CHAMPION trainer Jack Barber wasn’t showing any festive goodwill to his rivals at Sunday's Point to Point Owners & Riders Club meeting rivals at Barbury racecourse on Sunday.

He continued where he left off last season, dominating proceedings with three winners from his first three runners of the new campaign.

All were ridden by champion jockey Will Biddick, getting off the mark for the season and taking an early lead in this year’s title race as well as winning the prize for leading jockey on the day.

Centrepiece and highlight of the Barber-Biddick three-timer was Ghizao in the Simpsons Subaru Mens Open.

The betting had the eight–runner affair down as a two-horse race, with bookies unable to split the former Paul Nicholls-trained chaser and Alan Hill’s Harbour Court, twice a winner at Cheltenham and now in the ownership of Rodney Mann.

Harbour Court, ridden for the first time by trainer’s son Joe, adopted front-running tactics but proved a sitting duck for Ghizao and Will Biddick.

Last early, Biddick moved Ghizao into second after a circuit, then stalked the leader until jumping into the lead at the second last. He was not extended to win by about three lengths, with Sivola De Sivola getting the better of a close battle with Court Red Handed over twenty lengths back in third.

“He’ll stay pointing, either in Mens Opens or Novice Riders races.” confirmed his trainer when asked about plans for the 11-year-old, who is now unbeaten in three races when partnered by Biddick.

Despite his experience, Ghizao was not foot-perfect and Barber admitted, “He gets away with his jumping, but can land steeply.”

Ghizao was a second winner from two runners from the newly-formed Jack Barber Racing Club, who initiated their own double with Innocent Girl in the nine-runner Jockey Club Mares Maiden race.

Leading from the off, the former Lucinda Russell-trained six-year-old jumped brilliantly throughout and – though closely attended by Galros Lady on the far side during the second circuit – pulled away without any difficulty to win by the length of the run-in in the fastest time of the five three mile races, with Galros Lady the only other finisher.

“She jumps for England, doesn’t she?” said Barber. “She’s a fizzy little mare at home and she’s done a lot of jumping.”

The trainer was guarded about future plans, saying: “We’ve no thoughts about a Restricted yet, we’ll get Christmas out of the way first.”

Barber and Biddick completed their treble with Captain Probus in the second division of the Valley Equine Hospital Maiden, which – with 17 declarations – was split on the day.

Eight went to post for this contest and, after Kereen Catcher had set the early pace, See U Again Son took up the running on the second circuit, and seemed to be holding the well-backed favourite at bay.

But under a typical strong ride from Biddick, Captain Probus wore down his rival on the run-in to win by a length with Gorran Haven eleven lengths back in third after featuring prominently on the final circuit.

“It’s the first winner I’ve trained for my grandfather,” said Barber of the five-year-old, formerly with Harry Fry, and now owned jointly by former champion trainer Richard Barber and Sandra Maltby, who had dual winner Willow Bird last season.

Barber’s Innocent Girl foiled a gamble on Andrew Pennock’s Galros Lady in the Mares Maiden, but one major punt that did come off was Monsieur Arkadin in the nine-runner first division of the two-and-a-half mile Maiden.

Backed from 16-1 all the way down to 3-1 the well-bred four-year-old was always going well and disputed the lead from five out before quickening clear on the final bend.

Despite the best efforts of Stan Sheppard on outsider Black Banjo to close the winner down, Josh Newman and Monsieur Arkadin held on to win by half a length, with favourite Holm Hill twenty-five lengths back in third.

“He’s taken time to come to hand but we came here hopeful,” was all owner-trainer Philip Green would say when asked about his part in the gamble. “He’s for sale and we’re hoping to enter him in the Cheltenham Sales this week.”

Another highlight for racegoers, alongside the clash between Ghizao and Harbour Court, was the second ride between the flags for Olympic champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton, in her ‘Switching Saddles’ challenge, where she hopes to ride in the Cheltenham Foxhunters.

After pulling-up at Black Forest Lodge last week, Pendleton was on According To Sarah in the AGA Ladies Open.

The 20-1 outsider raced prominently on the first circuit, showing briefly in the lead after jumping the sixth, before tiring and eventually pulling up before two out.

“I feel like I did a better job this week than I did last week, trying to stay in contention in the race for as long as possible,” she said after the race.

The ten-runner contest was won by Lord Heathfield, a second winner from just two starters in points for Adlestrop trainer Christy Mews following Tangolan at Mollington last season.

The ex-Irish nine-year-old led early, before dropping back through the field then coming with a strong late run under Claire Hart to win by about four lengths from Get It On, with odds-on favourite Bertie’s Dream a disappointing third.

“She bought the horse with (partner and National Hunt jockey) Kielan Woods,” owners – and proud parents – Andy and Sue Mews said.

“He’s kept at Claire Hart’s yard but Christy does all the work with him.”

The winning trainer was happy to share the praise with her jockey. “He’s just a star, isn’t he? He’s so laid-back. He wouldn’t have won if it wasn’t for Claire.”

The opening Dodson & Horrell Novice Riders race saw the closest finish of the day, with Buck Magic and John Smith-Maxwell just holding a late surge from Gus Levinson on Be Definite by a short head.

Favourite Iberico was two lengths back in third after a series of blunders in this competitive 15-runner affair. Prominent early, Buck Magic jumped in front at the final ditch and was always at the head of affairs after that.

Katherine Smith-Maxwell, mother of the winning owner-trainer-rider, said: “We’ve never had a first time out winner. And it’s John’s first winner as a trainer.”

Buck Magic is yet another to run in the blue and cerise colours carried most famously by SMith-Maxwell's mother Pat Tollit and more recently by her sister Angela Rucker – John’s variation being a quartered cap.

“We got the horse from Neil Mulholland. Mark Quinlan, who used to ride him, and (fellow jockey) Chris Ward have been really helpful.”

Now Ben took the ten-runner Connolly’s Red Mills Intermediate comfortably by 12 lengths from My Coranna – another second for trainer David and rider Bradley Gibbs – with Shanann Star third.

Midfield on the first circuit, jockey Alex Edwards crept through the field before taking the lead at the ditch second time around and staying on strongly from there.

The winner – “a lovely horse” according to trainer Philip Rowley – took time to find his form last season and his handler was quick to explain why.