Aston Rowant rider Joe Hill took a big step towards the novice men’s under 21 title with a double at the Kimblewick Hunt meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor.

The 16-year-old struck aboard Fly Direct and Ocean Du Moulin, trained by his father Alan, to take his tally to seven winners this term – three clear of his rivals in the race for the Wilkinson Sword award.

The double formed part of a treble for Hill senior’s Aston Rowant yard with Balladeer taking the ladies’ open under Emily Harbour.

Joe Hill had to sit tight when Fly Direct blundered at the third last in the intermediate race, before collaring Argentato on the run-in to win by half a length.

“It was my fault,” admitted the teenager following the mistake. “I didn’t tell him to go and didn’t grab hold of him, and he just guessed.”

Hill completed the double by making all the running on Ocean Du Moulin to beat market rival El Jo by three lengths in the members’ race.

And the Cokethorpe School pupil gave a special mention to his sister, Gaby, the ten-year-old’s regular partner, saying: “It was very nice of her to let me ride him.”

Balladeer made light of his advancing years to take the ladies’ open for the second successive time.

The 14-year-old stormed clear going from the second last to slam Or Bleu by ten lengths.

Rachel King, who hails from Waterperry, took the Kingston Blount Racing Club members conditions’ race aboard Tallow Fair, who triumphed by an easy 12 lengths.

Hot favourite Cedrus Libani’s refusal to start left the way open for Pertinent to beat dual Royal Ascot scorer Baddam by a length and a quarter in the men’s open.

RESULTS

Restricted: 1 LIENOSUS (J Tudor) 4-1, 2 No Pain No Gain 6-4 fav, 3 Tywysog 7-1. Trainer: F Kehoe. Dist: 4l, 4l. 12 ran.

Kingston Blount Racing Club members conditions: 1 TALLOW FAIR (R King) 6-4 fav, 2 High Five 9-4, 3 Shazand 6-1. Trainer: T Underwood. Dist: 12l, 3l. 7ran.

Ladies’ open: 1 BALLADEER (E Harbour) 2-1, 2 Or Bleu 13-2, 3 Cutlass Silver 9-2. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: 10l, nk. 6 ran.

Men’s open: 1 PERTINENT (R Hawker) 11-4, 2 Baddam 2-1, 3 Caught In Time 12-1. Trainer: C Whittaker. Dist: 1¼l, 20l. 4 ran.

Intermediate: 1 FLY DIRECT (J Hill) 10-11 fav, 2 Argentato 3-1, 3 Golden Tangle 14-1. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: ½l, 8l. 5 ran.

Open maiden 4-7yo: 1 SURPRISE US (G Andrews) 6-1, 2 The Selfish Giant 6-4 fav, 3 Tarby 14-1. Trainer: S Andrews. Dist: 1l, 1½l. 11 ran.

Members: 1 OCEAN DU MOULIN (J Hill) 6-5 fav, 2 El Jo 6-4, 3 Long Courrier 3-1. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: 3l, 8l. 4 ran.