A COUPLE of Middleham trainers have enjoyed some lofty success over the last week, with the promise of more to come.

At Market Rasen last week Master Of The Hall took a very valuable handicap hurdle for Micky Hammond and the yards useful conditional Joe Coliver.

The versatile sort was winning his third win at the track and afterwards John Pettit, co-owner of Master Of The Hall said: "He'll be going back over fences, but first we might try and find another hurdle race in which he can carry a penalty."

At Haydock last Friday Simon West enjoying his most exciting day as a trainer when Maximiser followed up his Carlisle success in very easy style and looks a top class horse in the making.

The delighted winning trainer said: "We have always thought a lot of Maximiser and he won really well again. We weren't going to come here, but the race cut up and I'll have to get the programme book out to look where to go in three or four weeks' time."

Controversy overshadowed Sedgefield's meeting on Tuesady as Debt To Society's victory in the Compare Bookies Odd at bookies.com Handicap Chase has been expunged from the formbook after a yellow flag was incorrectly waved at the runners on the first circuit.

As the field approached a bypassed obstacle, being omitted due to the low sun, on the first circuit, a member of the track's groundstaff incorrectly waved a yellow flag – signifying a void race – rather than the correct black-and-white chequered flag.

The correct flag was displayed on the second circuit, and on neither occasion did any of the jockeys make as if to pull up or stop riding.

However, despite the race continuing to unfold and Debt To Society ultimately denying favourite Apache Pilot by a neck, the stewards felt they had no option but to void the race given that the Rules of Racing state that a jockey must pull up immediately when the yellow flag is shown.

The frustrated winning trainer Richard Ford said: "It is quite a bizarre set of circumstances, but surely it didn't affect the result.

"The stewards are guided by the rules. As I understand it the fence was bypassed because of low sun and a chequered flag should have been raised.

"The flagman actually waved a yellow flag – which means stop the race – by mistake, but because of the low sun the jockeys couldn't really tell which flag he was waving anyway.

"He waved the correct flag on the second circuit but they all carried on and the result was in no way affected.

"They've run three and a half miles in heavy ground so it's not as if these horses run tomorrow and mine is a quirky devil so I was delighted he won.

"I'm disappointed for his owner because it is the not the fault of the jockeys. As I understand it all the jockeys are getting 10-day bans, too."

On a brighter note, at Sedgefield, Andy Crook watched his Zazamix come in front in the handicap chase and afterwards the delighted handler said: "We've brought him back in trip and we thought today that we'd go with the front-runner, hoping that in the conditions that it just might happen for us off our low weight, and it has."

Looking ahead to tomorrow, Irving has been confirmed a definite runner in the StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

The two-times Grade Two winner fell upon his return to the track at Wincanton earlier this month, when seemingly poised for a big run in the Elite Hurdle.

Sam Twiston-Davies was at the helm that day, but he is likely to be in action at Newbury on the same afternoon, which means Nick Scholfield renews acquaintances.

Scholfield has partnered Irving in five of his six starts in Britain, winning the Dovecote at Kempton and another Grade Two at Ascot along the way.