TRAINERS Colin McBratney and Ian Ferguson were among the sponsors at the Ratcheugh Racing Club point-to-point in Alnwick, Northumberland last Sunday and Colin explains how they became involved.

“Clare Moore, who owns The Jazz Singer, was at Down Royal for the festival last month and when chatting to Ian and me, told us how difficult it was for their local point-to-point to get sponsorship. Her son Christopher is involved with the Ratcheugh meeting so we said we’d like to help if we could, and so found ourselves sponsoring a race apiece.”

Colin McBratney Racing sponsored the two and a half mile open maiden for four, five and six-year-olds where trainer/farrier Justin Landy initiated a treble when winning with Weston Flame. The British-bred Westerner mare beat the Irish-bred Dynamic Island (ex Shirley Berry), who was having his first start in Britain.

Back in third came Bentons Lad, a five-year-old Bollin Eric gelding who started his career on the flat in his native Britain but spent most of this year in the care of McBratney who ran him over hurdles both here and in Scotland.

On his final start in Ireland, Bentons Lad finished second on his pointing debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Toomebridge.

The concluding restricted race at Alnwick, sponsored by Ian Ferguson Racing, provided a real family winner in For A Change.

The Milan gelding, whose only previous success came when Martin Cullinane sent him out to land a confined maiden at Rockfield in November 2013, was ridden by Rory Bevin whose father William owns the 10-year-old while his mother Louise trains the bay.