'I think it's good for the north' - Racing Post-backed Go North series hailed a huge success

Alistair Whillans on Monday hailed the Racing Post Go North Weekend as a success after overseeing a profitable few days for the family's Scottish stable while son and trainer Ewan was in Egypt on honeymoon.

Whillans handed over the reins to his son in 2021 after a training career spanning more than 30 years and he was back in familiar territory when saddling a 169-1 double at Carlisle on Sunday.

Hold The Note's victory in the 3m½f handicap chase final, which was preceded by a win for stablemate Topkapi Star, was the highlight of the weekend for the Hawick stable. 

The yard had six runners across the three days, which incorporated Musselburgh on Friday and Kelso on Saturday, and also collected prize-money when Scots Poet was third in the 2m1½f handicap hurdle final.

Uptown Harry provides trainer Jane Walton with her biggest success in the Monet's Garden Series Final

"It was a series we targeted and we had quite a good return," Whillans said. "I was discussing it with other trainers yesterday and I think it's good for the north. They might not be the highest-rated races, but 90 per cent of the runners are northern horses.

"We looked at the Challenger Series but there will be a lot more southern horses there, so we thought the northern one would be easier."

The ten-race series, each with finals worth at least £30,000, was set up to provide valuable targets for mid-tier horses in the north and, although open to all trainers regardless of location, many of the prizes stayed in the region.

Five-horse trainer Jane Walton enjoyed her biggest success when Uptown Harry won the 2m4f handicap chase final at Carlisle, while her Northumberland neighbour Susan Corbett won a final at Kelso with Les's Legacy.

The only one of the finals not won by a northern stable was Bonttay's success in the mares' novice handicap hurdle for Fergal O'Brien, who was alerted to the £50,000 prize by jockey Paddy Brennan.

Whillans was delighted by the return to form of Hold The Note, who was twice placed at the Cheltenham Festival for former trainer Mick Channon, as he hands back control to his son with the yard in great shape.

"Hold The Note has had a few problems but we look to have got to the bottom of them now, and hopefully he can go on from there," he said.

"I wish we could go for the Scottish National but he'll struggle to get in off his revised mark. However, we could target the novice handicap chase on the same day at Ayr, which we won a few years ago with Samstown.

"Ewan flies back tonight. I've had three winners in eight days since he went away, so he's got a lot to live up to."

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