LOCAL owner Norman Thomas has been trying to win the VWH point-to-point Member's race at Siddington for 40 years – and the wait goes on after his Full Throttle, the odds-on favourite, finished runner-up on Saturday, writes Peter Mansell.

Charlie Dando sent Santo Thomas clear approaching the second from home but Sam Painting looked to have timed his run to perfection on the favourite who drew level between the final two fences.

Full Throttle was going better approaching the last, but a mistake there handed the advantage back to 14-1 chance Santo Thomas who stayed on strongly to claim the spoils.

Owner Isabel Brown had bought Santo Thomas from Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams to ride herself, but decided to hand the reins over to her farrier Dando.

The horse had schooled at Didmarton the previous day and 'jumped brilliantly' according to Dando, who then shod the winner with racing plates.

The Confined race on the Moore Allen & Innocent-sponsored meeting resulted in another surprise result as 20-1 outsider Uppertown Hawk won under an inspired pillar-to-post ride from Jeremy Mahot, although their task was made easier by a ragged start which resulted in the favourite Talkin Thomas losing about 25-lengths.

Uppertown Hawk took command at the second and had his rivals at full stretch from that point.

There was a sting in the tail when Mahot was fined £100 for excessive use of the whip.

Dymock-based winning owner Clive Bennett said: “He won three races in Ireland but we couldn’t win a race with him, so we decided to try new tactics at Larkhill and jumped him off in front and he finished fourth. He seems to sulk if he is headed.”

The Mixed Open resulted in a fourth success of the season for Paul Drinkwater’s Working Title, with front-running tactics again key to the success.

Joe Drinkwater had his father’s gelding in front at the third and the partnership proceeded to put in an exhibition round of jumping.

His one real challenger, Otto The Great, unseated Freddie Henderson at the 14th fence.

The winner’s lead had been extended to 10 lengths around the final bend with the jockey looking round for non-existent dangers all the way up the home straight.

Winning trainer Sam Drinkwater said: “He has won on the soft but is better on this sort of ground. It is just a case of keeping him fresh and we will probably go back to Kingston Blount in three weeks’ time.”

The winner is trained 'in a field' on the family farm at Fiddington near Tewkesbury, while Joe works for Herefordshire trainer Tom Lacey.

West Midland-qualified horses finished in the minor placings in the Restricted race. Claire Hart and Dabinett Moon established a winning lead half a mile from home, withstanding a challenge from Charlie Dando on Cecile De Volanges.

Charlie Hammond was unseated after his stirrup broke on Mine Sweeper, but his mother Zoe gained compensation when Barnaby Shaw steered That Beats Banaher to victory in the Pegasus Club Member's race.

The race is restricted to members of the legal profession and Shaw was determined not to miss the race he also won last year.

So his attendance at a wedding reception in Lincoln was delayed until after his task had been accomplished.

Shaw jumped off in the lead and saw off all challenges in the home straight, with Zoe and her husband Mike shouting encouragement from the sidelines.

“You have to hand it to Barnaby, he has only had a couple of rides this season and has to fit everything around his work," said Zoe.

"He rides around Hyde Park to maintain his fitness levels.

"That Beats Banaher was beaten only nine lengths by On the Fringe (this year’s Cheltenham Foxhunters winner) in Ireland so he should have won this.

"We told Barnaby to intimidate the other riders and he rode to instructions!”