Trainer James Moffatt is pleased to have bagged his first winner of the year at his local course at Cartmel early on the season, as the renaissance at Pit Farm Stables continues.

Ridden by Brian Hughes, Boruma stormed clear following the second to last in the Handicap Hurdle to win by 11 lengths in what was the first race of The Mail Ladies Evening on Wednesday.

After a difficult 2018 where the horses under his care were often out of sorts, Boruma’s victory gave Moffatt his 47th winner at Cartmel as a jockey or trainer, while it was his third in the last two weeks overall, following Charlotte Jones’ winning rides on Golden Town and Lough Kent at Sedgefield and Perth, respectively.

Moffatt, who has Morning Royalty and Mondlicht running at Hexham today, said: “Two years ago, I think we were two or three winners to the good here, but Boruma was only our fourth or fifth runner. If you’re getting one in five that’s good.”

It was Boruma’s second run of the Whit meeting, having come third with Barrow jockey Jones in the class 3 Handicap Hurdle on last Saturday’s opening afternoon.

“He had a good run on Saturday, although they didn’t really pan out and didn’t go really fast,” Moffatt said.

“I’d instructed Charlotte just to get a lead in the race and she said to me afterwards that she had wished she’d kicked on earlier.

“I probably messed that up by trying to run the race from the ground when you should let jockeys get on their own thing, so Brian knew and he stayed before kicking on early and he put them to the sword.”

On the recent return to form of his horses, Moffatt, who is hoping to achieve his 50th Cartmel winner from the remaining six meetings this year, added: “Things are going nicely and obviously I’m pleased.

“But I’ve been around long enough to know from these good spells that there are more disappointments than good days and you’ve just got to enjoy these good days.”