GREEN and gold were the brightest colours at Cartmel as there was double triumph for one of jump racing’s most formidable combinations.

Top jockey Richard Johnson, riding in the familiar hoops of owner JP McManus for trainer Jonjo O’Neill, guided two mounts to victory in front of 16,000 spectators in South Cumbria.

Johnson rode Highpower to the line with a perfectly-timed run in the opening Cartmel 25th Anniversary Sticky Toffee Pudding Novices’ Hurdle and followed up with spectacular success on Dreamsoftheatre in the Cavendish Cup.

Victory in the £18,500 chasing showpiece came by the narrowest of margins as they came up the straight four-abreast after 25 furlongs of racing.

Top-weight Alderbrook Lad looked to have put in a strong bid for success under Finian O’Toole – already a winner earlier in the day – as he led them into the straight with a three-length advantage.

But the chasing pack of four ran him down going up the hill to the line.

Johnson, who won on the same horse at Bangor on his last run, battled to the front an inch from home on 2/1 favourite Dreamsoftheatre, beating Tom Scudamore on Abolitionist by a short head. Sean Bowen on Danimix was only a head further back in third, with the course judge earning his keep as he made the call on the photo finish.

Johnson, now regarded as the sport’s top jump jockey following the retirement of AP McCoy, happily took the plaudits after the crowd cheered as the verdict was announced, and said: “If anything, we didn’t really go quick enough for him today.

“The Bangor race worked out better for him and this is probably a little bit of a sharp track for him, but at the same time I thought the horse of Mick Hammond’s (Alderbrook Lad) had probably gone. He has put his head down well and battled away and at the end it was very close between four of us.

“I’m very pleased to come out on top.”

In the opener, Johnson took 6/4 favourite Highpower to the head of affairs two from home and had too much for James Reveley on Sharp Rise on the run-in, easing three-and-a-half lengths clear by the line for a victory cheered loudly by the crowds packing the rails on the straight.

The successes for Johnson in McManus’s colours came as he takes rides previously earmarked for McCoy.

The jockey is delighted to have found himself in pole position to rider for the premier owner and trainer O’Neill, and added: “It’s fantastic to ride for them whenever I can.

“I’ve ridden for Jonjo on and off for years and it’s always nice to do that.

“With AP retiring and Barry Geraghty (O’Neill’s new stable jockey) not coming over seven days a week, when he’s not around there are opportunities.”

Johnson had to wait for his double as O’Toole pulled off a surprise on Boldbob in the Wicks Waste Services Juvenile Hurdle.

Johnson was among the favourites in Secrets Safe and appeared well set when he was close behind conditional rider O’Toole – with carried a 10lb allowance – at the second-last.

But the Micky Hammond-trained 12/1 shot had the better finish, pulling away entering the straight and holding on to survive a late push from the favourite to be this year’s Champion Jockey.

There was nothing between all five horses in the field for the Michael Ennis Memorial Handicap Chase as they entered the straight.

A sedate early pace only picked up at the last, with little to separate leader Sublime Talent from back-marker Claragh Native.

They reached the turn with a length between front and back, but it was Brian Hughes who guided Endeavor up the rails to the head of affairs, taking a two-and-three-quarter length success on the 7/2 shot, ahead of joint-favourites Kitchapoly and Vinnie The Fish.

There was to be no success for local trainer James Moffatt on the final day of Cartmel racing for the year, with Fantasy King going closest for the Pit Farm Stables handler in the Miller Howe Hotel Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old, under Diurmuid O’Regan – a winner on board Captain Brown for Moffatt on Saturday – was beaten by three-and-a-half lengths by Sean Bowen on board Forever My Friend.

The 7/2 chance had led them round for two miles and five furlongs as Bowen was never headed in a strong race and could not be caught going up the straight.

Fantasy King’s second place was enough to ensure Moffatt claimed a handsome victory in the Cartmel trainers’ challenge for the season, having had at least one success at each of the four meetings.

“I’ve had some really good days this summer,” he said on receiving the Andrea Robinson Memorial Trophy. “I got married on May 2 and it has gone from there.

“It’s lovely getting the prize and being the leading trainer, but I’ve got a great team and some great owners who have been with me for a long time and who have been really supportive of me.

“It’s lovely having winners here and it means a lot to me.”

Another post-to-post winner came in the big money coral.co.uk Handicap Hurdle, as Goldan Jess rode away under Kyle James.

The 10/1 shout had too much for Scudamore on Street Entertainer as he made all the running and won for the third time at Cartmel, landing the £18,500 hurdling showpiece having previously taken the Cumbria Crystal Trophy.

Racing for the year was rounded off with Jeremiah McGrath taking Binowagh Bay to victory in the Swan Hotel and Spa Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, though even then Johnson was able to celebrate as his third place on Mistress Mole saw him take the Jockeys’ Challenge title – sponsored by the same company – by a single point.