Kestral, half brother of this newspaper's own racehourse Evening Press won the big race at Thirsk yesterday, the Carlisle Bell.

Kestral, like Evening Press, is trained at Langton, near Malton, by Tim Etherington.

Winning kockey Carl Lowther got the ride late in the day. Kestral was due to be ridden by apprentice David Kinsella, but he was injured. It was announcedover the public address system that John McAuley would be on board, but Lowther ended up with the ride.

Etherington's father Jimmy discovered when he got to the course that someone had put McAuley's name down at the course for the ride, but the Jimmy Etherington had been instructed to give Lowther the mount.

Updated: 12:11 Thursday, June 28, 2001