THE BOOKMAKERS were shot down by fancied horses on Country and Western Day at Uttoxeter Racecourse last Sunday.

The first four favourites all won – albeit that three of them were short-priced.

Ridden by Richard Johnson, the 1-3 odds-on favourite Moorlands Teri was just good enough to win the opening Henry Mein Architects National Hunt Novices' Hurdle for the Staffordshire Regiment Challenge Cup.

The 10-3 market leader Seventh Cavalry made his debut over hurdles a winning one – for trainer Alan King and jockey Robert Thornton – in the Aileen Roach Memorial Novices' Hurdle.

The stables of trainer John Mackie are just over the county border in Derbyshire, and Is It Me (5-4 favourite) made the short journey worthwhile by winning the A&S Enterprises Mechanical Services Selling Hurdle.

Another short-priced favourite took the fourth race, Ogee (2-5) triumphed in the A&S Enterprises Ltd Novices' Chase for the Royal Mercian & Lancastrian Yeomanry Challenge Cup.

The layers finally got some relief from the fancied runners when Solway Bay (9-1) was first in the Geldards LLP Handicap Hurdle.

The Scarsdale Vets Handicap Chase for the Queen's Royal Lancers Challenge Cup was won by Skipper's Lad at 5-1, while the closing Beck Family Chase Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase went to Thenameescapesme (7-1).

The next fixture at Uttoxeter Racecourse is on Wednesday, October 14. For details visit www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk