'It's been very quiet and I've even thought of giving up at times. I'm over the moon'

A jockey without a win for 141 days, who was thinking of giving up, and a trainer on a ten-week losing run, who was celebrating her birthday, combined for the perfect result in the Racing Post Go North series on Saturday.

Les's Legacy was a dream winner of the 2m5f Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle final, coming from last to first to reward a long-term plan for Susan Corbett on the day she turned 67.

The jockey carrying out the tactics to perfection was 7lb claimer Dillan Hurst, who said: "This means a lot, it's the biggest winner of my career. 

"It's been very quiet and I've even thought of giving up at times. But these are the days that keep you going. I'm over the moon about it.

"It's hard, the less you ride, the less rides you get. I hope this may spiral things in the right direction." 

Hurst, 25, has ridden Les's Legacy in every race this season and said: "He can be free so we kept a hold of him for a long time and I know he'll stay further than that."

Corbett paid tribute to the jockey and said: "Dillan gave him a textbook ride. He doesn't get many opportunities outside the yard but he's definitely worth his claim – times quite a lot!"

She was delighted to land a £30,000 race and said: "It's good when a plan works because quite often it doesn't. This has been the plan since the Go North series came out. I try to have something for each race and we thought Les's Legacy would be better over this two miles five than the two miles, although he qualified for both.

"The yard hasn't been in brilliant form but I hope we've turned a corner now. This whole series is an excellent idea – and it's even more excellent now I've actually managed to win one!"

Jockey Dillan Hurst (left) and trainer Susan Corbett (right) celebrated victory with Les's LegacyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

'This can't be missed'

Paddy Brennan was riding at Stratford on Kelso's Go North Finals card last year but spotted the riches on offer here — and was rewarded 12 months on.

He landed the £50,000 Herring Queen Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle on 6-4 favourite Bonttay, racing in first-time cheekpieces for Fergal O'Brien.

When asked for the background to his only mount over the Go North weekend, the jockey said: "I remember this race last year and I said 'We’ve got to support it.' I watched it and saw the prize-money on offer and I thought ‘this can’t be missed’. We’ll be back next year!

"Bonttay did it well, she’s a lovely mare and she loved the ground. The cheekpieces definitely made a difference."

Elvis is king

Elvis Mail may have got no further than the first hurdle in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham but he coped fine with all 17 fences in the £35,000 3m2f chase here and scored by a decisive seven and a half lengths under Bruce Lynn.

"It's funny how it works out," said trainer Nick Alexander. "Maybe running loose in front of the crowd at Cheltenham giving him a roar has woken him up again! 

"At five to ten on Thursday I had to choose between a two-and-a-half-mile hurdle at Bangor or this. I chose to come here because my mother is part-owner and I knew she'd be cross if I sent him to Wales when she was coming here for the day. Mother knows best!"

Going two better

Bertie's Ballet won the Jodami National Hunt Flat Race race final under Conor O'Farrell for Dianne Sayer, 12 months after finishing third in the same race.

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