West Lockinge trainer Henrietta Knight ended her barren spell of six months without a winner when Cross Kennon scored at Ludlow on Monday, writes Russell Smith.

Knight arrived at the track with 57 straight losers and her three runners before the final race failed to break the famine, despite Muhten-bar running well to finish second.

But she finally ended the drought when Cross Kennon – sent off the 4-1 joint favourite for the two-mile bumper – romped home by nine lengths from market rival Seraphim Knight Knight, who was winning the race for the fifth time in seven seasons, said: "He won an Irish point-to-point, but I don't know how long he will be there. He is owned by Wilson Dennison and is up for sale.

"I have heard some people on the radio being rude about me, but my owners have stayed loyal to me."

Cross Kennon’s success came after Knight, who announced two weeks ago that her stable star Racing Demon would miss the season due to injury, had endured further misfortune at the weekend.

On Saturday, The Vicar ran out when leading in a novices’ chase at Huntingdon and Glasker Mill was badly hampered when going well at Haydock.

To add to her woe, Soixante fell at the second last at Plumpton on Sunday when still holding every chance.

The highly-regarded five-year-old is entered in a beginners’ chase over two miles and a furlong, which has attracted the likes of Straw Bear, French Opera and Pasco.

Sean Curran, who trains at Hatford, near Stanford in the Vale, has also had the misfortune of seeing his standard bearer, Iris De Balme, being sidelined for the season.

And so wins from New Perk at Wincanton and Mick Jerome at Huntingdon gave his yard a welcome boost.

New Perk benefitted from four of his rivals departing at the 14th fence as he strolled home by a distance in a handicap chase over an extended three miles and three furlongs.

It also provided Anthony Freeman with a first success in England, having rejoined the jockey ranks after two years out of racing.

Freeman was with Curran at Willie Mullins’s stables in Ireland.

The pair combined again to strike with Scandanavian import Mick Jerome in a handicap hurdle over an extended two and a half miles two days later.

Freeman, who looks good value for his 10lb claim, brought the 14-1 chance home by seven lengths from Colophony.

Mick Jerome is owned by Curran’s landlord, Lee Power, the former Norwich and Republic of Ireland footballer, who lives at Brize Norton.

Mark Rimell sent out Mylord Collonges from his Leafield stables, near Witney, to score at Lingfield.

The eight-year-old was having his first start for Rimell, having previously been trained by Susan Nock.

And, with Tony McCoy in the saddle, he powered home by three lengths from Trigger Guard in a two-mile handicap chase.