READERS may remember the treble Milton Bradley enjoyed one day in December 2017, a rare ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy period for the yard.

Something similar occurred last week. On the Wednesday, Indian Affair was their first winner since May. The nine-year-old battled tenaciously to get his nose – but nothing more than that – in front on the line. It was his fifth victory at Wolverhampton and his tenth in all.

At the same venue two days later, there were two more winners for Bradley. First-time cheekpieces galvanised Rapid Rise into a much-improved effort in mid-January and they worked again on Friday. He won his first race, at the 34th attempt.

“He won well and should win again,” said his jockey Raul da Silva.

Muraaqeb, rated only 37, left all his previous form behind to score by a head and furnish David Probert with the first half of a double.

Soon afterwards, he donned the Godolphin silks to ride a winner for their principal trainer Charlie Appleby. With 18 victories this year already, Probert is on course for another successful campaign.

The Groove was the clear winner of a Wolverhampton seller for David Evans on Monday. There was no bid for him after the race. He’d won a similarly modest contest at Chepstow in the summer but disappointed afterwards, when the stable was going through a bad patch. When he finished third to stablemate Los Camachos last week it suggested a revival was imminent. The latter was in the process of winning twice within the space of four days.

In a claiming race later on Monday’s card Anif, another Evans inmate, stuck his head out gamely to win. The trainer had astutely claimed him for £3,500 when he finished sixth in December. He has won two out of his three starts since.

Grace Harris’ Cheltenham Festival entry Field Exhibition could run at tomorrow's Ffos Las meeting. Three miles on heavy going will arguably be just as stiff a test of stamina as four miles on good going at Cheltenham.

Their recent flat winner Mooroverthebridge didn’t get the quickest of starts or the clearest of passages at Wolverhampton last week and therefore did well to finish fourth, beaten less than two lengths. She could run well again in an amateur riders’ event at the same track on Saturday.

The stable star Paddy The Oscar could turn out at Uttoxeter that day.

Chepstow’s next meeting is on Saturday the 23rd and rugby fans should head there for a full day of sporting action. As well as seven jump races, the big screen and other TVs on the course will be showing France versus Scotland from 3.15 and Wales versus England from 4.45.

The course will stay open till the end of the second match. There’s even a Tom Jones tribute act, whose first performance begins an hour before the first race.

Admission is from as little as £10 if booked in advance, £20 on the day.