AS NATIONAL Hunt racing enters the busy Christmas period the Kings Caple yard of Venetia Williams was in great form at Hereford races on Wednesday with an impressive double from their Flowing Cadenza and Alcedo both ridden by Charlie Deutsch.

Flowing Cadenza was sent off 7/4 favourite in the Mares Chase Series final to reverse her second placed run behind her main market rival Credo last time out and her supporters were confident from the start.

Deutsch kept it simple on the progressive eight-year-old and allowed her to stride on from her seven rivals over the three-mile one-furlong trip and they cruised home to an easy eight and a half length win over Credo with third placed Lilith twenty-five lengths further back.

The stable struck in the concluding two-mile Bumper race when Alcedo confirmed pre-race confidence with a highly impressive four and a quarter length win over runner-up Ballybegg Moss.

Deutsch again was content to have his mount to the fore in the nine-runner race but once he asked the four year old son of Vadamoss to lengthen in the final three furlongs the partnership strode clear easily.

Although better known as a Flat race trainer Archie Watson is operating at an impressive strike-rate and he took his record to eight winners from sixteen runners for the season when his Grove Road won the three mile one and a half furlong novice hurdle.

The unbeaten six-year-old showed his class in a close finish, needing all of jockey Adam Wedges strength, to deny the runner-up Mr Vango but Watson thinks the chestnut is capable improving again and up in grade saying:

"He was due to run at Cheltenham but it was called off, so now we'll be looking at the River Don at Doncaster," he said.

Jockey Harry Skelton also scored a double at the track with the Peter Bowen-trained Equus Dancer gaining success in the two-mile five furlong handicap chase and for his trainer-brother Dan Skelton on, Heezer Geezer in the two-mile three and a half furlong maiden hurdle.

Lisvane based trainer Sam Thomas had a welcome winner for owner Dai Walters as their Deere Mark opened the meeting with a 16/5 win in the fourteen runner two mile novices hurdle, confirming the promise of a previous run at Cheltenham.