The going was good to firm on the undulating track at Ideford Arch for Sunday's South Devon fixture. The weather was largely kind until drizzle set in for the last two races.

Confined (Marksway Horsehage & Mollichaff)

Will Biddick continues to set the pace for both the Devon & Cornwall area and the National Jockeys' titles, and partnered his 11th winner of the season in this event thanks to Alpha Native. The Cornish jockey sent this good-looking eight-year-old Alflora gelding into the lead with a circuit to go before resisting the sustained challenge of course winner Turning Tide (Mark Wall). Alpha Native has now won four point-to-points for his owners Peter and Sandra Clarke since being bought as an unbroken three-year-old at Fairyhouse. Like most of the horses coming out of the Cumings yard at Bishops Nympton, the gelding was turned out in immaculate condition. Grooms are often overlooked, but on this occasion, the Cumings family were quick to pay tribute to Lyn Green, who looks after Alpha Native and has worked at the yard for about 30 years. Alpha Native jumps and stays well and could seek out a hunter chase before the end of the season.

Club Members Novice Riders' (Dodson & Horrell)

Glacial Call had shown useful form around the Westcountry circuit over the past couple of seasons, picking up six point-to-points and a hunter chase when running from the Frost yard. The nine-year-old mare gave James Legg the first winner of his career here, having been acquired by his parents Roger and Jenny to give James race riding experience. Glacial Call is certainly talented, but can be a bit quirky and showed the darker side of her character on their first two efforts together this season when she failed to finish. This time, she put her best foot forward and turned in an utterly genuine performance in keeping on strongly to beat Lidjo de Rouge and Tres Bien. The 25-year-old rider has had a handful of rides in the past couple of seasons and works on the family farm near Lyme Regis. The outsider of the six runners at 12-1, Glacial Call's improved performance was accounted for by the better going and the application of cheek pieces in lieu of her customary blinkers.

Restricted (South West Racing Club)

Shrewd Investment had won the opening race of the season at Black Forest Lodge nine weeks ago, and paid a second successful visit to Devon to win this 13-runner race. The six-year-old was easy to back at 10-1, but travelled well throughout the race and was left clear when his nearest pursuer The Mamur Zapt sprawled on landing and lost momentum when challenging at the last. Shrewd Investment is trained at Barbury Castle by Laura Thomas for her father Norman, and was ridden by Nico de Boinville who works for Nicky Henderson, and continued in good form by riding a flat winner for his boss at Southwell on Tuesday this week. "He had been a bit disappointing in his first restricted at Cottenham on New Year's Eve so we tied his tongue down today which made all the difference," said the trainer who envisages a hunter chase campaign

Open Maiden (United Molasses)

Darren Edwards did well to pick his mount The Mamur Zapt off the floor in the restricted, and went on to land his sixth winner of the season as Minella King made all the running in this 14-runner maiden. It wasn't all plain sailing however, since the partnership nearly came unstuck when Minella King took a liberty with the first fence. His round of jumping was fine after that as he stayed on strongly to hold a promising first run in England from the well backed Buster. The winner, previously boasting only modest form in Ireland, is owned and trained by Clare Bowles at Lovington, near Castle Cary, Somerset.

Open Maiden 2m 4f, four to seven-year-olds (Tozers Solicitors, Exeter)

The Devon & Cornwall area has already hosted seven fixtures since the end of November, but for reasons which are not clear to me, there are no point-to-point meetings scheduled in Wales from the start of the season until mid-February. This quirk of the fixture list, however, brings a large number of Welsh-qualified pointers to the early Westcountry meetings, and invariably rewards the travellers with plenty of successes. Ideford Arch saw three Welsh trained winners on Sunday, with Anobium setting the ball rolling in good style in this maiden for younger horses. Lucy Gardner set out to make all the running on 5-4 favourite Bach On Tow, but had no answer when Anobium swept past approaching the final fence. Gloucester-based owners Peter and Lisa Hall bought the winner at Cheltenham sales in May 2010. "He looked sick as a pig and fat as a hunter at the time, said Peter. He certainly looks the part now and is stabled with Paul Tolman near Tenby. He was ridden by the trainer's fiancée Jodie Hughes. "That is the 40th winner of my career," said Jodie. Seven-year-old Anobium's performance held some significance for form anoraks like me. He had finished third in his only previous run in an Irish maiden behind Flemenstar, who is now one of the leading novice chasers in Ireland, and won a grade one chase at Leopardstown on Sunday, just a few minutes after Anobium's success.

Mixed Open (Totnes & Bridgetown Races Co Ltd)

Makena and Border Castle raced clear of their rivals on the final circuit with Makena taking command on the bottom bend. A tiring Border Castle refused at the second last, leaving Gunner Be Quick to chase the winner home. Ten-year-old Makena is owned by David Evans and trained by her jockey Alan Johns at Castle Morris, near Fishguard in Pembrokeshire. "I have ridden eight point-to-point winners," said the 22-year-old rider, who rides out regularly for local trainer Peter Bowen. "I also do the horses in my yard and spend most evenings studying for an open university degree," he added. Makena came here with 16 successes under her belt having started her career with six wins in the French provinces. She has kept her form well despite being off the track for the past 15 months.

Mares & Fillies Maiden (The Jockey Club & PPORA)

The hat-trick for Wales was completed by Renta Gallery, who held off Jaunty Dove and Shanann Star in a tight finish. The winner had travelled from the Rhondda Valley and is owned by father and son Adrian and Richard Thomas. She is trained by Luke Price and was partnered by John Mathias, who was riding his first winner since dislocating his hip last June. Renta Gallery was bought in Ireland after she had finished runner-up in one of her three points. She is a half-brother to the winning hurdler Close Conflict.