Connor O’Farrell has got an amazing strike-rate around Cartmel Racecourse and it got even better for him last Saturday as he rode the David Pipe-trained Mr Clarkson to victory in the William Hill Crystal Cup.

The seven-year-old, wearing the red and white chevrons, won by five lengths under a patient ride from O’Farrell, who chased down the long-time leader Wells De Lune to win the Class 3 two-mile, six-furlong race, subsequently ending Wells De Lune’s perfect 100 per cent win record around the track in the process.

Pipe, son of multiple winning champion trainer Martin Pipe, was not present but O’Farrell was able to comment on how he felt his horse had performed.

He said, “I never felt like he was travelling out there and it was hard work. The track didn’t suit him at all and he would rather prefer a good galloping track but at the end of the day he’s gone out there and grinded it out.”

The first race of the day was the Class 4 novices hurdle and was won by Decor Irlandais who backed up his previous success at the course in June with another impressive performance in winning by eight lengths, despite jockey Connor Orr never having to get to much work on the six-year-old.

Orr spoke about how it felt to bring up the double on the horse from Ireland, saying: “He was always travelling and I think the small field helped him for sure.

“It feels good to win around here again and to win easily as well, I haven’t had to give her a squeeze or anything.”

Course favourite Beeno took the second followed by Mr Clarkson who took the third race before the handicap chase provided the closest finish of the afternoon.

Young and upcoming conditional jockey Danny McMenamin soared to the front on Jeu De Mots on the run in to steal victory from Bryony Frost aboard Wisecracker to provide trainer Dianne Sayer with a quickfire double on the afternoon.

However, there was no luck for Cartmel trainer James Moffatt whose day was summed up perfectly in the last when She’s Gone Fast, which was being ridden by Barrow’s Charlotte Jones, was brought down at the last when she appeared to be travelling.

Green Or Black went on to deny Mrs Sayer completing a hat-trick for the afternoon in the qualifier for the Northern Lights mares hurdle final.

Moffatt’s Think Ahead finished in a valiant fifth in the ladies race, and Mega Double did the same in the Crystal Cup, while Just Minded was never travelling and was pulled up.