LOCAL successes were thin on the ground at Saturday's Harkaway point to point at Chaddesley Corbertt with Shuil Monty being the solitary Worcestershire winner.

Trainer Martin Oliver has a proven track record with his pointers and he does particularly well with Irish imports and it looks as though he has unearthed a useful prospect in Shuil Monty.

Connections adopted different tactics and he was held up off the pace until rider Philip York put him in contention as they met the rising ground on the run to the 15th.

The nine-year-old jumped into the lead at this point.

He was three lengths clear of his rivals entering the home straight and left them toiling in his wake over the final three fences to land the spoils for his Elmley Lovett-based handler.

It was unusual to see a horse of Caught at Dawn's calibre racing in the final weeks of the season but there were plenty of rivals to take him on in the Men's Open.

Tom Weston had the favourite handily placed when a stirrup leather broke approaching the 12th. This left his young rider without any effective method of control and they were forced to run out.

Following his departure, Chief Mouse got the better of his rivals in the home straight to provide a double for Shobden trainer Steve Isaac who had previously sent out stable star Magicien to land the Ladies' Open under Lorna Brooke.

By Pete Lammas