Tom and Gina clinch hat-trick at Lockinge

CHAMPION trainer Tom Ellis hit treble top at the Old Berkshire Point-to-Point at Lockinge on Easter Monday.

He took three horses and won with all of them – each ridden by his wife, about-to-be nine-times champion jockey Gina Andrews – taking his total for the season to 55 in the process.

A vast crowd basked in the bank holiday sunshine, watching 21 horses contest the six point-topoints.

Tom and Gina kicked off their hat-trick with General Arrow in the five-runner Grundon Sand & Gravel Mixed Open Race.

The 2/1 shot set off at a rapid pace with favourite Rhythm Is A Dancer and Gina dictated matters for most of the race, eventually scoring by 10 lengths in what was the fastest time of the day.

Gina, who – like her husband – has enjoyed an incredible season, passing 400 career winners, breaking the all-time record for point-to-point wins by a female rider and winning the Aintree Foxhunters.

The Ellis-Andrews combination followed up with the mare Misstree Song in the next race, the Cornbury Festival Restricted Race over two miles five furlongs, in which five went to post.

Gina took the favourite into second behind market rival Surprise Attack at the fourth last, then jumped into the lead two out before quickening clear to score by an easy 15 lengths.

The treble was completed with Wireless Operator finally breaking his duck after finishing runner-up on his previous four starts, in the Charles Russell Speechlys Maiden Race.

Four ran and Gina on the oddson favourite tracked leader Barley Hill before taking the lead at the ditch on the final circuit.

Wireless Operator was never headed thereafter, although Barley Hill did not give up his pursuit and closed the gap to three lengths at the line.

A relieved Ellis said afterwards: “You can’t knock him, he’s very consistent and he’s bumped into some good horses.

“He jumped brilliantly on the whole apart from one slight mistake and he’s been crying out for this better ground.”