GLOUCESTERSHIRE owner-trainer Charlie Dando sent out his first winner since suffering life-threatening injuries in a shooting accident at the end of January when Brass In Pocket took the Open Maiden in good style at the VWH Hunt point-to-point in Siddington, writes Russell Smith.

Dando, who is based at Little Sodbury, was on the Duke of Beaufort Hunt joint-master Matt Ramsden's stag weekend in Yorkshire and missed seeing the eight-year-old storm clear under James King to secure a six-lengths success over Wild Ginger (Jonjo O'Neill).

But his father David was on hand to welcome back the winner, knowing his 25-year-old son would have wanted to be in the saddle.

"I have not got the heart to ring Charlie and tell him he has won," he said. "He had a shooting accident and damaged his leg and all the nerves.

"He is lucky to be alive as he had a cardiac arrest on the operating table, so it is a tonic for him in a way.

"It is brilliant for him, but he won't see it like that because he wants to ride him. He plans to get back next year."

Brackloon High followed up his Coronation Gold Cup triumph by taking the Mixed Open for Michael Kehoe's Stewkley stables, near Leighton Buzzard, but not before giving his supporters an almighty fright.

The 12-year-old looked to have the race in safe keeping when he went clear approaching the second-last only to put the brakes on, and although Andrew Barlow managed to get his mount over the obstacle he was quickly challenged on all sides.

However, the veteran consented to run on again and after regaining the lead, he held off the fast-finishing Stone and Sam Jukes by a neck.

It was the third consecutive thrilling finish on the card, which started with Horatio Caine getting up in the final strides of the Members, Subscribers & Farmers Race under Lambourn-based owner-rider Cordelia Chugg to foil Moorland Sunset's bid for a third win in the event by a head.

Chugg works as a Norland nanny in London during the week, and then rides out her own horse at Lambourn trainer Karrie Fanshawe's yard and for Warren Greatrex.

Zac Baker received the John Manners Memorial Trophy for the ride of the day after producing The Gunner Brady with a well-timed challenge to take the Confined Conditions Race.

Baker brought the Tracey Bailey-trained eight-year-old with a sweeping run on the outside to cut down Rye Cross and Urban Storm after the last fence to score by half a length and two lengths.

He said: "I half got stopped by Peeping Thom turning down the hill and I thought there goes my race.

"I must have been 20 lengths off them jumping the fourth-last, but he kept jumping his way closer to them and I thought it was do or die at the last."

Sarazen Bridge put up an excellent round of jumping to follow up his Barbury maiden win for Bibury trainer Dibby Brown by making all the running to take the Restricted Race.

The six-year-old was challenged by Very Intense (Johnny Bailey) at the second-last, but stayed on gamely to score by three lengths.

Sarazen Bridge was led up by owner Alice Dorman, a physiotherapist who has recently landed a job with the New Zealand eventing team.

Karinga Dancer, beaten at long odds-on at Whitfield last time out when Barbury Castle trainer-rider Laura Thomas reported the ground to be too soft, bounced back to winning ways in the Volvo Pegasus Club Members Race.

First run in 1895, the historic contest is confined to members of the Inns of Court, to which all barristers must belong.

And Karinga Dancer became eligible with Lady Susannah O'Brien, a former criminal barrister, among the ten-strong Barbury Racing Club, who own the 11-year-old.

Given a waiting ride by Thomas, the gelding joined Kyles Faith at the third-last, before surging clear to beat last year's winner by seven lengths.