King team warming to the task
Alan King has not yet unleashed his better horses but Aohna proved the stable are coming into form by winning at Huntingdon.
The 4-1 shot was making the most of a couple of prior runs over timber as she pulled three and a quarter lengths clear after the final flight of the Rosemary Petronis Birthday Celebration 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle.
Winning rider Robert Thornton was greeted by a throng of happy members of the Jenny & Mark Pitman Racing Club, including the legendary former trainer herself.
King's assistant Noel Williams said: "She won a bumper at Lingfield in the spring and I think it just took a couple of runs for her to learn her job and settle a bit better.
"We've been able to work the horses on the grass and some more will be coming out now. Sir Harry Ormesher runs at Kempton tomorrow and he seems in good order."
An eventful Derek Farmer 60th Birthday Memorial Handicap Chase provided a maiden success for the Emma Lavelle-trained R'Cam.
The 7-2 favourite did not look like rewarding his supporters as they came down to the last with Sarobar alongside and apparently full of running before he came to grief and left R'Cam clear.
It was not quite plain sailing on the run-in as Pipers Legend mounted a belated challenge and closed to a length and a quarter.
Winning rider Jack Doyle said: "They went a good gallop and mine was just idling coming to the post. He's never even been in front before!"
Oliver Sherwood's team are on much more of a roll and the handsome Arkrose (11-4) made a winning debut for the stable in the Ken Harrington 70th Birthday Celebration Novices' Hurdle.
He transferred to Lambourn from Gordon Elliott in Ireland and looked to have been schooled well as he bowled along in front under Leighton Aspell.
Arkrose held the advantage to the line but Mission Control lost nothing in defeat when going down by half a length as he was conceding a mountain of weight all round.
Sherwood's assistant Robbie McCarthy said: "He won a bumper in Ireland and I think Gordon was very keen to keep him but the owners wanted to sell.
"He has done all the right things at home and I'd say there was plenty more to come."
As if one final-fence faller was not enough for the day, there was an even more unfortunate episode in the Jockey Club Catering Macer Gifford Handicap Chase.
The 13-8 favourite Haar had pegged back Kirby's Vic (11-4) and looked like he only needed to negotiate the obstacle for a convincing success but despite jumping it, Nick Scholfield slipped out of the saddle and trudged disappointedly back to the weighing room.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Kirby's Vic was out on his feet but the line came in time for David England, a length ahead of Commemoration Day.
