MY WEEKEND did not go to plan at Eyton-on-Severn near Shrewsbury, where I had four nice rides lined up.

The course had been flooded all week and after running the third race, racing was abandoned due to ground and safety issues. Very frustrating for everyone who had made the journey.

Racing went off without a hitch at Barbury near Swindon.

Naunton Brook went off the short-priced favourite in the Novice Riders’ race after his win at the Heythrop and he gave jockey Willie Twiston-Davies another success.

Willie said: "He is an absolute legend. He jumped so well and stayed right to the line."

The plan is now to head to Chaddesley Corbett in two weeks’ time.

The horse Up There, trained by Nicky Sheppard, who I told you to watch out for after finishing second to Naunton Brook at the Heythrop, took the Mixed Open in the hands of James Ridley.

They jumped off in the middle of the 15 runners and just kept pulling out more.

The 2005 winner of the Jewsons Novices’ Chase for Mark Bradstock at the Cheltenham Festival, King Harald, finished second. Still with the Bradstocks, he is now trained by Mark’s son Alfie. This will be an interesting horse to keep an eye on.

My brother Tom had a better day than me with his first winner of the season when riding Santarctique for Richard Bryan from Marlborough to win the Open Maiden.

Tom jumped off towards the back and gradually crept through the 17 runners.

"He was very keen early on but I got him settled and then kicked for home three out," said Tom.

They went on to win by about 10 lengths but not without a scare at the last.

"He tried to run out and, although I hauled him back, he got the fence all wrong," said Tom. "He did very well to stand up."

James Horton, from Poulton, enjoyed another success when riding Hazy Tom to win the Open Maiden at Thorpe Lodge near Nottingham.

Hazy Tom, trained by Willie Hayes and owned by James’s father Charles, was bought from Ireland and bred by the trainer’s brother.

This was the horse’s first run and nothing was expected.

"We only went for a school round over two miles but we came away winning on the bridle," said Horton senior. James’s mount understandably started to wander through greenness when hitting the front so he was eased back to have a bit of company from the second horse.

"This was a nice shock," said Charles. "James has not had to touch him while the others were working hard."

This weekend, the local meeting is at Larkhill near Sailsbury on the Saturday, while I am traveling to Whitwick Manor near Hereford as well as the Godstone near Guildford on the Sunday. Lots of hunter chasing this week with the exciting Baby Run running for the Twiston-Davies camp again after winning at Wetherby last week.

He runs at Ffos Las on Thursday before going to the Foxhunters at Cheltenham.