HAVING ended a 61-day wait for a winner with a double at Wincanton on February 14, Wye Valley Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams tripled up with three winners in four races at the recent Ludlow meeting.

Charlie Deutsch saddled 10/1 shot Holetown to a 1 1/4L win in the Mares' Handicap Chase to claim the £6,865 first prize.

And half an hour later, Lucy Turner rode 11/4 shot Bucksy Des Epeires to a 1L win and the £4,967 top purse in the Amateur Jockeys Handicap Chase.

Within the hour, Deutsch was back in the winning enclosure again, this time just holding off Count Adhemar by a neck on 10/11 favourite Falco Des Pins to take the £4,224 prize on offer in the Novices' Handicap Chase.

Elsewhere Cup-winning jockey-turned-trainer Sam Thomas – who got his professional start as a jocley at Venetia’s King’s Caple yard – saw Welsh Grand National favourite Jublilee Express return from Chepstow disappointment with second in the Devon National Handicap Chase at Exeter on Saturday.

Runner-up in the 2024 Welsh Grand National, his latest tilt at the end of December saw him pulled up as Pembrokeshire-trained 2025 Cheltenham Festival winner Haiti Couleurs romped clear to add the home title to the Irish crown won earlier in the year.

But conditions at Chepstow were against the Abergavenny-raised trainer’s horse, far quicker than the official going description of good to soft and probably cost the stayer his chance.

Only joint 11/2 shots Art Decco and Jubilee Express under Dylan Johnston finished the energy-sapping 3m 6f test at Exeter, with joint 4/1 favourites Largy Poet trained by Paul Nicholls and Ian Williams' Catch Catchfire both pulled up.

Jubilee Express took up the running at the 12th in the 21-fence race, and looked like going clear only for an awkward jump at the second last, which allowed Robert Walford's Art Decco under jockey Harry Kimber to seize control and race home 6L clear, to claim the £15,860 first prize, with Thomas' horse taking second for an £8,732 pay day.

Meanwhile, Friday, the 13th held no fear for Shirenewton trainer Grace Harris as she stole the show at Chepstow's mid-month meeting sending out a double.

Harris had her best ever season on the flat last year but maintains a jumps string and her talents in that sphere were showcased by The Big Reveal and Inion Tiogair.

Unlucky not to win at the track when falling last time, 11/4 joint favourite The Big Reveal under Tom Bellamy produced a game display to emerge on top in the 2m 7½f Fairplay Lets Bet On It! Handicap Chase, holding on to win the £4,700 first prize by 1 3/4L from Kerry Lee's Not Sure.

And within the hour, Grace was back in the winner's enclosure when 6/1 shot Inion Tiogair under Joe Anderson stormed to the 2m 3 1/2f Dunraven Handicap Hurdle £3,247 first prize and his second win, 9 1/2L clear of Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies' Harbour Light.