Fly Direct showed the benefit of a breathing operation to open his account for Aston Rowant trainer Alan Hill at the Kingston Blount Racing Club meeting at Kingston Blount, near Chinnor.

The nine-year-old was upsides Shales Ay Jay at the last fence in the open maiden for six-year-olds and over when that rival fell, leaving James Tudor’s mount to come home 12 lengths clear of Generous Dove.

Hill’s wife, Lawney, said: “Basically his larynx had collapsed, so we had to tube him.

“Alan has been the making of him. When Jimmy Frost had him they couldn’t get him out of the yard.”

The Hills had high hopes of a double with Ravethebrave in the men’s open.

But the odds-on favourite crashed out at the seventh fence, leaving the trainer’s son, Joe, on the turf for several minutes, before he got to his feet.

However, that wasn’t the end of the drama as Johnny Kilawee and Tom Weston, having gone clear, finished alone after Militant Man and Gripit N Tipit exited at the last fence.

Burford jockey Shane O’Keefe landed the second division of the open maiden for four to seven-year-olds on Little Blackbeetle.

O’Keefe took up the running at the fourth-last on Chipping Camden trainer Claire Hart’s seven-year-old, before galloping on well to beat Castleroe by eight lengths.

The 22-year-old said: “He has done it nicely, but to be honest it was not a very strong race.”

Olivia Lamplee, rider of Highly Elaborate, suffered a broken collar-bone after her mount was one of three fallers at the fourth-last.

Hart had earlier been aboard Lady Myfanwy, who won the ladies’ open for the second successive year.

Sent off the 1-3 favourite, Kilgetty trainer Myfanwy Miles’s 11-year-old mare bounded home by ten lengths from The Hookie Bookie to record her 30th victory from 65 starts.

Hart said: “She is awesome and she loves it here.”

Penmore Mill, trained by Fred Hutsby, was the day’s most impressive winner, romping home 15 lengths clear under Tom Ellis in the club members conditions race from the Hill-trained Bon Accord, who was finishing runner-up for the second successive year.

Phillip York landed a double on Ringa Bay, who he also trains, in the intermediate, and Salt And Vinegar, trained by Michael Kehoe, in the first division of the open maiden for four to seven-year-olds.

The husband-and-wife jockey-and-trainer team of David and Julie Mansell also enjoyed success with Swallows Delight in the restricted.

RESULTS

Club members conditions: 1 PENMORE MILL (T Ellis) 4-6 fav, 2 Bon Accord 9-4, 3 Nessa 20-1. Trainer: F Hutsby. Dist: 15l, 4l. 11 ran.

Open maiden 6yo+: 1 FLY DIRECT (J Tudor) 10-11 fav, 2 Generous Dove 25-1, 3 Cloudy Moon 16-1. Trainer: A Hill. Dist: 12l, 4l. 16 ran.

Ladies’ open: 1 LADY MYFANWY (C Hart) 1-3 fav, 2 The Hookie Bookie 12-1, 3 High Five 8-1. Trainer: M Miles. Dist: 10l, 3/4l. 7 ran.

Intermediate: 1 RINGA BAY (P York) 5-2, 2 Festival Bound 11-2, 3 Kahlua Cove 11-8 fav. Trainer: P York. Dist: 5l, 2l. 7 ran.

Men’s open: 1 JOHNNY KILAWEE (T Weston) 7-4 finished alone. Trainer: M Weston. 4 ran.

Restricted: 1 SWALLOWS DELIGHT (D Mansell) 8-1, 2 Boddington Lad 16-1, 3 Artic Fire 7-4 fav. Trainer: J Mansell. Dist: 2l, 6l. 14 ran.

Open maiden 4-7yo (Div 1): 1 SALT AND VINEGAR (P York) 5-4 fav, 2 Sizing Ireland 2-1. Only two finished. Trainer: M Kehoe. Dist: 5l. 8 ran.

Open maiden 4-7yo (Div 2): 1 LITTLE BLACKBEETLE (S O’Keefe) 6-1, 2 Castleroe 6-1, 3 Just Judy 4-5 fav. Trainer: C Hart. Dist: 8l, 15l. 8 ran.