TRAINER Jack Barber and three-time national champion jockey Will Biddick were on fire again as they landed a treble at The Royal Artillery Point-to-Point on Saturday.

Aerial (Men’s Open), Subtle Sovereign (Conditions race) and Bandeirantes (first Maiden) provided the pair’s three successes.

Hotly-tipped Aerial put in a superb round of jumping in the day’s sixth race to secure the win needed for Cheltenham Foxhunter qualification and collect £175 in prizes.

Joint-owner Tony Hayward said: “We’re still not certain whether to go for the Cheltenham or Aintree Foxhunter.

It’s possible he’ll go straight to Cheltenham, but if the ground’s soft there, we’ll have a rethink. I’d actually love to see him tackling Aintree.”

Course specialist Subtle Sovereign raced prominently before registering his fourth Larkhill success. “What a horse,” beamed Barber, clearly recalling that Subtle Sovereign was his first winner as a trainer and last as a jockey.

Bandeirantes made an impressive racecourse debut by collaring favourite Cooladerry King at the last.

Cooladerry King’s Shropshire trainer Sheila Crow and jockey Paddy Gerety went one better when Mr Mercurial had sufficient reserves to take the Intermediate after leading into the straight.

“He’ll go Hunter Chasing and I can see him in the Cheltenham Foxhunter one day, although maybe not this year,” said Crow.

“Paddy says he blew up but still had the class to get home. These are my first runners of the season and we’ve come here as, regrettably, our North West season doesn’t start until March.”

That’s Rhythm belied his 15 years with a brilliant performance in a top quality ladies’ open. Prominently ridden by Page Fuller, That’s Rhythm stormed clear of his field in the straight.

The winner, who has won five races between the flags and seven hunter chases, will be campaigned in point-to-points according to trainer Charlotte Fuller, mother of the winning rider.

Briefcase put in a magnificent round of jumping to take the second maiden for the Edwards family. Ridden by Darren Edwards and owned and trained at Wheddon Cross by Darren’s father, Gordon, Briefcase had finished runner-up in five of his 20 hurdle races, so was certainly not winning out of turn.

“Outsider of three” punters were rewarded when Harriet Besent’s Impact Area took the Hunt race under former conditional Louis Muspratt.