ASTON Rowant handler Alan Hill and jockey Emily Harbour teamed up to score with Balladeer at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor – and seal the South Midland trainers’ and lady riders’ championships.

Harbour gave the 13-year-old gelding a perfect ride, producing him to collar the front-running Lucky Nellerie at the last fence of the ladies’ open, before galloping clear to score by four lengths.

Hill, who was taking his tally to a personal best 21 winners and three hunter chase successes, said: “That’s the best I have ever seen him jump. He is an absolute star.”

Reflecting on a campaign, which has also seen his wife, Lawney, chalk up 26 National Hunt winners, Hill added: “We have had a cracking season with a second (Mid Div And Creep) at the Cheltenham Festival too.”

Harbour went on to complete a brace of winners with a carbon copy ride aboard Mister Cee Jay in the restricted for her mother, Sue Harbour, who trains at Emmington, near Thame.

It was a repeat of the double the area’s leading lady rider posted at the last Kingston Blount meeting as she swept through to beat Arniecoco by three lengths.

Commenting on her title triumph, the 24-year-old said: “I think I have won it once before. It is brilliant – I can’t believe it.”

Banbury-based Will Telfer made a bold bid to cap his area men’s riders’ title with victory on Major Euro in the men’s open, before the 14-year-old veteran finished third to Ned The Post and the Hill-trained More Trouble.

The four-lengths winner is trained at Ottery St Mary, near Honiton by Ed Walker, whose partner Polly Gundry said: “Hopefully he will improve again next year.”

James Tudor, who was seen at his strongest aboard the runner-up More Trouble, was again crowned the Kingston Blount champion rider.

The course’s champion horse was Caught In Time, who made it five from his last six starts for Karen Lawther’s Great Missenden stables, near Wendover, with an easy victory in the members’ race.

He passed the post 12 lengths clear of Even Homer Nods, who was disqualified after rider Sarah Gorman failed to draw the correct weight, with Honourable Collins promoted to second place.

Caught In Time has been a revelation since teaming up with Philip York this term, following up his maiden win here in March with victories in restricted, intermediate and open company before Sunday’s success.

The eight-year-old’s win also made him the South Midland’s leading horse, which brought Paul Fullager the owners’ title.

York went on to complete a double with a hard-fought triumph aboard Present Of Flame in the open maiden to move within one winner of Richard Burton in the race for the national men’s riders’ title.

Sixteen-year-old Freddie Mitchell pulled victory out of the fire on San Siro, trained by his father, Philip, at Epsom in the last 50 yards of the open maiden for four to seven-year-olds.