TWO stables based in Upton-upon-Severn were successful when Croome and West Warwickshire staged their meeting at Ryalls Court.

Mark Wilesmith rode his first winner of the season on Buckingham Bill at Paxford on Monday and followed up with a double 24 hours later.

All of these winners were supplied by his wife Claudia with their first success coming when Stormy Bob prevailed in the West Midland Area Conditions race.

Michael Alfrey’s 11-year-old gelding jumped off in front and set a moderate pace for most of the first circuit.

His jumping, however, was far better than his rivals but there was not much in it as Thyne Spirit moved into contention after jumping the open ditch on the turn into the home straight during Tuesday afternoon’s meeting.

Geoff Barfoot-Saunt was hard at work on his mount but Wilesmith was sitting motionless and there was probably half-a-length between the pair at the last, but the race was settled in a matter of strides as the winner quickened clear of his rival on the flat.

Wilesmith repeated those successful tactics in The Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate thirty five minutes later.

Overbury Pearl lost touch with the leading pair as they passed their starting point, where Zinc Mine was still pulling like a train.

Raleagh’s Choice maintained his advantage down the back straight but Dave Mansell and Zinc Mine moved up threateningly in the home straight but the winner swept clear on the run in to win by 10-lengths.

This was Wilesmith’s first double in a career spanning 15 years so it was fitting it was achieved on a horse owned by his mother-in-law Margaret.

Sam Drinkwater had also ridden a winner at Paxford and he was unlucky not to emulate Wilesmith’s achievements.

Upton-upon-Severn trainer Mike Daniells saddled two runners in the Mares Maiden, with Pickersleigh the more fancied of the two runners.

There was little between Fortiszamo and Pickerlsleigh down the back straight but the favourite forged clear at the last and soon had the race in her pocket.

This progressive young mare is named after the village where the owner Mervyn Jones has his home and few would disagree with the rider’s assessment “she could have gone round again”.

The winner was ridden by Drinkwater who was on the wrong end of a close finish in the concluding Maiden, where he teamed up with Fergal O’Brien’s un-raced six-year-old Roving Eye.

They were beaten in a close finish by Tom Weston’s mount Joking Aside with the winner at Norton by Worcestershire trainer Zara Hunt who brought the mare cheaply at Ascot last year.

Results Members: 1 Tribal Venture (O Murphy) 8-15 fav; 2 Society Buck; 3 Grasp (five ran).

Restricted: 1 Pickersleigh (S Drinkwater) 2-5 fav; 2 Allforclover; 3 Fortiszamo (four ran).

Mares Maiden: 1 Aleksandra Zofia (S Davies-Thomas) 14-1; 2 Vingt Sur Vingt; 3 Might Be Rusty (four ran) Mixed Open: 1 The Wife’s Sister (B Poste) Walked Over.

Conditions: 1 Stormy Bob (M Wilesmith) 4-11 fav; 2 Thyne Spirit; 3 Deep Hall (four ran).

Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate: 1 Raleagh Choice (M Wilesmith) 1-3 fav; 2 Zinc Mine; 3 Overbury Pearl (three ran).

Open Maiden – two miles five fulongs: 1 Joking Aside (T Weston) 4-5 fav; 2 Roving Eye; 3 Moscow Jewel (five ran).