'This is my favourite track now!' - Callum Pritchard over the moon after riding a double for John McConnell

Jockey Callum Pritchard rode his first winners for John McConnell with a double on the card for the County Meath trainer.

Andys Flame, whose last victory came at Downpatrick in March 2022, landed the 2m4f handicap chase by a short head an hour after Grade 2 runner-up Cloonainra justified odds-on favouritism in the 2m2f novice hurdle.

Pritchard told Racing TV: "This is my favourite track now! I rode Andys Flame as a spare for John at Cheltenham in October, and he must have been happy enough with how I rode. 

"Luckily, we've got a good connection and I ride most of the horses he brings over, which is great."

On Andys Flame, he added: "This lad's attitude got him the win. The boys said he jumps well at home, but hadn't put it together on the track. His jumping isn't as fluent as it could be, but he was good and tough. That will have done him the world of good."

The double took McConnell's strike-rate at the Borders track to a red-hot 39 per cent.

Shot on target

Veteran Half Shot enhanced his excellent course record with a narrow win in the feature 2m7½f handicap chase.

The Iain Jardine-trained 11-year-old's head success maintained his run of finishing in the first three in each of his seven starts at the track. 

Opera on song

Slaney Opera, owned, trained and ridden by Joe Wright, landed the historic Buccleuch Cup, a maiden hunter chase over 2m7½f.

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