BANK Holiday sunshine greeted racegoers at Hereford on Monday and the meeting produced a win for the Preston Wynne yard of Pam Ford, writes Graham Saveker.

Candy Copper stayed on valiantly in the opening Mares Novice Hurdle to land a length-and-a-half success over Rose Hill.

And Ford said: "That's the first winner for myself and husband Kenny that we have owned and trained. It makes up for last season's dozen seconds."

The Clive Maiden Hunters Chase had an open look about it before the start and this was confirmed as 25/1 shot Lyrical Seal, who paid 83/1 on the Tote, came home a length-and-a-half winner from Belarus.

County-trained The Rum Mariner was travelling well until meeting the first open ditch on the final circuit all wrong and parting company with pilot Candy Thomas.

The two-mile novice chase saw an easy win for Damus, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald and trained by Alvechurch-based Ian Williams for The Winning Line partnership.