AT THE rate he’s going, Go George Go will have a race named after him at Newcastle as he made it four from four at the track on Tuesday.

The galloping grey, shrewdly trained by Alan Swinbank, has a very willing attitude and who is to say there is not more to come.

Swinbank was on hand, saying: “He was very green and very backward, but he improved a lot in the two months before he won here the first time and is a pleasure to deal with.”

Joe Fanning, riding his first winner of the new year, added: “Alan has done a smashing job with Go George Go, he said he’s improving all the time and was bang on.”

On the year ahead, Fanning added: “Hopefully I can find another horse like The Last Lion, but I’ll just try and ride as many winners as I can, I was slightly down on rides last year so I’d like to get the numbers back up and just keep busy.”

There was another popular success in the staying handicap as Jan Smuts came home in front for trainer Wilf Storey and jockey Hollie Doyle.

David Barron looks to have a smart three-year-old on his hands with Glorious Politics who took the opening maiden with the minimum of fuss under Phil Makin, who said: “Whatever Glorious Politics has done, whatever he´s beat, he´s done very well because he´s got his head down, and the wind´s very strong, I think he’s very nice.”

The northern jumps scene is set to lose one of its great characters as Northumberland-based owner-trainer Vic Thompson has cited the younger generation’s attitude to work as one of the reasons behind calling time on his training career, which has spanned half a century.

The 73-year-old, who is set to disperse his 17-strong team at Goffs UK sales at Doncaster this month, is still riding out three or four lots a day due to staffing levels – often depleted further by late absence – something he says is unsustainable.

Instead of continuing with his demanding schedule, Thompson has decided to concentrate on his farming business at his 500-acre property at Newton-by-the-Sea, 20 miles from the Scottish border.

Thompson, who has three entries at Newcastle on Saturday, aims to have runners right up to the date of the sales on January 25 and 26.

He said: “It will be sad to see the horses go but it’s hard to get people to work for you on a consistent level these days and I can’t carry on riding three or four lots out when someone doesn’t turn up.

“It’s been a great hobby to have alongside the farming, but the work ethic of younger people means it’s harder than ever to get staff. I had a decent head lass about ten years ago who could fill in when I was busy, but it’s become increasingly hard in the last few years.”

Thompson, who has his most recent winner, Sharivarry, among the consignment, recalled: “My best horse was probably Jethro’s Cat, who finished fourth in the four-miler at the Cheltenham Festival. It must have been a long time ago as we ran him at Teesside Park [Stockton] beforehand – and that closed in 1981!”

There is a chance to go racing this afternoon at Wetherby. The six race card is due underway at 1.05pm and plenty of local trainers have entries on a competitive looking card.