THE FATHER and son combination of trainer Matt Sheppard and rider Stan Sheppard were local winners at Hereford Racecourses as the Eastnor pair teamed up to score with Mactavish in the two-mile five-and-a-half furlong novices Handicap Hurdle.

Sent off 11/4, Mactavish was always prominent in the nine-runner field under Sheppard and once he moved up at the third last hurdle to dispute the lead he could called the winner, writes Graham Saveker

Owned by Barry Hawkins the six-year-old was following up his good third place at the previous meeting and could follow this up win again.

It has long been held that any horse running in the Cheltenham festival Bumper should be followed and the top-class Favour And Fortune, who won twice last season before finishing down the field in the Champion Bumper again showed that was correct and won the two-mile novice hurdle.

Despite a mistake at the penultimate hurdle Favour and Fortune easily justified odds-on favouritism finishing 13 lengths clear of runner-up Flight Of Freedom under jockey Tom Cannon

Trainer Alan King was relieved after the success, he said: "We were delighted, but also relieved. We've always thought he was a very good horse – it's great when they go and do it like that first time.

"He came home lame from Cheltenham, he pulled some muscles between his front legs, so you really want to put a line through that. He'd had a good summer and we've been happy with his work this autumn."

"He missed the second-last a little bit but he'll learn from that. He's quite a light horse and he wouldn't want a lot of racing, so we'll give him a bit of time and find another small novice where he can carry a penalty."

Downton trainer Henry Daly was also in the winner’s enclosure after the win of Braganza Bay in the extended three-mile handicap chase, giving him his third winner of the season.