Aiden Coleman, one of the newest members of jump racing’s 1,000 Club, justified the hype over his appearance at Cartmel, as he won the £10,000 Beginners Chase on Ennistown.

The ten-year-old Irish gelding was expertly ridden by Coleman, who claimed the 1,000th winner of his career at Southwell last Sunday, as did Sam Twiston-Davies, another of the star names on show at the course yesterday.

It was a nip-and-tuck race that saw Squouateur lead early before Sonic took over at the head, with Francky Du Berlais moving into contention and for a long time it looked as though it was between the last two of those frontrunners.

However, Ennistown timed his run to perfection and just when it looked as though we’d have a close finish between three runners, he burst clear on the run-in to finish ahead of Francky Du Berlais, and James Bowen, by four lengths.

It gave Coleman his fifth winner at Cartmel and his first since 2017 and Beaminster trainer Anthony Honeyball his first at the course this year.

Coleman said: “I felt very confident, he had a really good run the last time, around Worcester, and he’s liked this track before, which is good.

“Obviously, it’s got its own idiosyncrasies, but it’s a very nice track and for horses like him it really does play into their favour and he jumped very well and won very well.

“I always pretty confident the whole way round, so he gave me a lovely ride.”

With Sir Cliff Richard and Sophie Ellis-Bextor to come on the stage, the big names kept coming on the track, with Champion Jockey Richard Johnson coming in first on his only ride of the day, as he won the Novices’ Handicap Hurdle on the Jennie Candish-trained Too Much To Ask.

In the two-mile, one-furlong race, the six-year-old literally had too much on the run-in, first bursting past long-time leader Elixer before holding off Native Fighter, ridden by Henry Brooke.

Johnson said: “He ran he really well before and just got pipped on the line, where he perhaps didn’t stay home, so we dropped him back into it today and he ran very nicely, so it’s lovely to get a winner up here.

“The ground staff always do a great job here and it’s a lovely place to be, it’s always very well supported and obviously on a day like today, there’s no better place to be and all of us jockeys look forward to coming here.”

On a gloriously sunny afternoon, where the going was good, good to firm in places, there was a win for Penrith trainer Dianne Sayer in the final race of the day, the Amateur Riders Handicap Hurdle, with Beeno.

Ridden by Lilly Pinchin, the ten-year-old claimed his fourth win at Cartmel when he found a second wind in a race he’d led for long periods to overtake King Alfonso, and Ben Jones, on the run-in.

There was an incredibly tight finish in three-mile, one-furlong Handicap Chase, as Dutch Canyon, ridden by Sam Coltherd and trained by his father Stuart, just about held off fellow Irish horse Shaiyzar to win by a head. France’s Alto Des Mottes finished third by a further neck back.

Richie McLernon won the first Handicap Chase of the afternoon on the 10/1-backed Ever So Much, trained by Ben Haslam, who moved past Damiens Dilemma around 200 yards from the post to snatch victory.

The meeting opened with Conor Orr easing to victory by nine lengths on Decor Irlandais of France in the Maiden Hurdle, while Ben Jones was even more of a comprehensive winner on Midnight Folie the Handicap Hurdle, coming home by 15 lengths.

It was a quiet day for Cartmel trainer James Moffatt, with The Steward claiming a fourth with Callum Bewley and Barrow jockey Charlotte Jones finishing tenth on Start Sevem, while Noble Warrior and Just Minded both pulled up.