Bon Accord returned to his brilliant best with a sparkling success at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor, to initiate a double for Aston Row-ant trainer Alan Hill, which was completed by Bynack Mhor.

The 2008 Christie’s Foxhunter runner-up had struggled to recapture his old form this term following a season off due to injury.

But he turned back the clock under a positive ride from James Tudor to slam 4-9 favourite Whizzaar and this season’s men’s leading rider Richard Wollacott by seven lengths in the men’s open.

“He’s back,” exclaimed Hill after welcoming the Rodney Mann-owned ten-year-old back into the winner’s enclosure. “We have had a lot of problems, but that man with the blue badge (vet Bob Baskerville) has been very helpful.

“The last two bits of work he has done have been brilliant and I thought we would serve it up to Whizzaar and James, as per usual, did it really well.”

Hill completed a double when Bynack Mhor made all the running in first-time cheekpieces to grind out a 25-length victory in the restricted.

Tudor stepped aside to allow his friend John Mathias to take the ride and reduce Woollacott’s lead in the title race to one winner.

Hill, who owns the nine-year-old with Henley-based David Chown, said: “We bought him off Henrietta Knight. She couldn’t get on with him – he was a bit ignorant.

“David came to our owners’ day and we got some wine in him and persuaded him he was a good horse.”

The biggest cheers of the day were reserved for Cristera, who almost died from a bout of colic earlier this year, and Hannah Watson following their 25-length success for Tetsworth trainer Lynn Redman in the open maiden.

Redman, who was saddling her first winner of the season, said: “She nearly died about two months ago when she had colic. Mr Baskerville did marvellous to get her back – we thought we were going to lose her.”

With main title rival Claire Allen sidelined through injury, Polly Gundry made virtually certain of an eighth women’s riders’ title with a last-gasp success on Dr Cerullo in the ladies’ open.

She powered the nine-year-old, trained by Ed Walker at Ottery St Mary, home to collar the front-running Fruitfull Citizen by a head in the dying strides.

Cheney Manor, ridden by Nick de Boinville, ran out an impressive 25-lengths winner of the open maiden for four to seven-year-olds to give Badon trainer Mark Floyd a winner on his 57th birthday.

It also completed a double on the day for Swindon owner-breeder Ken Knox, who was at Uttoxeter to see Cheney Manor’s half-sister, Onemix, land a mares’ novices’ hurdle.

Duchamp won an eventful match for the members’ race – despite refusing at the fifth last and surrendering the lead to Even Homer Nods.

However, Emily MacMahon got the 13-year-old, trained by Geoffrey Deacon at Pangbourne, going again and with her rival Sarah Gorman, on her first ride, losing her stirrups following a bad blunder at the third last, Duchamp swept by to win by 25 lengths.

RESULTS Members: 1 DUCHAMP (E MacMahon) 4-6 fav, 2 Even Homer Nods evens. Trainer: G Deacon. Dist: 25l. 2 ran.

Open maiden (4-7yo): 1 CHENEY MANOR (N de Boinville) 9-2, 2 Showman 6-1, 3 Solana 8-1. Trainer: M Floyd. Dist: 25l, 1l. 10 ran.

Men’s open: 1 BON ACCORD (J Tudor) 11-4, 2 Whizzaar 4-9 fav, 3 Master T 14-1. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: 7l, 4l. 6 ran.

Ladies’ open: 1 DR CERULLO (P Gundry) 15-2, 2 Fruitfull Citizen 4-5 fav, 3 Terramarique 16-1. Trainer: E Walker. Dist: Hd, 8l. 10 ran.

Restricted: 1 BYNACK MHOR (J Mathias) 6-4 fav, 2 Oujamaflip 4-1, 3 Dun Shah 6-1. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: 25l, 12l. 8 ran.

Open maiden: 1 CRISTERA (H Watson) 3-1, 2 Free From Magee 14-1, 3 Mayo Rock 7-1. Trainer: L Redman. Dist: 25l, 5l. 9 ran.