After being marooned on 99 career winners under Rules since mid-December, Cumbrian trainer George Bewley was finally able to celebrate a milestone 100th winner at Hexham last Friday courtesy of Lahardaun ridden by son Jonathon.

After leading for much of the 2m4f Join The Vickers.Bet Free Bet Club Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle Race, the seven-year-old looked beaten when bottom weight Walk My Way (Emma Smith-Chaston) quickened clear off the home turn and was two lengths up at the last. However, Bewley's mount jumped the final flight more fluently and stayed on best into a strong headwind, regaining the initiative half-way up the run-in to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

Carrying the colours of Liz Annett, Lindasy Davidson and James Graham, the winner was bought privately in July 2023 after being placed on both completed Pointing starts in Ireland.

Bewley Snr, who farms at Colby near Appleby, couldn't make it to Hexham as he was busy lambing. For the record, his first winner under Rules was Geordies Express in the Buccleuch Cup Maiden Hunters' Chase at Kelso on April 8, 2002.

Winning Irish pointer Galunggung (Brian Hughes) returned from a 432-day absence to record a first success under Rules in the 2m Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices' Hurdle Race. After dictating the pace from the off, the eight-year-old faced challenges from the Lucinda Russell-trained pair Fox's Fancy (Derek Fox) and French Highlands (Alan Doyle) approaching the last where he made a slight mistake and was briefly headed. Showing a determined attitude on the run-in when the chips were down, Donald McCain's charge rallied to edge in front again and just did enough to keep Fox's Fancy at bay by a neck.

Heritier De Sivola's purple patch continued with a third win in eight days in the 3m Best Odds Guaranteed Daily At Vickers.Bet Handicap Chase for Catterick trainer Phil Kirby.

The seven-year-old followed up his comfortable success at Hexham on March 14 with victory at Newcastle two days later, before completing the hat-trick under Joe Williamson when seeing off long-time leader Camp Belan (Derek Fox) by a head.

Carrying the colours of Garry Nicholson, who arrived at the course by helicopter, the winner was bought for £18,000 at the ThoroughBid Christmas Sale in December 2021 and this latest win took his career earnings to £22,000.

''He's done nine miles in eight days, that's all you can ask for really,'' Kirby said. ''He's an easy horse to train and comes out of his races brilliantly. He didn't blow hard after his last two wins on heavy ground so we just thought while he was going well we'd just find a winnable race and strike again while the iron was hot.''

He could be back in action at Carlisle on April 7 in the valuable Go North Red Rum Series Final.

After finally getting off the mark on his 33rd start under all codes at Sedgefield last month, Rumble B wasted no time in following up in the 2m7f Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle Race. 

He travelled strongly and was always prominent under Callum Bewley before heading Atomic Angel (Edward Austin) narrowly at the last. Shaken up against the near-side rail on the run-in, the ten-year-old was always doing enough to score by a length.

The unfancied Stowaway John (Stephen Mulqueen), outsider of five and carrying bottom weight in the 2m4f Follow Hexham Racecourse On Facebook Handicap Chase, got off the mark on his 14th start for Sandy Forster's Kirk Yetholm yard since November 2020. 

Always prominent, he took it up at the top of the hill after two out before forging clear from the last to beat course specialist Cudgel (Conor O'Farrell) by eight-and-a-half lengths.

Assistant trainer Clive Storey had an eventful journey to the track in the horsebox after negotiating the roadworks and diversions in and around Hexham but the circuitous route and bumpy ride seemed to work the oracle with the ten-year-old gelding.

Two Auld Pals, a three-time winner on the Flat for Jim Goldie before joining Lucinda Russell's Kinross yard in October, opened his account over timber in the concluding 2m Join Us on Tuesday April 9 Handicap Hurdle Race.

Always in touch with the leaders under Derek Fox, the six-year-old went second after two out before hitting the front approaching the last and kept on well to score by a comfortable one-and-a-quarter lengths from Paddy The Horse (Jonathon Bewley). Suited by the stiff track and testing underfoot conditions, the winner promises to stay even further.

The next two meetings at Hexham are on April 9 and April 22.