Novice rider James Jackson-Stops was elated after Gidam Gidam galloped his rivals into the ground to capture the Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup at the Heythrop Hunt meeting at Mollington, near Banbury.

The London-based property surveyor was riding just his second winner aboard the 11-year-old gelding, trained by Heather Kemp at Adstone, near Towcester, in one of the sport’s four ‘classics’.

The combination took up the running at the fourth fence in the men’s open over an extended three miles and seven furlongs, and quickly established a commanding lead to pass the post a distance clear of Beat The Boys.

“That was great fun,” said Jackson-Stops. “He just absolutely flew, and would have gone around again.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. I’m chuffed with that.”

Kemp, who owns Gidam Gidam in partnership with her husband, Tony, said: “I wanted to put a novice rider on to let the horse feel as if he was in charge.

“He has given him a great ride and the horse has loved every minute of it.”

Former Grade 1-winning hurdler Lough Derg, trained by Melanie Duff at Highworth, was sent off favourite for the Point-to-Point Owners & Riders’ Association Club members race for novice riders.

But as the 13-year-old faded out of contention it was his 16-1 stablemate, Perfectly Willing, who rallied in tremendous style to collar Arnold Layne after the last and give Fin Gunn, fresh from a tour of Afghanistan, his first winner.

With persistent rain turning the ground ever softer, Horsham Lad, trained by Jelly O’Brien at Fossebridge, near Cheltenham, was in his element to take the ladies’ open by six lengths from Quattrocento in the hands of Phine Banks.

As It Is, narrowly denied by Norwich Well at Lockinge on Easter Monday, went one better in the restricted for Alice Walthew, who trains at Brockhampton, near Cheltenham, under a confident ride from Peter Mason.

Tempered Steel, a head behind As It Is at Lockinge, gave the form a further boost by running out a clear-cut winner of the members’ race under Tom Ellis for trainer Fred Hutsby, who is based at Ettington, near Stratford.

Stapleton, ridden by Geoff Barfoot-Saunt, put up a game performance to land the open maiden for six year-olds and over for Chris Loggin, who trains at Hinton-in-the-Hedges, near Brackley.

And Tara Point ran out an impressive 25-lengths winner of the closing open maiden for four to seven-year-olds in the hands of Nico de Boinville for Bath owner-trainer Chloe Roddick.

RESULTS

Restricted: 1 AS IT IS (P Mason) 11-10 fav, 2 Bit Of A Barney 6-1, 3 Rahealty 6-1. Trainer: A Walthew. Dist: 3l, 5l. 13 ran.

Members: 1 TEMPERED STEEL (T Ellis) 1-4 fav, 2 Posh Trip 9-2. Only two finished. Trainer: F Hutsby. Dist: dist. 3 ran.

PPORA Club Members (novice riders): 1 PERFECTLY WILLING (F Gunn) 16-1, 2 Arnold Layne         5-2, Keel Road 3-1. Trainer: M Duff. Dist: 2½l, 6l. 10 ran.

Ladies’ open: 1 HORSHAM LAD (J Banks) 4-7 fav, 2 Quattrocento 16-1, 3 Prince Massini 4-1. Trainer: J O’Brien. Dist: 6l, 3l. 5 ran.

Men’s open (Lord Ashton of Hyde’s Cup): 1 GIDAM GIDAM (J Jackson-Stops) 9-4, 2 Beat The Boys 8-1, 3 De Soto 8-1. Trainer: H Kemp. Dist: dist, 20l. 7 ran.

Open maiden (6yo plus): 1 STAPLETON (G Barfoot-Saunt) 8-1, 2 Spike Mac 10-1, 3 Somewhatinevitable 3-1. Trainer: C Loggin. Dist: 5l, 5l. 14 ran.

Open maiden (4-7yo): 1 TARA POINT (N de Boinville) Evens fav, 2 Moroman 6-1, 3 Stockade 10-1. Trainer: C Roddick. Dist: 25l, 8l. 8 ran.