CHAMPION Jockey Richard Johnson showed his enduring class on the second day of the July Meeting at Cartmel Racecourse on Monday with two winners in the space of half an hour on a track affected by heavy overnight rain.

Johnson now has three winners at the course this year after coming through a close finish on Champagne Chaser in the 3.20 Handicap Hurdle before quickly doubling up on board Canton Prince in the Beginners’ Chase.

In the 5.00 Handicap Chase, Dr Robin made it a hat-trick of wins from his last three races at the course, leading the race from start to finish with 18-year-old James Bowen on board.

The other Class 3 race of the day, the 4.25 Handicap Chase, was won by Sam Coltherd on Ardera Cross, who is trained by William Young Jr, by three-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of Theo Gillard and Ink Master, who were left with too much ground to make up.

The day had opened with Rukwa, ridden by Jonathan England, edging past Best Not Argue by a neck in the Maiden Hurdle, which saw the James Moffatt-trained The Steward come fourth with Barrow’s Charlotte Jones and Dagian fifth with Hughes.

A winner at his home course eluded Moffatt this month, but he had a second and third, with Boruma and Aptly Put, respectively, in the 2.45 Handicap Hurdle, which was won by Harry Reed on Justatenner.

The Barbecue Meeting was closed out with a dominant win for Penrith trainer Dianne Sayer, as Danny McMenamin came through on Frightened Rabbit in the 5.30 Handicap Hurdle, ten lengths clear of Mighty Whitey and Conor Orr.

The first day of the meeting on Saturday had seen sunshine and exhilarating racing and almost 13,000 people flooding through the gates.

The prestigious Cumbria Crystal Cup won in style by 5-1 shot Mr Clarkson, while the £15,000 Banks Lyon Jewellers Lady Riders Handicap Hurdle Race, the most valuable race of its kind in Britain, was won by Beeno.

Jockey Lilly Pinchin was presented with a £5,000 diamond and sapphire pendant necklace by the race sponsors.

The final racing in the 2019 Cartmel calendar is the August Holiday Meeting, which takes place on Saturday, August 24 and Bank Holiday Monday, August 26.