SOMERVILLE Lad, who was the four-year-old and supreme ridden hunter champion at Dublin last summer for owner Patrice Dorney and rider PJ Casey, made a winning debut on British soil and took his first tricolour for Robert Walker at North of England Spring Show last weekend.

The Emperor Augustus five-year-old, bred by John Simpson, first won his novice age class before going on to take the overall hunter championship. Owner Jill Day bought Somerville Lad just before Christmas.