There’s nothing to beat a cheaply-bought horse that pays his way, and Zacony Rebel proved just that when winning his fourth race over fences in yesterday’s Boyne Cup at a bright and sunny Ludlow, all for a purchase price of just £1,000.

The 11 year old is nothing if not robust. This was his sixth race of 2026 alone, and he ran a remarkable 12 times last year for Leominster handler Sarah-Jayne Davies.

After the 33/1 outsider had stayed on to win by 2 3/4l, Davies told Racing TV, “Taunton had abandoned their chases and I couldn’t see much suitable in the schedule but Ludlow is seven miles down the road and I thought let’s roll the dice – why not?

“It’s a big race in the local area, so it’s a big deal for us. I thought it was a hot race and I didn’t necessarily think he’d win, but he’s been a star for the money he cost.”

Davies took out a licence in 2012, having trained 60 winners between the flags and ridden before then. She is typical of the bedrock of the sport, immersed in horses since childhood, first in show-jumping, latterly in racing. Three horses have carried a torch for her yard at Upper Withers, Zacony Rebel amassing £24,986 in prize money from three scalps this term alone. This was a good news story to warm the heart against a keen April wind.

The day had begun in slightly more predictable fashion when Martin Keighley welcomed in his 21st winner of the season with Sonic Pioneer, 9/1 winner of the opening Powell & Construction Poultry Buildings Novices Hurdle. The four year old, who is part-owned by Harry Redknapp, finished his novice season with a second scalp, this being an all-Gloucestershire 1-2-3, 1 3/4l ahead of Un Sens A La Vie from neighbours the Twiston-Davies in Naunton, Fergal O’Brien a little further south in third.

Team Keighley has recovered its poise after a bleak season two years back, and they enjoy a good strike rate. 45% of their runners win or reach the frame.

It might readily have been a double for Keighley too, as  Springs A Girl was challenging when she fell at the last in the Templar Medical Handicap Hurdle 30 minutes later. This time around, it was the turn of the Twiston-Davies stable to go one better however. The Egyptian Ginge was left clear by the last hurdle incident for rider Jamie Neild to win by 6 1/2l.

The Gloucestershire theme continued in the Bumper as Milly Ocean improved on her Huntingdon debut a month ago to land her first win in this Mares only event. 3 1/4l separated first and second, but the real race was for third place, Britway Belle and Mysti Meadow failing by a neck and nose respectively. Trainer of the winner Fergal O’Brien has passed the £1m prize money mark for a fifth consecutive season, and recently announced that Jonathan Burke will go freelance next season, with no preferred stable rider. There’ll be no shortage of jockeys lining up for rides at Ravenswell.

The longest winning distance of the day – 7l – was recorded in the finale, the Eddie Mapp Memorial Hunters Chase, with amateurs lining up for a tilt at the redirected Cheltenham Hunters’ evening, now scheduled for Warwick on May 1st. Potters Party, sent off 5/4 favourite, duly obliged for handler Kelly Morgan and rider Ellie Callwood with an assured round.

Two candidates who have been most frequently associated with the amateur scene teamed up earlier in the afternoon for a 1 1/2l victory in the Powell & Company Construction Mares Novices Handicap Hurdle. Gina Andrews, doyenne of the Point-to-Point scene, looks set to secure another Ladies Point-to-Point championship by the end of May, but this rarer foray under Rules for brother-in-law Tom Ellis delivered a  30th season victory for the stable in just its second full season.