HORSE trainer James Owen notched another landmark in his burgeoning training career when he saddled his first winner at Hereford Racecourse last week with the win of Secret Des Dieux in division two of the two mile three-and-a-half-furlong novice hurdle.

Owen, who initially made his name as a point to point jockey has quickly gained a reputation as trainer who is successful in Arab racing, winning the Champion Arab training title five times, National Hunt and more recently in the flat sphere; but until  this meeting he had never scored at the Holmer track.

Secret Des Dieux was sent off the 10/11 favourite in the 10-runner race and at the head of affairs early in the hands of jockey Sam Twiston-Davies commanding the race.

Meanwhile, conditional jockey Freddie Gordon's recent run of winning form continued with the win of Mister Upton in the opening two mile five furlong conditional jockeys' handicap chase for his trainer-father Chris.

The five-year-old Mister Upton stormed to a three-and-a-quarter-length success  over runner-up Jac Jumper and this took the rider's winning strike-rate in the last two weeks to an impressive 30 per cent combined with three winners from his last six rides, trained by his father.

Chris Gordon said: "Freddie's going great guns, I know I'm a bit biased, but he's riding really well.”

The concluding two-mile Bumper race saw money come to the fore with the finish fought out between 3/1 second favourite Doctor on Call and 9/4 favourite Just Golden, with the Dai Walters owned Doctor on Call winning a shade cosily by three-quarters of a length and both horses having a bright future.