With the build up to Christmas continuing at a pace, on Sunday Windsor held their first jumps meeting since 1998, although the Arena Racing Company owned course did host a couple of Ascot’s fixtures back in 2004 and 2005.

A bumper crowd of more than 4,500 witnessed a really enjoyable day’s racing along with a host of other attractions on the day.

Wiltshire based trainer Emma Lavelle won the opening race on the card the 2m 4f novice hurdle with Ma Shantou with Harry Cobden in the plate.

Champion jumps jockey Cobden made it two from two rides when Asian Spice struck in the 2m mares handicap hurdle.

Fresh from sharing a dead heat victory with his brother Sean at Cheltenham 24 hours earlier, James Bowen steered Starcrossed Lover to a victory in the 2m maiden hurdle.

The father and son combination of Nigel and Sam Twiston Davies teamed up with Ballycamus who stayed on strongly to land the 3m handicap chase.

It was a fifth win for the consistent seven-year-old who has finished in the first three 15 times in 22 starts.

Super Saturday’s are turning into the Venetia Willams and Charlie Deutsch show after yet another big race victory with Gemirande who won the Nyetimber December Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday on day two of their Christmas meeting.

The pair have already been successful having taken the Betfair and Peterborough Chase in recent weeks with Fontaine Collonges and Djelo.

Day two of the Christmas meeting at Cheltenham was a memorable day for owner Caroline Tisdall who was given the perfect birthday present when Jet Blue took the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.

Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell sent Stumptown across the sea to land the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross County Handicap Chase, after holding off a late challenge from Nico de Boinville on Mister Coffey.

Trainer Henrietta Knight retired from the sport in 2012, but decided to make a return to training last November. Two months ago she saddled her first winner on the flat with Cotswold Cottage winning at Windsor.

However, jumping has always been her first love, and it was so wonderful to see her in the winners’ enclosure at Fontwell for the first time for 3,544 days after Motazzen took the finale on the card with Brendan Powell aboard.

On the same card, James Bowen rode his 50th winner of the season riding Shillanavogy to victory in the 2m 5f handicap chase.

Earlier in the week, Sean Bowen brought up his 100th winner of the season after Dominic’s Fault took the 2m handicap hurdle for the in form yard of Olly Murphy.

Leading Grand National contender Chianti Classico pulled up lame in his latest race at Cheltenham on Friday. He was found to be lame on his left hind. Unfortunately it is looking like the horse has suffered a potential career ending tendon injury which is a huge blow for trainer Kim Bailey and connections of the seven-year-old.

By Peter Moore