WATCHYOURBACK, ridden by Claire Allen, atoned for her early departure in the Ladies Open race at the Garnons fixture a fortnight ago by storming back to form to take the Hereford Times Ladies Open race at the South Herefordshire Hunt fixture at the Garnons track on Sunday.

Allowing the veteran 14-year-old Stormhill Stag to cut out most of the early running, it was only over the final four fences that Watchyourback, who was sent off a heavily odds-on favourite, asserted.

They were left well clear at the final fence as Stormhill Stag parted company with his rider Katie Cooper leaving Allen aboard the favourite to come home a distance winner.

Ex champion jockey Julian Pritchard struck in the first race on the card aboard the Clive Hitchings owned and Andy Hobbs trained Premium First.

Pritchard was content to allow the improving seven-year-old to make all in the six runner field and they always had too much in reserve for the four-length runner-up Fiesty Frosty ridden by Michael Scudamore.

Pritchard later completed a double when he just managed to force the favourite Stag Party up on the line to take the honours by a head from runner-up Bold Tactics who had looked all over the winner on the run-in in the PPORA Club members race.

Another jockey in double form was David Mansell who took a division of the Restricted Open race on Itsalf, defeating the Claire Allen ridden favourite Crested Penguin. He then took a division of the young horse maiden race on Ban Dubh, defeating Niche Market who had looked all over the winner until losing the race close to the winning post.

Niche Market's rider Michael Keel had compensation half an hour later when he produced the ex-Irish, Penny Grainger trained Sheila's Legacy at the second last fence and the partnership scored easily by eight lengths.

The final Maiden race on the card went to Alfie Valentine, trained at Preston Wynne by Pam Ford, and ridden by her husband Ken who confirmed 3/1 favouritism over the Julian Pritchard ridden runner-up Coddington Susie.

RESULTS

Confined: 1 Premium First (J Pritchard) 4/7 fav, 2 Fiesty Frosty 5/1, 3 Samuel Wilderspin 7/2. 6 ran.

Ladies: 1 Watchyourback (C Allen) 1/ 4 Fav, 2 Ela Agapi Mou 7/1, 3 Stormhiull Stag 5/1. 3 ran.

Restricted (Div 1): 1 Itsalf (D Mansell) 4/1, 2 Crested Penguin 4/5 Fav, 3 John Storm 10/1. 8 ran.

Restricted (Div2): 1 Moonoki (P Mason) 4/5 fav, 2 Selassie 4/1, 3 Weallwayswillbeone 4/1. 8 ran.

Open: 1 Un Jour A Vassy (A Ralph) 2/7 fav, 2 Woodenbridge Natif 20/1 3 Distracting 6/1. 8 ran.

PPORA Club: 1 Stag Party (J Pritchard) 4/7 fav, 2 Bold Tactics 7/2, 3 Nativetrial 20/1. 7 ran.

Maiden 4,5,6,7 yo (Div 1) 2m4F: 1 Ban Dubh (D Mansell) 4/1, 2 Niche Market 7/2, 3 Bizarre Native 4/1. 9 ran.

Maiden 4,5,6,7 yo (Div 2) 2m4F: 1 Sheila's Legacy (M Keel) 8/1, 2 Amore Mio 4/1, 3 Amazing Proposal 6/4 fav. 10 ran.

Maiden 8 yo + : 1 Alfie Valentine (K Ford) 3/1 Fav, 2 Coddington Susie 8/1, 3 A Proper Charlie 5/1. 13 ran.