ANNABEL Dalton started her bid to retain the area title at Chaddesley Corbett as Mr McGregor won a hard-fought maiden race during the Harkaway Club meeting.

McGregor showed strength to take the lead late on and hold off the challenge of Sam Drinkwater on Thedrinkymeister.

There was more success for Shifnal-based owner Heather Dalton, as Silver Token swept to victory in the Members Conditions race.

The Restricted resulted in a victory for Mr Mackay who was ridden by his joint owner Ruth Tutton-Cook.

The Ladies Open provided a major surprise, with Ali Galliers Pratt and Bubbly Breeze seeing off the challenges of more fancied rivals.

Bubbly Breeze held off the late challenge of Phine Banks on Horsham Lad.

Cottage Oaks trainer Joe O’Shea and owner Richard Hewitt sent Ninetieth Minute on a retrieval mission in the Men’s Open. But they lost out as a relentless battle ensued between Ninetieth Minute and the West Country challenger Minella Stars over the final two fences. Executive Benefit stormed clear of his rivals up the final hill to win the Maiden Division One.

Local hopes in the final division of the Maiden rested with the Tom Weston trained Soutine, but mistakes meant the Hindlip trained geldingtook third place behind Fine Resolve and Cool Steel.

Harkaway Club results – Members Conditions: 1 Silver Token – C Prichard; 2 Siro Demur; 3 As It Is.

Restricted: 1 Mr Mackay – R Tutton-Cook 14-1; 2 Dbobe; 3 Onetwobeat.

Ladies Open: 1 Bubbly Breeze – A Galliers-Pratt; 2 Horsham Lad; 3 Berties Dream.

Men’s Open: 1 Minella Stars – R Henderson 8-1; 2 Ninetieth Minute; 3 Sangfroid.

Non-Rules Runners Maiden: 1 Mr McGregor – A Dalton; 2 Thedrinkymeister; 3 Canshetrain.

Maiden Division One: 1 Executive Benefit – P Gerety; 2 Big Georgie; 3 Overafrica.

Division Two: 1 Fine Resolve – R Leyshon; 2 Cool Steel; 3 Soutine.