Johnson and McCoy at the double at Warwick

Eight faced the starter in The racinguk.com Juvenile Hurdle and it looked a pretty open affair with three previous winners, including Mahican who had scored over the course in early December.

Also in the line-up was the filly Haatefina, who had thrown away her last race at Doncaster when blundering badly at the final flight.

Haatefina ran her heart out again, but untidy jumps at the last two flights cost her ground and she went down by just a neck to Hawk High and McCoy.

Franklin Roosevelt headed the weights for the second, The Rewards4Racing Com Handicap Chase over three-and-a- quarter miles, although there was little between the top eight, with just Bally Sands adrift at the foot of the handicap.

Bally Sands nearly made the most of his weight concession, but found Union Jack D’Ycy hard to pass, going down by two-and-a-half lengths.

Next up was another qualifier for The Jockey Club Grassroots Jumps Series and six set out over the two-and-a-half mile trip.

There was just a neck in it at the line with McCoy driving Time To Think to get up in the last few strides and overhaul Have You Seen Me.

With £10,000 in the prize fund, The John Malone Godfather Of Mortgages Handicap Hurdle was the richest race of the day and featured two last-time-out winners in Tidal Dance, whose trainer Venetia Williams was looking for a double after the earlier success of Union Jack D’Ycy, and Big Society.

Kris Spin had been knocking on the door and this time he came out on top, leading three flights out under Richard Johnson and holding Tidal Dance at bay to register his first win.

Just four runners went to post for The Call Star Sports on 08000 521 321 Novices’ Chase with Bath trainer Neil Mulholland responsible for two of them.

Both started as rank outsiders and never got in a blow behind odds-on favourite Persian Snow, who collared leader No Buts going to the last and stayed on strongly on the run-in to give Johnson his double.

Little Legend, a winner of ten point-to-points and both his races under Rules, looked to have a good chance in The CGA Foxhunter Trial Open Hunters’ Chase and, taken to the front from the off, had no trouble adding to his impressive record, comfortably beating Loose Performer, with Ben’s Folly back in third.

The biggest field of the afternoon lined up in the concluding Connolly’s Red Mills Bumper Challenge Intermediate National Hunt Flat Race, with Irish recruit Battle Born sent off a hot 6-4 favourite.

Battle Born had stayed on into third place in a similar race at Haydock Park in November on his first run for Over Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon and, this time, he made virtually all the running under Noel Fehily to open his account in determined fashion.