PHILLIPS WELL ON TARGET

Richard Phillips set himself a target of 30 winners this term and passed half way house at Ludlow today following a double courtesy of Full Minty and Yann`s.

Carl Llewellyn was always travelling sweetly aboard Full Minty and allowed the six-year-old to take the initiative three out before stretching 11 lengths clear of Finbar`s Revenge in the Butts Maiden Hurdle.

Phillips, who has to vacate the state-of-the-art training centre, Jackdaws Castle, next summer to make way for Jonjo O`Neill, had a poignant tale to tell after Full Minty`s easy victory.

'The horse was owned by Jenny Mould but sadly she passed away recently. I hope she`s watching from up there with a big, big smile on her face and a fag and a glass of wine in her hand,' he said.

'It`s actually a big thrill for me as this is the first winner I`ve trained for Jenny`s husband Raymond who has six horses with me. I think he could be a very nice prospect for the future as he`s still learning and gaining experience.'

Full Minty is named after bloodstock agent David Minton who lives close to the course and was present to see the victory and Phillips added: 'There`s another little story here as the winner`s dam Jouvencelle was the first horse I looked after when assistant at Henry Candy`s all those years ago so it`s great to win with one of her progeny.'

Yann`s defied top weight under Warren Marston when easily accounting for Mistletoe in the ludlow-racecourse.co.uk Novices` handicap hurdle.

Nicky Henderson introduced an interesting ex-French mare in Gastina, who profited from narrow leader Exit To Wave`s fall four fences from home to take the Become a Ludlow Member Novices` Chase by 14 lengths.

The winner had decent form over hurdles in her native country and is owned by Robert Waley-Cohen who has the likes of Katarino and Makounji in the care of the Lambourn trainer.

Henderson said: 'She seemed to lose her confidence over fences in France and we`ll keep aiming low with her for now but Ithink she could be quite good in the long term.'

Of Katarino, Henderson added: 'He had a problem with his wind which has been dealt with after an operation and hopefully he`ll be back soon. We`ll enter him for the Stayers` Hurdle at Cheltenham as it`s too late to think about a chasing campaign for this season.'

Mark Pitman and Timmy Murphy teamed up to land the Ludlow Race Club Novices` Handicap Chase with Dulas Bay. The winner was making his first appearance for the Upper Lambourn trainer since being switched from Mick Easterby.

Wren Warbler and Adie Smith defied top weight to collect the Annual Members Handicap Chase. The 11-year-old galloped on too strongly for Toskano.

Murphy initiated a double when Spontaneity, trained by David Evans, proved too tough for Carl`s Boy in the Oldfield Selling Hurdle.

The stewards looked into an incident on the home bend where the runner-up appeared to hamper third home The Gene Genie and cautioned Carl`s Boy`s rider Ollie McPhail as to his future conduct in races.