[More photos from course photographer Nico Morgan]

The first of this season‘s Garthorpe fixtures took place on Sunday when the Melton Hunt Club hosted a six race meeting on good to soft ground. There was a treble for Gina Andrews and a double for Dale Peters, both as trainer/jockey.

Clerk of the Course Jim Culloty was universally praised for producing ground which was exactly as he had reported it would be, despite the recent adverse weather conditions. Garthorpe does have its own micro-climate and should never be judged on conditions even a few miles away.

Many-time Champion Jockey Gina Andrews completed her treble in the Browne Jacobsen Ladies Open on Master Templar, after one of the best finishes of the day. Despite going off as a very warm odds-on favourite, Mrs Hayward's ten-year-old by Robin des Champs always had the Kelly Morgan-trained Bothwell Bridge (Ellie Callwood) for company. The two jumped the last together, but Andrews found just enough in Master Templar to finish the job and record the horse's 12th win from 17 starts. "Master Templar has been a great horse for Jenny Hayward. He's a really tough performer and a three-runner field wasn't ideal for him, he'd much prefer a big field, but he has loads and loads of ability and just keeps winning," Gina said. Jacks Touch (Dr Belinda Rose) finished third.

The Garthorpe Veterans Men’s Open, likewise, presented an interesting duel between two established winners between the flags. Fier Jaguen, trained and written by Bradley Gibbs, needs a little introduction with its 15 wins in points around the country. Likewise, Go Go Geronimo, locally trained by Kelly Morgan for John Chatfeild-Roberts, is a seasoned campaign with who has been going very well recently. In the end, though, Fier Jaguen was just too too much horse for any of the challengers, winning by a distance in impressive form. Bradley Gibbs said, “The problem I have is that he really likes to go right-handed and therefore excels on courses like Garthorpe. The big tracks with finals later in the season all tend to be left-handed and he really doesn’t go well on those. We will continue doing points for the time being" .

The first race of the afternoon was a level two conditions race sponsored by High Sheriff of Leicesteshire John Chatfield-Roberts, which saw four horses come to post. The Old Meltonians Syndicate's ten-year-old Morning Spirit (Tom Chatfeild-Roberts) made an impressive debut between the flags and made much of the running. It was only with two to jump that I'm Spellbound, owned by the Signy and Marriage families and trained by Gina Andrews, challenged and eventually won by a single length. Mylestown Upper was some way behind in third under Rob Cundy. Gina said, "I'm Spellbound is a really classy horse and got the job done nicely. He's going to carry on going through the grades and a hunter chase is probably on the cards towards the end of the season."

The second race was a maiden race for four and five-year-old horses, sponsored by Tattersalls, and was won in fine style by Gina Andrews on The Head Waiter, making an early name for themselves with a 35-length victory over Kaviar Wood (Paddy Barlow), the only other finisher of four starters. "He's a horse that we have always thought a lot of and to be honest it was no surprise to see him go on and win like that yesterday, given how is home work has been. We gave him a bit of time last year and he's put up a good performance today", Gina Andrews said.

We've been lucky to see arguably some of the best intermediate horses around in the Midlands area already this season, the first of which was Wallace Ollinger, which won the Intermediate at Revesby and looks to be an excellent prospect. The William Hercock Intermediate Race at this meeting was won by half a length by Designed To Win (Dale Peters), another very good looking prospect. The six-year-old by Getaway was challenged to the line by the Andrew Pennock-trained Trojan du Berlais (Paddy Barlow), who like the winner had tracked long-time pace-setter Crocodile Lounge (Bradley Gibbs) until the final straight. "Designed to Win is a very progressive six-year-old. I think he’s very good. He reminds me of a young Law Of Gold with a bit more class. If he has half that career he’ll be some horse," Jockey Dale Peters said.

Dale Peters was also in the Winners Enclosure after the last of the day, a traditional 3-mile maiden with seven runners sponsored by Richard Clowes Property Search. This time is was Highway Skyline who came home in impressive style to win by 26 lengths after his previous educational run at Horseheath. This looks like one to watch this season. Dale said, "Highway Skyline is a very tough horse. I didn’t get him until early December but he has fitted straight into our string. Stays really well and will be a lot of fun for great supporter of mine Toby Hunt."

The next fixture in the Midlands Area is at Brocklesby on Saturday 8th February, where there will be seven races contest by over 90 entries. The going there is currently good to soft, soft in places and you can buy your tickets online via the Midlands Pointing website or on the gate on the day. At the time of writing the forecast is dry up to an including the fixture.