Hook Norton’s Andy Martin pulled off a rem-arkable never-say-die victory aboard Taxi Fare in the members’ race at Dunthrop, near Chipping Norton.

Martin, who also owns and trains the nine-year-old, looked to be just playing for places after Nez Rouge and Sam Twiston-Davies fell at the fifth last, having just gone a length up on Moscow Court and Ian Howe.

Moscow Court, winner of the race in 2006 and 2008 for nearby Wigginton trainer Celia Plunkett and sent off the odds-on favourite for a third success, looked to have an unassailable lead.

And, although Moscow Court began to tire in the testing conditions, he was still ten lengths clear of Martin’s mount – the 25-1 outsider of five – at the last.

But the leg-weary leader stopped almost to a walk on the run-in and Taxi Fare galloped past to win by three lengths.

Martin, who put his charge’s improved form down to the application of a tongue tie, said: “They have actually gone quicker than they should have done and that is why I hung back and to be fair to him he kept galloping.”

Finishers were at a premium in the soft ground, but it proved no handicap to Bowdens Lane, who ran out an impressive winner of the men’s open for the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup – one of the sport’s four ‘classic’ races.

The ten-year-old, trained by Julie Houldey at North Nibley, near Dursley, in Gloucestershire, was sent into the lead by David Mansell, going out on to the final circuit of the four-mile marathon and steadily drew clear to slam Lord Attica by a distance.

“It is the biggest thing we have ever won,” said owner Suzannah Turk. “It is just fantastically exciting.”

Houdley and Mansell were completing a double after the ex-Irish Maranach justified odds-on favouritism in the open maiden for four to seven-year-olds with an easy eight lengths victory from Run Out The Guns.

Jack Sherwood, son of Simon Sherwood who is best known for winning the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Desert Orchid, notched his first winner with victory aboard Eskimo Jack in the Point-to-Point Owners & Riders’ Association Club members race for novices riders.

The Shrewsbury School pupil, who was 17 on Monday, said: “It’s the best feeling ever,” after bringing the 13-year-old – who is owned and trained by his mum Lucy – home by six lengths.

Lambourn trainer Karrie Erskine-Crum saddled her first winner when Nuits St George took the second division of the open maiden for six-year-olds and over in the hands of Peter Toole.

Only two finished in the first division with William Somers and Mark Wall beating Shammy Buskins by 20 lengths.

Derawar made the long trip from South Pembrokeshire worthwhile for owner-trainer Simon Jones and his jockey wife Lucy with a game victory in the ladies’ open.

Another slow-motion finish saw Supreme Royal take the restricted for Bridgwater trainer Marie McGuiness.

Open maiden 6yo plus (Div 1): 1 WILLIAM SOMERS (M Wall) 4-1, 2 Shammy Buskins 4-1. Only two finished. Trainer: T Sage. Dist: 20l. 12 ran.

Open maiden 6yo plus (Div 2): 1 NUITS ST GEORGE (P Toole) 5-1, 2 Artic Fire 6-1, 3 Mark Moor 5-1. Trainer: K Erskine Crum. Dist: 5l, dist. 11 ran.

Open maiden (4-7yo): 1 MARANACH (D Mansell) 4-6 fav, 2 Run Out The Guns 14-1, 3 Frosty Spring 7-1. Trainer: J Houldey. Dist: 8l, hd. 15 ran.

Members: 1 TAXI FARE (A Martin) 25-1, 2 Moscow Court 4-6 fav, 3 Apple Days 20-1. Trainer: A Martin. Dist: 3l, dist. 5 ran.

Ladies open: 1 DERAWAR (L Jones) 2-1, 2 Touch Closer 5-4 fav, 3 Move Over 5-1. Trainer: S Jones. Dist: 3l, 4l. 6 ran.

Men’s open (Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup): 1 BOWDENS LANE (D Mansell) Evens fav, 2 Lord Attica 4-1, 3 Mister Bertolli 12-1. Trainer: J Houldey. Dist: dist, 21/2l. 9 ran.

PPORA Club Members (Novice riders): 1 ESKIMO JACK (J Sherwood) 5-2, 2 Earl Of Buckingham 20-1, 3 Grenfell Evens fav. Trainer: L Sherwood. Dist: 6l, 15l. 6 ran.

Restricted: 1 SUPREME ROYAL (R Bliss) 4-5 fav, 2 Pretty Lady Rose 6-4, 3 Clover Bay 10-1. Trainer: M McGuinness. Dist: 7l, 5l. 7 ran.