Lord Attica went one better than last year to capture the men’s open for the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup at the rearr-anged Heythrop Hunt meeting at Dunthrop, near Chipping Norton.

The 11-year-old, a distant second to Bowdens Lane 12 months ago, came up against nothing of that calibre this time as he ground out victory in one of the sport’s four ‘classic’ races, which had been twice-postponed in January.

Rob Hogdes had the leg up for the first time on the gelding, who is trained by Bradley Clarke at Adstone, near Towcester, for owner Sandra Booker.

And having taken up the running five out in the four-mile marathon, his mount outstayed hot favourite We’re Confused and David Mansell to win by six lengths.

“I thought I went a bit too soon,” said Hodges. “I thought Dave had plenty in the tank.”

Blue Business, winner of the ladies’ open two years ago for Worcestershire-based trainer-rider Angela Rucker, repeated the feat with an eight-lengths victory over last year’s winner, Derawar.

Rucker’s husband, William, arrived just in time to see his wife’s triumph after picking up daughters Katie and Izzy from Gatwick Airport following a ski-ing trip in France.

Christopher Leigh, who trains at Adlestrop and is chairman of the Heythrop committee, missed seeing his Von Galen come out on top in a match for the members’ race.

Leigh was commentating at another meeting as the nine-year-old and Luke Morgan got the better of Landing Rights and Tom Murray by three lengths.

Morgan’s brother, Ran, representing the trainer, said: “He is chairman of the point-to-point committee, so it is nice for him.”

Highworth owner-trainer Audrey Manners saddled her first winner since taking over the licence following the death of her husband, John Manners, last September when the appropriately-named Dashing John took the open maiden for six-year-olds and over.

“I think John is probably watching him,” said Manners of the poignant success after Lucy Barry’s mount romped home by 15 lengths from Pretty Penny.

Manners and Barry combined to complete a quickfire 171/2-1 double with Riskier in the following open maiden for four to seven-year-olds.

The combination never saw another rival as they made all the running to pass the post 15 lengths clear of Himalayan Express.

Manners said: “It’s our first winner by Kier Park, and John wanted to see if he was any good, so he would have been thrilled with that.”

Michael Harding rode his first winner at the fourth attempt as Shady Hollow continued his love affair with the course by taking the Point-to-Point Owners & Riders’ Association Club members race for novice riders.

The 18-year-old described the easy 20-lengths victory on Bridgwater trainer Marie McGuinness’s gelding – whose only previous successes had come in a maiden and a restricted at Dunthrop – as “pretty awesome”.

Pocket Park, trained by Michael Kehoe at Stukeley, near Leighton Buzzard, was the most impressive winner of the day, flying up the run-in under Tom Ellis to take the restricted by 25 lengths from Alliance Main.

Open maiden 6yo plus: 1 DASHING JOHN (L Barry) 6-4, 2 Pretty Penny 14-1, 3 Mister Cee Jay 5-4 fav. Trainer: A Manners. Dist: 15, 25l. 10 ran. Open maiden 4-7yo: 1 RISKIER (L Barry) 6-1, 2 Himalayan Express 10-1, 3 Bracken Isle 4-5 fav. Trainer: A Manners. Dist: 15l, 5l. 9 ran. Members: 1 VON GALEN (L Morgan) 1-3 fav, 2 Landing Rights 6-4. Trainer: C Leigh. Dist: 3l. 2 ran. Ladies’ open: 1 BLUE BUSINESS (A Rucker) 4-1, 2 Derawar 4-5 fav, 3 Mister Bertolli 5-1. Trainer: A Rucker. Dist: 8l, 12l. 7 ran. Men’s open (Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup): 1 LORD ATTICA (R Hodges) 3-1, 2 We’re Confused Evens fav, 3 Sudden Arrival 12-1. Trainer: B Clarke. Dist: 6l, nk. 7 ran. PPORA Club Members (Novice riders): 1 SHADY HOLLOW (M Harding) 2-5 fav, 2 Infrasonique 2-1, 3 Mr Naborro 5-2. Trainer: M McGuinness. Dist: 20l, dist. 3 ran. Restricted: 1 POCKET PARK (T Ellis) 7-2, 2 Alliance Main 12-1, 3 Present Love 4-1. Trainer: M Kehoe. Dist: 25l, nk. 8 ran.