INJURY prevented Richard Burton taking last year's national rider's championship but with just a few weeks of the point-to point season remaining the Shropshire rider put a hand on the trophy after riding a treble at the Wheatland fixture at Chaddesley Corbett last Saturday.

Chelsea King is one of the lesser lights in Sheila Crow's stable but Burton's mount still started favourite in the opening Countryside Alliance Members when he produced his mount for a race-winning run between the final two fences.

There was an element of farce involved in Burton's second success, however.

Two runners went to post for the Men's open, but despite a five-minute delay, Teresa McCurrich's Early Dawn refused to start and Step Quick had to complete two solo circuits to give Burton his easiest victory this season.

Joyce Bel, his winning mount in the concluding members, is likely to transfer from Andrew Dalton's point-to point yard to contest summer jumping from his wife Heather's stables at Shifnal.

Four runners contested the Intermediate event but it produced the closest finish of the six-race card with Shamrock Lad scoring by a short head in the colours of new owner-trainer-breeder David Dando.

The Ladies earlier also produce a close finish with a head separating Jimmy Jumbo and Steady Eddy.

Sarah Jackson hit the front at halfway and went for broke down the back straight, but her rivals began to close at the 15th and Anna De Lisle Wells and Steady Eddy closed with every stride over the final three fences.

They were still two lengths adrift at the last, but Jimmy Jumbo stayed on well to snatch victory.

Chaddesley results

Members - 1 Chelsea King 7-4, 2 Fanion De Nourry 9-2, 3 Shekels 4-1. 11 ran. Distances 2 lengths and 25 lengths.

Men's Open - Step Quick 1-5. 2 ran. Finished alone.

Ladies Open - 1 Jimmy Jumbo 3-1, 2 Steady Eddy 2-1, 3 Bishops Hall 5-4. 6 ran. Head-12l.

Maiden - 1, Carat 4-6, 2 Snowtre 3-1, 3 Money Magic 3-1. 10 ran. 1l-8l.

Intermediate - 1 Shamrock Lad 5-2, 2 Corrie Mor 7-4. 4 ran. Two finished. Short head.

Members - 1 Joyce Bel 4-9, 2 Westcoast 2-1, 3 Paddy Casey 9-1. 4 ran. 1l-6l.