JOCKEY Tommie O’Brien, based with Much Marcle trainer Tom Lacey, was in from at the new Monmouth Showground point to point fixture, organised by Ross Harriers, scoring a double with wins aboard Get Rio and Grove Castle.

Held up early Get Rio was always travelling well in the nine runner race and produced a well-timed run to lead approaching two out and easily swept by her rivals to win by ten lengths with Jeans Lady in the runners up berth.

O’Brien’s double was completed on Grove Castle in Division I of the three-mile Maiden where he was content to keep a watching brief while Ardview Boy and Bourbon Prince set the early pace, before he again produced his mount with a well timed run to lead between the final two fences.

Arguably the training performance of the day was provided by Magheral Express for trainer Julie Mansell who overcame an absence of almost two and a half years to prevail in the Restricted.

Jockey Dave Mansell had the unconsidered outsider tucked away just behind the leaders as Double You Be set the early pace but cruising up to the lead on the home turn and stormed clear to win easing down by six lengths.

The winning jockey said: “We were not expecting that, I thought as he had been off the course for so long, he would run out of steam by three out, but he just keeps galloping and was running away with me turning for home – he just kept going."

Last year's Champion Jockey Alex Edwards was also on the scoresheet when he teamed up with Following Mama in the second division of the Conditions race but the eight-year-old was a three-quarters of a length winner from the veteran ex-chaser Rigadin De Beauchene, who stayed on very strongly and would surely have won in another 50 yards.