CHARLOTTE Jones’ fairytale start to her career shows no sign of coming to an end any time soon after the Barrow conditional jockey landed Cartmel’s £27,000 totesport Cumbria Crystal Cup on 11/1 shot Altruism.

Jones made all the running on James Moffatt’s seven-year-old in the 2m 6f race to eventually triumph by eight lengths from the oft-placed Gran Maestro (12/1) after the leading contenders in the betting had either failed to fire or fallen by the wayside.

It was the 22-year-old’s third win in only her 11th outing, having had to settle for second in the Banks Lyon Jewellers Lady Riders’ Handicap just half an hour earlier.

And while it is undoubtedly the most prestigious and valuable triumph of a riding career which has seen her competing for a little over a year, it is the glory which means most to Jones.

“The money is just a bonus to me – I just want to ride the horse,” said Jones. “If Jimmy had said to get my amateur license I would have done because I just want to ride.

“I was shocked when I won at the last meeting, but to win this one as well on a horse I’ve never ridden on track before is so surreal. I ride him every day at home, but it’s totally different on the course.”

Few had predicted Altruism and Jones would feature at the sharp end of the contest, with questions over whether he would handle the two-furlong step up in trip or whether the soft ground – a result of heavy rainfall earlier in the day – would be to his liking.

But with champion jump jockey Richard Johnson unable to coax 3/1 favourite Royal Village any higher than fifth, Dan Skelton’s hotly-tipped Petrou being pulled up and Moffatt’s four-year-old Boruma falling at the last, Jones and Altruism kept their cool to seal victory.

“I asked the jockeys in the weighing room about what they were doing and there was no pace,” said Jones. “I know Altruism likes to be up front and he’s happy there. I spoke to Henry Brooke, who rides him most of the time, and he said ‘yeah, just do that’.

“To be honest, I was worried about the ground because he usually wants good ground and it was a step up in trip on ground we thought he didn’t want.”

Cartmel trainer Moffatt was delighted to see Altruism back to his best after being pulled up and finishing eighth on his previous two starts this year, and was quick to praise his apprentice Jones for a mature and composed ride.

“She’s judged the fractions he’s got very well,” said Moffatt, adding: “I’m going to have to give her a retainer shortly if she keeps doing things like this to keep hold of her.

“She’s a horsewoman first and jockey very much second. She’s learning and she’s had three winners from 11 rides, won a Class Two at the last meeting and now the most valuable race of the day.”

The result more than made up for Jones finishing runner-up on Lough Kent (3/1), who she had taken her two previous wins on, in the Banks Lyon Jewellers Lady Riders’ Handicap. That was race was instead won by amateur Emma Sayer on the spirited frontrunner Beeno.

Sayer and trainer Kenneth Slack admitted afterwards the plan was originally to sit tight and make a move later in the race, but her decision to let him run at the head of the field after he leapt out quickly early on proved the right one for both her and her uncle.

“Plan A didn’t work so we went for Plan B,” said Sayer. “He was crazy keen early on, but my plan if that happened was to relax, give him a minute and he got a breather in front of every hurdle and jumped fantastically.

“I’ve won it in my Grandad’s colours and on my uncle’s horse, and it’s such a family affair. To actually go out there and win it means the world.”

Elsewhere, Brother Scott (9/2) scored another course and distance victory for trainer Sue Scott in the 2m 5f Champagne Louis Roederer Handicap Chase, winning by three lengths from Shady Glen (3/1) in the Northern Lights Middle Distance Chase Series qualifier.

Heavy odds-on favourite What Comes Now triumphed for Donald McCain in the day’s opener, the Cartmel Lodge Park Novices’ Hurdle, while Stuart Crawford’s Irish raiders Don Franco (11/4f) and A Touch Of Sparkle (13/2) won the BBQ Shop At Hayes Garden World Handicap Chase and Hadwins Motor Group Mares’ Handicap Hurdle respectively.