Winner familiar face

Point-to-point

Sam Davies-thomas continued his liking for Charing by piloting Murrayana to become the first winner of the Kent Gold Cup on the opening day of the new season on Sunday.

Davies-thomas, who celebrated the first treble of his career at Charing almost two years ago to the day – including riding Minella for Steak to win the county’s Grand National – was back in the winner’s enclosure again.

The 7-4 joint favourite, trained by Nick Pearce, prevailed by a head from runner-up Conkies Lad. The other joint-favourite jumped the last two lengths in front, only to weaken on the run-in in a thrilling finish.

The day also saw the retirement of former area champion rider Philip Hall.

He partnered his own horse, Surging Seas, to a six-length success in the concluding maiden. The pair loomed up on the run-in to the final fence to storm clear of another Pearce mount, Florabell.

Hall then announced it was his final ride, grateful it was a winning one, as he brought down the curtain on a successful 26-year career in the saddle.

The race included plenty of drama, market favourite De Pilgram suffered an injury and was pulled up early on. With three fences left, five horses were still with a chance but Stars Royale and Ididandididn’t both fell. The finish of the day came in the conditions race, resulting in a dead-heat.

Never Complain and Horizontal Speed jumped the penultimate fence together, before the former just held the upper hand at the last.

Horizontal Speed battled back on the run-in, the pair crossing the line together.

They couldn’t be separated by the judges, with connections of both horses celebrating together in the paddock.