THE third of the four meetings to be held at Alnwick this season attracted another bumper crowd and both Alan Wilson and Tom Oates deserve huge plaudits for having the course in such good nick.

Bafana Choice was recording its fifth course win when landing the opening members race with the minimum of fuss from Senor Alco and long time leader Fine Parchment by twenty five lengths and a distance.

The winner is owned and trained by George White former secretary of the Percy Hunt and may have the Buccleuch Cup at Kelso in April as its main target for the season.

Nick Orpwood rode a waiting race on Always Tipsy in the men's open and despite being three lengths down at the final fence Nick drove his horse past former stable mate Rossinini’s Dancer for a half length success and landed the Alnwick Races Champion Horse Award for owner Alan Wight in the process.

Another former stable mate of the winner, Wicklow Lad was eight lengths back in third.

Odds on favourite for the ladies open Knocklong was looking for compensation after departing three fences from home at the last meeting here when in a clear lead.

Never far off the pace jockey Catherine Walton brought her mount through to jump two out upsides the leader and going on jumped the last with a three length lead.

Catherine pushed her mount out to hold Trop Fort and Kilcross Boy to win by three lengths and five lengths.

Evergreen Will Ramsay aboard former Rose Dobbin inmate Pyjama Game just got the better of the fast finishing My Lady West by a head in the NPPA club members race.

It is more than 25 years since Will rode his first winner and he remains as enthusiastic and competitive as he was before his initial success. Royal Chatelier finished twelve lengths further back in third.

There was a terrific training performance by Bill Hughes when his Ballingarrow who was having its first run for more than two years and only its fourth run career run since 2012 when it finished an eight length second in an Irish point to Faugheen.

Disputing the lead until jockey Donal Delahunt sent him on between seven and six fences from home and despite being marginally headed two out Ballingarrow had a slender lead at the last and produced a better jump than the runner up to go a length up and despite Joe Wright’s urgings on Robin De Boss the winning line came in time for Ballingarrow to record a half length success. The Philippa Shirley-Beavan owned/trained Sorcier finished ten lengths away third.

The final race, the open maiden race, had to be divided as only four of the 25 entries didn’t face the starter and with the safety factor being set at 18.

Division one produced a very exciting finish with three horses in the air together at the last fence and long time leader Active In Milan bravely held off Yorkshire raider Crazy Penguin and Lord Usher in a driving finish to win by a neck.

Division two went to the Kelly Bryson ridden Roderick Random who quickly put the race to bed between the last two fences, drawing readily clear and producing a good jump at the last Kelly allowed her mount to coast home 20 lengths clear of Jupiters Way who held the only other finisher Fayre Enough by half a length to finish second.