BEN VENUE, Va.-- Jimmy Day, a former grand prix rider who was a member of Canada's gold medal winning team in Mexico, trained both the first and second placed horses in the Open Hurdle race as well as the winner of the Foxhunter Timber on April 7 at the Old Dominion Hounds Point-to-Point.
In the Open Hurdle, Christina Mosley's Foxhall Drive, ridden by Bryan Cullinane, had the early lead, but S. Bruce Smart's Officer's Oath, ridden by Liam McVicar, took over after the third fence in the 2 1/4 mile race, and he was never seriously challenged, winning by 1 length over Foxhall Drive.
Day also trained the winner of the Foxhunter Timber race, Magalen O. Bryant's Plated, ridden by Evan Dwan, who won by 8 lengths over Matthew McCarron's Addones Last Hurrah, trained by Zoe Valvo and ridden by Erin Swope.
Dwan as a rider also had two wins, riding Wits End Stable LLC's Churchill D, trained by William Dowling, to win over Way Up High, owned and trained by Benjamin C. Swope and ridden by Erin Swope.
Small Giant Stable's Mancor, trained and ridden by Amber Hodyka, won the Lady Rider Timber, leading most of the way and winning by 4 1/2 lengths over Sweet Talking Guy, owned, trained and ridden by Swope.
In the Maiden Hurdle, Carl Rafter saddled Ridgeview Farm's Virginia Envy, ridden by Archie MacAuley, to win in the stretch by 1 length over Wits End Stable's Renegade River, trained by Dowling and ridden by Dwan.
As the only entry, Milldale Four's Secret Soul, trained and ridden by Jeff Murphy, was the walkover winner of the Open Timber.
Pathfinder Racing's Strong, trained by Neil Morris and ridden by Emme Fullilove, won the Novice Rider Flat race, Sharon Sheppard's Commanchero (Ire), trained by Leslie Young and ridden by Elizabeth Scully, won the Restricted Young Adult Flat race, and Willisville, owned and trained by Jean L. Rofe and ridden by Murphy, won the Virginia Bred/Sired Flat race.