THERE were a few northern-bred winners on the racecourse in the past weeks starting with Firm Order who landed the amateur handicap chase at Sandown recently for the Paul Webber yard. The nine-year-old Winged Love gelding was bred by Edmund Arthur out of the unraced Mister Lord mare Fairylodge Scarlet. This family features Bitofapuzzle who scored for the fourth time in four starts when making a winning debut over hurdles at Wincanton last week. Arthur also bred a 2009 skewbald filly out of Fairylodge Scarlet by the tri-coloured three-star eventer Glenhill Gold.

On Saturday at Chepstow, Rebecca’s Choice won the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial Handicap Chase half an hour before Thunder And Rain landed the bumper. The 11-year-old Religiously gelding Rebecca’s Choice was bred by David Adair out of the unraced Carlingford Castle mare Carolin Lass, dam also of the four-time winner No Complaint (by Acting Brave). Rebecca’s Choice is due to line-up for the Welsh National, December 27th.

Thunder And Rain is trained by Peter Bowen whose son Sean was in the saddle on Saturday and also when the six-year-old finished second at Fakenham last month. On his only other start, when ridden by Wilson Renwick and trained by Keith Dalgleish, the Craigsteel gelding was beaten three-parts of a length into second by the Stuart Crawford-trained Izzini at Newcastle in April. Thunder And Rain was bred by Ballygowan’s Billy Magill out of the Glacial Storm mare Old Cup, an unraced half-sister to the 10-time winner Petty Bridge (by Weavers’ Hall).

Bred by Hugh Pat McCusker, Arden Denis won a novices’ handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter on Tuesday for the Tom Symonds yard. The five-year-old Generous gelding is the last of nine recorded produce out of the unraced Mandalus mare Christian Lady, the dam of three previous track winners.