CUSOP based trainer Katy Price celebrated a local winner at Hereford Racecourse on Monday when her Face d’Music won the Novices handicap hurdle owing much to the persistence of jockey Gavin Sheehan.

Detached at one point over the three-mile one-and-a-half-furlong event from his rivals, Sheehan persuaded his mount into the contest and once in amongst the action the pair could be called the winners approaching the final hurdle and they stayed on strongly to record a cosy one length win over runner-up Behind the Curtain.

With the title of Champion trainer last season going to Irish trainer Willie Mullins, the previous holder Paul Nicolls has made a fast start to regain his title and he struck twice at the meeting with the wins of Paddy De Pole and Swift Hawk.

Paddy the Pole, ridden by Freddie Gingell struck in the two miles three-and-a-half-furlong handicap hurdle, sweeping into the lead at the second last hurdle and winning by an easy 12 lengths.

This was Gingell’s third winner in two days after recording a double at Plumpton races on Sunday.

The double was completed in the final race when Swift Hawk, ridden by stable jockey Harry Cobden, scored in the two-mile handicap hurdle and this win, his seventh of the season gave him a 33% win percentage of runners to winners.

Abberley trainer Henry Oliver and jockey Lee Edwards were the pair to follow at Hereford Racecourse last week scoring with their runners Captain Attridge and Can’t beat History.

The pair struck first in the opening two-mile novices handicap hurdle where Captain Attridge was always travelling just that bit more strongly than the odds on favourite Sanitiser and despite an error at the final hurdle they stayed on strongly to score by two and three-quarter lengths.

The pair struck again later in the meeting when in the three mile one furlong handicap chase their Can’t Beat History powered clear to win by six lengths from runner-up Seignur Des As.

Winning jockey Lee Edwards explained after the race that his next stop was Nashville, Tennesse, not for the Country music scene but as he was scheduled to ride in hurdle races for owner friends who had horses entered there.

Trainer Tom Lacey continued his fine run with another winner as his Big Blue Moon, won the two miles three-and-a-half-furlong handicap hurdle.

Ridden by Stan Sheppard, Big Blue Moon, was sent off 16/5 in the field of 11 runners and he was always close to the head of affairs and once Sheppard sent him to the front at the second last hurdle they battled on well from the chasing duo of Notnowlinda and Soldierofthestrorm to win by one and a quarter lengths and a neck.