Tony Charlton trains first winner since taking over the licence at Milton Harris's yard

Tony Charlton, who was granted a temporary licence to operate at Milton Harris’s yard at the start of December, sent out his first winner over jumps when Ikarak justified 11-10 favouritism in the 2m6f novice hurdle.

Charlton was assistant to Harris before that trainer was placed under an interim suspension by the BHA last month for a reason that has not been specified.

Ikarak was the fourth runner Charlton had sent out from Harris’s Sutton Veny stable in Wiltshire, and became the first winner in his own name since Sariba landed a Lingfield seller on the all-weather in 2004.

The winner of two chases in France, including one at Auteuil on his final start for Francois Nicolle, Ikarak recorded his first success in Britain at Worcester in October.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned five-year-old followed up that victory to provide Bradley Harris with a winner on his first ride at Newcastle.

“I was always confident,” Harris told Sky Sports Racing. “He was looking for a bit of company, but as soon as we turned in and they came upsides me I gave him a squeeze and he just lengthened all the way to the line. I’m very happy with him.”

Harris rides Shallow River for Charlton at Bangor in front of the ITV4 cameras on Friday, and on the chances of another winner the conditional added: “He’s been hitting the post a few times. He’s been second three times now so hopefully a step up to three miles might bring out a bit of improvement in him.”

Gamble landed

North Parade was available at 10-1 on Thursday morning for the 2m4½f handicap hurdle for conditional riders but was backed into 16-5 favouritism and duly obliged under William Maggs.

The Sue Smith-trained eight-year-old relished the step up in trip to score by a neck. Smith was denied a double when East Street was beaten a neck by Court At Slip in the 2m7½f handicap chase.

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