WHILE there seems little chance of her rivals catching Gina Andrews while she sits on the 12-win mark as she nurses her broken collarbone, her nearest challenger, Immy Robinson, notched up her fifth victory of the campaign when landing the restricted at Friars Haugh on Sunday with Beggars Bush.

The eight-year-old Mahler gelding, who was bred by Martin Cullinane out of the Among Men mare Home For Good, is trained by the rider’s mother Caroline Robinson (nee Beasley) of Eliogarty fame. The pair had a long drive up from Shropshire for this Jedforest meeting, the first of the season in Scotland, but were rewarded for their efforts when the always-prominent Beggars Bush, who had unseated his rider in his two previous runs this season, won by five lengths.

There was just one other Irish-bred winner on the seven-race card that being the John Marshall-owned and trained Costly Dream who claimed the three-mile maiden in the hands of Ross Wilson. The seven-year-old Yeats gelding was bred by Anthony O’Flaherty out of the Repriced mare What Price Love.

There were just two Irish-bred winners also at Cocklebarrow, the first, Timmie Row, an eight-year-old Vinnie Row gelding ridden by Phil York, landing the restricted to initiate a training double for Tim Underwood. The second was the Skinner’s ladies open winner Southfield Theatre who, in the colours of Angela Yeoman, was ridden by Lily Bradstock for her trainer mother Sara.

The opening hunt race went to The Caller who gave George Henderson a win on his second ride back following a five-year absence from the sport due to a broken back and pelvis.

Gina Andrews attended Sunday’s Midlands Area meeting at Thorpe Lodge where her husband, Tom Ellis, trained two winners.

The first, the seven-year-old Kalanisi mare Kalabaloo, initiated a double in the conditions race for Dale Peters which the rider competed in division two of the maiden on Hadmeathello who was making his British debut. Peters also trains this former Colin Bowe charge, a six-year-old Milan gelding who was bred by Peter McCrea out of the unraced Presenting mare Correctandpresent, an own-sister to Marello.

The first division was won by the eight-year-old Witness Box gelding Thomas Shelby who was ridden by Alex Vaughan-Jones for trainer Gerald Bailey. The pointing debutante was bred by James Hannon out of the Buckskin mare Deemiss, dam of the six-time track winner, Whinstone Boy.

There were very few runners at Higham where rider Dickie Collinson and trainer Andrew Pennock initiated a double in the opening four-runner maiden with Bullsempire who saw off the odds-on favourite, Josh The Plod, by a length. The winner, a six-year-old by Papal Bull, is the second of just two recorded produce out of the Second Empire mare Satanella.

The pair had to settle for second in the men’s open as Steeles Terrace went down by six lengths to the US-bred Broken Eagle who initiated separate doubles for his trainer Alan Hill and rider Archie Wright. The latter completed his in the conditions race on the 10-year-old Blueprint gelding, Burtredgipandgump.

Hill went on to saddle the amazing French-bred Start Royal who, at the age of 15, landed the three-runner Skinner’s ladies open under Izzie Marshall. The Starborough bay has now won at least one race for 12 consecutive seasons.