'This is his time' - Maurice Barnes ends lengthy wait for winner with Saint Arvans

Maurice Barnes ended a six-month wait for a winner when Saint Arvans caused a surprise with an impressive victory in the feature 2m7½f handicap chase.

The Cumbria-based trainer had not been successful since October, but ended a 197-day drought with the 12-1 shot's three-and-three-quarter-length win under Tommy Dowson. It was a fifth winner of the season for Barnes.

"It was the first time we stepped him up to this trip and he got it well. There should be a few more races in him," he told Racing TV. "This is his time of year now as he wants better ground.

"He'll have a busy summer and one of his owners [David Carr] is a great man. He just says enter him somewhere, wherever it is, he'll turn up and watch him."

Brilliant Boy

Amateur rider Rosie Howarth enjoyed her first winner under rules this season when guiding Ballydonagh Boy to victory in the Buccleuch Cup.

The nine-year-old obliged by two and a half lengths in the 2m7½f contest on Howarth's first ride under rules this campaign, while it was also the successful point-to-point rider's first rules ride at the track.

The Buccleuch Cup has the longest continuous history of any race staged at Kelso, which celebrated its bicentenary raceday.

Brooke flying

Henry Brooke's strong form continued with a double on the card, headlined by Hashtag Boum's success in the 2m6½f handicap hurdle.

Brooke also won the second division of the 2m bumper on Lune De La Mer to take his strike-rate to 32 per cent in the last fortnight.

Welcome win

Trainer George Bewley had his first victory since November when Azof Des Mottes narrowly held on to win the 2m5½f handicap chase. 

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