtic Abbey.

Over recent years Shobdon trainer Flook has had an enviable record at the evening meeting and he scored once again with Beauchamp Oracle in the Colin Nash Memorial Chase under rider Alex Merriam who was deputising for Jodie Hughes.