EDWARD Walker was surprised but elated after securing the West Midland Area Leading Rider Award during Monday's Albrighton Woodland meeting at Chaddesley Corbett.

The Childswickham-based jockey was keen to acknowledge the part two local stables played in his success and, although the winners may not have flowed as freely as he might have hoped, placed efforts have proved the key to his victory.

The Campdonian had already secured the Leading Horse Award for the horse's Weston-sub-Edge-based connections, but Lucy and Paul King were keen to support their rider's efforts and the 13-year-old ran his normal game race until he was outpaced at the finish by Richard Burton's mount Snowtre.

Walker secured the area title following Jolly Jake's second place in the Restricted and this put him in an unassailable lead because his main rival Julian Pritchard had insufficient ammunition to reduce the deficit.

Emma Baker's Naunton stable has provided Walker with plenty of ammunition during the season and this was another game effort from the ten-year-old.

Burton started the day two winners behind Ashley Farrant in his quest to retain the National Jockeys Champ-ionship. The Shropshire-based rider guided three horses to victory but, at the end of the day, the status quo was unchanged because Farrant matched his efforts with a hat-trick down in Devon.

Snowtre has provided Burton with three wins at a crucial stage of the season due to the generosity of Cheltenham's Adrian Wintle who, with the co-operation of trainer Helen Needham and owner Jim Callow, has willingly stepped aside to aid Burton's championship aspirations.

With several confirmed frontrunners, the Mixed Open was always going to be run at a frenetic pace and Jemaro's victory set a course record and provided Burton with the second leg of his treble which was completed on the Jen Wall-trained Sabena Canyon in the Restricted.