THE phrase horses for courses could have been written with Border Reiver in mind.

In 25 starts, Great Habton trainer Tim Easterby’s seven-year-old has never won anywhere but at Wetherby Racecourse and he notched up his third victory there with a game display of jumping in the Book Tickets On-Line at wetherbyracing.co.uk Chase.

Ridden by Richie McGrath, the 9-4 chance always travelled well at the head of the field throughout the two-and-a-half mile contest.

Authentic Act came to join him heading into the straight for the final time, but he was no match for Border Reiver, who quickened away to a four-and-a-half length success.

Grand National-winning jockey Jason Maguire will want to forget the feature £5,000 Ladies Day – 19th May Chase.

Omitting the second fence in the back straight, with apprentice Harry Haynes receiving treatment after being concussed when unseated from Raining Horse on the first circuit, Maguire, on board Wolf Moon, and Paul Gallagher, riding Checkerboard, took the wrong course.

The pair pulled up their mounts and it was Western Gale, trained by Martin Todhunter and ridden by James Reveley, who took advantage – beating Leyburn trainer Andy Crook’s Matmata De Tendron by five lengths.

Todhunter said of his winning horse: “He liked the ground and, with a bit of training, he might do better.”

The stewards were unsympathetic to Maguire and Gallagher and handed the pair ten-day bans.

Gallagher’s day got worse when he took a crashing fall on Railway Park in the very next race and was taken to hospital with neck and shoulder pains.

But Maguire gained some compensation when notching a quick-fire double through Riptide and Red Merlin.

The jockey gave Riptide (2-5 fav) a cracking ride in the Minster Jaguar Leeds Beginners’ Chase.

The five-year-old made numerous jumping errors – looking uncomfortable at nearly every fence – but Maguire forced the issue, drove Riptide to the front, asserted after the final obstacle, and prevailed from Le Commencement by nearly a dozen lengths.

Half an hour later, however, it was far more straightforward for Maguire on Red Merlin (4-7 fav), who was never troubled in winning division one of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Hurdle Elsewhere, Enjoy Your Life (9-1) won division two of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Hurdle for jockey Brian Hughes and Leyburn trainer Andrew Crook.

Gemma Gracey-Davison, riding Hi Ho Silvia (7-1), claimed the opening Lady Riders’ Hurdle – holding off Petrocelli by two lengths, while Oscar Barton (15-8 fav) was a most convincing 19-length winner of the Wetherby Raccecourses for Conferences & Events Maiden Hurdle.

Pugnacity (4-1 fav) enjoyed a 12 length success in the Book Your Ladies Day Hospitality Marquee Package Hurdle.