SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Henry Crow scored his first career double at the Badsworth and Bramham Moor point-to-point meeting at Askham Bryan College near York.

The delighted schoolboy won the Restricted race and the Novice Riders' Race, to maintain an impressive strike rate in his maiden campaign.

He said: "I feel really proud to have ridden my first double in my first season and I am maintaining my strike rate, which is over 20 per cent."

Crow's first winner was aboard Againn Dul Aghaidh for trainer Joseph O’Shea. Always at the head of affairs, the pair began to draw clear six fences from home, setting a fast pace which left only three finishers from eight runners.

The horse is owned by Crow's father, former national point-to-point champion Alastair Crow.

Crow junior said: “I could have quickened up again - he took my breath away, and he is some piece of kit. He has such a high cruising speed and stays all day."

His second win came aboard Irish Anthem, trained by his grandmother Sheila.

The pair made the running and Crow kept his charge up to his task to see off the fast-finishing Harris ridden by Emma Smith-Chaston.

Emma-Jane Hills, also enjoying her debut season, won the Ladies' Open Race after a front-running performance.

“The horse likes being in front and the others kept pushing us on," she said. "He picked up and flew home.”

Young Hurricane landed the Men's Open race under John Dawson, who was bagging his 75th point-to-point success.

He said: “With only four runners the race played to his strengths. There wasn’t much pace so I was able to use his speed to win the race in the end. He is a versatile horse.”

The Open Maiden Race was won by Sackett, partnered by Harry Kinder.

The pair were prominent throughout, drawing clear from two out with Not Far Wrong, ridden by Billy Garrity. Not Far Wrong fell at the last leaving Sackett to land the spoils.

The winning owner, Kinder’s father, Howard, said: “Sackett was bought at the May Sales at Doncaster and was given the summer off. He is by Midnight Legend and they need time to mature. The better ground has been in his favour.”

Harry, who works full-time for winning trainer Gill Walford’s son Mark, explained: “He can be keen at home, so the plan was to sit handy. Every time something came to his quarters, he just went again.”

A Restricted could be on the cards in the near future for the impressive winner, who could be a potent force if sent back hurdling.

Blackthirteen, ridden by Jess Gillam, landed the Confined Race for owner-trainer Mick Jones.

With only four runners, there was no real pace allowing the eventual winners to dictate. On Vacation, the short-priced favourite came to challenge but crashed out at the last fence.

Jones said of Blackthirteen: “He is a spring horse who likes better ground. He had a virus last season but started to come good in his last couple of runs.”

Gillam, who is secretary for leading Ryedale trainer Tim Easterby, spoke fondly of the popular 13-year-old, saying: “It was his day. He loved been in command of the race and he just kept plugging on.”