A return of the jumpers at Doncaster as National Hunt racing took centre stage for the new season which will feature the Grimthorpe Chase and Sky Bet Chase in the coming months. 

The seven race card began at the stroke of midday with a 12pm start and despite the low number of combined runners, the quality was good enough to make the day's proceedings interesting.
The feature race was the fourth race of the day, a two and a quarter mile class three handicap chase. Amongst the seven strong line-up was the recent winning machine, Mackenberg for trainer Donald McCain. The seven year old had to carry the famous blue and yellow silks of owner Tim Leslie under top weight of twelve stone, but he had won three times over fences last season before making a winning reappearance last month. The father/son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies took the long journey from the Cotswolds to South Yorkshire with the topically named Topofthecotswolds, a wide margin winner last time out. Smart handicappers The King Of May and The Mighty Arc won a race on the same day at Sedgefield in January and both lined up in this race while the winner of the past two runnings, Barton Knoll, returned to defend his crown. 

The undercard featured the latest race in a new initiative for 2022, the junior novice hurdle. Restricted to horses who haven't taken part in a race of any form before October 1st, the initiative aims to encourage homegrown talent at an earlier age. In recent years, the juvenile division has been dominated by recruits from the Flat sphere or French racing who have superior quality compared to the British battalion. The national hunt breeding scene is in need of a boost and the chance to learn more about some unknown sires. The likes of Frammassone and The Anvil are relatively unknown sires and there was a notable runner in the race in the form of Nickelforce, the first runner in Britain for Workforce, the 2010 Epsom Derby and Arc winner. Respected jumps sires were represented such as Milan, Kapgarde and Great Pretender as well as leading Flat sires Gleneagles and New Approach giving the race a little something for all pedigree researchers. 
The inexperience of the runners made the task of solving the riddle of the winner difficult for punters and also a challenge for jockeys as some horses were facing hurdles for the first time in race conditions. The Richard Hobson-trained Our Follet looked smart on debut despite falling. The son of Kapgarde travelled smoothly before capsizing two out at Warwick. Leading stables such as Dan Skelton, Peter Bowen and Tom George were represented by Solomoon, Karavomylos and The Likely Lad respectively. 

See below for race results and reports. 

Race One:  Class 4 Handicap Hurdle - Amateur Jockeys (hands and heels) - 3 miles - 6 Runners
Winner: CAIUS MARCIUS (King's Theatre x Ain't Misbehavin') - J. Power - N. Richards. (#2)
The latest event in the Hands and Heels series for amateur riders in which whips were banned from use in the bid to further the education of the young jockeys. The race looked competitive with two in form runners heading the betting, Caius Marcius and Go Chique. Both had plenty of races over hurdles and it produced an exciting finish. In the early stages, Caius Marcius raced keenly and jockey Jack Power let his mount stride on into a clear lead turning away from the stands. The pair jumped quickly and spectacularly and looked in control of proceedings. Approaching the climax, it seemed Caius Marcius had run out of steam as Go Chique challenged at the second last and took the lead. A determined fightback from Caius Marcius and Jack Power saw the early leader regain his position and take the win for trainer Nicky Richards. 

Race Two: Class Four Handicap Chase - 2 miles - 5 Runners.
Winner: COASTGUARD STATION (Dylan Thomas x Shuruwaat) - H. Brooke - H. Oliver - (#5)
Just the five runners went to post in this novice handicap chase but it saw a potentially smart recruit to the chasing game. The weights were headed by last season's two time winner over fences Oscar's Leader return after a layoff and some interesting contenders such as the ex-Irish trained Fusain who was taking a big drop in class after a run in a Grade Two last time out and the five year old Ridgeway, who had enjoyed a great first year over jumps after transferring from the flat. The market spoke in favour of Coastguard Station and there was barely a moment's doubt for punters as he made headway from the rear down the back straight, picking rivals off one by one. Challenging Fusain at the third last fence, he bounded clear to record a win on his first start over regulation fences. The two Henry's, Brooke and Oliver, were responsible for the winner who also won twice in the Point-To-Point field so he always promised to be more of a natural over the larger obstacles here. 

