Racing showed its unpredictable nature over the last week.

No dominance from the Greystoke stable. Few runners and no winners for in-form Maurice Barnes, but a spate of success for a number of other Cumbrian trainers under both codes across the northern circuit.

Tristan Davidson started the sequence with the progressive Greengage notching a third win from her last four outings under top-weight at Newcastle.

Greengage has shown a liking for the Tapeta surface and perhaps the most remarkable feature of her victory was her generous starting price of 8/1.

The admirable Phil Dennis, who had partnered Greengage so effectively at Wolverhampton, was again in the saddle. He is familiar with Greengage’s best style of running and allowed her to bide her time before bringing her with a well timed challenge to lead close home and score a shade cosily.

Back over the jumps at Catterick, it was the turn of Barbara Butterworth to regain the winning habit with the ever popular Snowed In.

Now almost white with increasing age, Snowed In was gaining his first win of the season but his followers will not have forgotten his tendency to come good at Catterick on New Year’s Day.

This time around, he left it a week later but despite his price of 8/1, his return to winning form was by no means a surprise as he had steadily improved over the winter and at the same time was still on a favourable mark.

Given the ideal positive ride by Sean Quinlan, Snowed In made virtually all the running and fended off the closers with courageous tenacity.

The going was testing at Kelso last Sunday, which caused several late absentees including the well-fancied Greystoke chasing recruit Chapel Stile.

This will have been a disappointment to Ryan Day, his booked rider, but happily for him he gained quick compensation aboard King’s Eclipse in the 2m 7f handicap chase.

Owned and trained by Andrew Wilson at Orton, King’s Eclipse had landed a career high when partnered by Day he brought off a surprise win on Northern Lights Finals Day in December 2018.

That win resulted in Andrew Wilson’s gelding fighting a losing battle against the handicapper. His jumping has also been erratic and he was far from foot perfect at Kelso last Sunday with Day having to sit tight on several occasions.

The pair still had plenty to do leaving the back straight for the final time but Day never gives up and for once ‘the curse of Kelso’ actually played into his hands.

That dreaded dazzling low sun had caused multiple obstacles to be omitted and the usual third last was in fact the final fence to be crossed on Sunday leaving a run in of some six furlongs.

King’s Eclipse may not be the most fluent jumper, but he lacks nothing in guts and determination and with Day sensing an upset the duo set off in pursuit. Furlong by furlong they steadily closed the gap. With 100 yards to run, they hit the front and passing the line they were deserving winners.

Today’s major televised races are the Clarence House Chase at Ascot and the New One Hurdle, more familiarly known as the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial.

The Ascot event is a virtual rerun of Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase and the Irish gurus are confident that Un De Seaux, runner-up at Sandown, will reverse the placings with the winner Defi Du Seuil.

I disagree and so, I’m pretty sure, does Philip Hobbs. I have never before heard the normally reserved Minehead trainer be so bullish about one of his horses as he has been about Defi Du Seuil whom he describes as a real racehorse and arguably one of the best that he has ever had in his yard.

As for the Haydock Trial the selection is Cornerstone Lad. Micky Hammond’s star was brilliantly ridden by Henry Brooke to win the Fighting Fifth, form which has stood up well and a repeat of that running has to make him hard to beat.

Local interest will centre on Ayr’s Sunday card. The opening maiden hurdle sees Martin Todhunter’s Cool Country with every chance, but the fascinating entry here is the former Ruth Jefferson-trained Mayo Star, now expected to have his first run for Nicky Richards with Brian Hughes in the saddle.

Mayo Star has not run for upwards of two years but won a competitive bumper and was twice placed over hurdles when trained by Jefferson.