IN more recent times the racing yard of Warren Place in Newmarket has been synonymous with classic winners trained by Noel Murless and Henry Cecil.

But, with trainer Cecil sub-letting part of his yard to colleague Neil Graham, Thalys became the first winner at Hereford from that prestigious yard with his victory in the Novices Handicap Chase at Sunday's Countryside Day.

Richard Johnson's mount Adalie was well supported to follow his win of the previous week. But he was under pressure as the field left the back straight in the two-mile three-furlong contest and it was clear the race fell between top weight Full On, partnered by Brian Crowley, and Thalys, ridden by Leighton Aspell.

The horses were in the air together at the last fence but it was the Newmarket-trained six-year-old Thalys which took the honours by threequarters of a length from Full On, with Freteval a further five lengths back in third place.

The Mares Only Novices Hurdle over two miles three-and-a-half furlongs had a well fancied local runner in the Venetia Williams' trained Kindle Ball, who was ridden by Alan O'Keefe, deputising for injured Sam Thomas, but the Kings Caple trained runner folded quickly once headed.

The race was as good as over as the 14 runners left the back straight with the Nigel Hawke trained Kim Fontenail cruising into the lead in the hands of Paddy Brennan, who had the chance ride following injury to Timmy Murphy.

Indeed, the only danger to Kim Fontenail was her rider falling off as he looked around extravagantly between the last two hurdles to check he was clear, with the pair eventually landing the spoils by nine lengths from Gelnogue. The Syril Griffiths trained Tiri-kumba stayed on in third place.

Byton trainer Richard Lee saw his Borora sent off the 9/2 favourite in the hands of Alan O'Keefe in the two-mile one-furlong handicap hurdle. But it was the 20/1 outsider Forzacurity, one of three runners for Ebbw Vale trainer Dai Burchell, who triumphed at 20/1.