Race Three: Class Four Novice Hurdle - 2 miles, 5 furlongs  - 6 Runners.
Winner: HURRICANE BAY (Malinas x Another Storm) - B. Frost - L. Wadham - (#3)
Another small field for the novice hurdle, but it provided a conundrum with three promising types; Hurricane Bay, Densworth and the point-to-point recruit Fortuitous Find. The intermediate distance of two and a half furlongs was also a look to the future with potential chasers in years to come looking to perform well over hurdles. The race was dictated by the eventual winner Hurricane Bay, a runner-up at Wetherby on Charlie Hall Chase day. Winning jockey Bryony Frost made all the running on the Lucy Wadham gelding and despite some minor errors around the course, the son of Malinas galloped on resolutely to come clear of runner-up Densworth who also travelled smartly throughout. The winner has improved with each run and the six-year-old has a lot of attributes to suggest he can go on further from this. 

Race Four: Class Three Handicap Chase - 2 miles, 3 furlongs - 5 Runners.
Winner: MACKENBERG(Jukebox Jury x Mountain Melody) - T. Gillard - D. McCain - (#1)
The feature handicap chase had some of its spice taken away with the late withdrawals of Nocte Volatus and Buster Valentine, but the remaining chasers were all classy types and it produced an exciting finish. The pace was honest from leader Topofthecotswolds and jumping errors began to show throughout the race for most of the runners. Mackenberg was held up and was comfortable with the pace as he began to move into contention around the home bend. As the early leader faded, Mackenberg went into the lead with The Mighty Arc until the Charlie Longsdon trained gelding made a bad blunder at the second to leave the Donald McCain trained winner clear close home. The King Of May made up a lot of ground into second after being pushed along from far out and Topofthecotswolds picked up the pieces to take back a decent third place. 

Race Five: Class Four Juvenile Novice Hurdle - 2 miles - 10 Runners.
Winner: SOLOMOON (Pether's Moon x Solojorie) - D. England - D. Skelton - (#8)
The juvenile hurdle was set to be a challenge with many inexperienced three-year-olds, but the weather conditions played a helping hand for jockeys. The bright sun was already beginning to set and the position in the sky meant visibility was obscured for jumping hurdles in the home straight. As a consequence, all hurdles in the home straight were omitted which detracted from the jumping test for these novices. The leading yards came to the fore in the closing stages as the stables of Skelton, George and Hobson fought out the finish. The Likely Lad had plenty of size and scope about him and looks a nice hurdling type and he led through the early stages for Sam Twiston-Davies. Unlucky debutant Our Follet tracked the leader while Solomoon was held up early on. The trio began to pull a long way clear of the rest as they slalomed around the omitted hurdles down the home straight. The winner Solomoon travelled very nicely and moved into the lead at the "last", using the speed in his pedigree to his advantage in this tactical race. The Dan Skelton trained gelding has a smart turn of pace and improved for his recent debut effort, but judgement is reserved for when he faces more hurdles in the future. 

Race Six: Class Five Novice Handicap Chase - 3 miles - 5 Runners.
Winner: EVERYDAY CHAMPAGNE (Doyen x Magie de Toulouse) - S. Quinlan - N. Richards - (#3)
Another five runner event, this time a novice handicap chase, but all five runners were facing fences in race conditions for the first time. Once again, fences were omitted in the home straight which spoiled the occasion slightly for punters and racing fans alike. Remarkably, the mistakes were kept to a minimum by all five chasing debutants and it was a double on the day for northern trainer Nicky Richards with the grey Everyday Champagne. The six year old son of Doyen was lightly raced and a smooth jumper already so he had more progression to unlock over fences. Shadowing fellow grey Hey Frankie in mid pack, the field gave the fences plenty of respect and space. Despite the lack of jumping close home, Everyday Champagne moved into the lead at the "second last" and asserted strongly to record a first win over fences under jockey Sean Quinlan. 

Race Seven: Class Five Handicap Hurdle - 2 miles, 3 furlongs - 12 Runners.
Winner: OKAVANGO DELTA (Ocovango x Court My Eye) - C. Nicol - R. Dobbin - (#2)
The final race of the afternoon featured the biggest field, with a comparatively eye-watering twelve runners taking the start. Just like in the previous two races, the hurdles were dolled off due to the low sun setting to bring the day to a close. The field were tightly bunched throughout the race and turning for home, space would be at a premium as they zigzagged around the hurdles. The early leaders began to weaken out of contention and it was left to the held up runners to collect the prize. Okavango Delta had been smuggled up in midfield before appearing at the "last" hurdle. Battling gamely with the staying on Lough Carra, the Rose Dobbin-trained winner held on by half a length to win for the first time in his career. It was another frustrating runner's up spot for Lough Carra and his connections but the race provided the closest finish of the day to send punters home happy.