Updated with extra photos: Borders racehorse trainers Sandy Thomson, Sandy Forster and Donald Whillans among winners at Kelso

First past the post by over three lengths in the opening race of the day, the 1pm Sam’s 80th Birthday Bash Handicap Hurdle, to take its £4,520 top prize was 18/1 outsider Lissen to the Lady, trained at Town Yetholm by Sandy Forster and ridden by Bonchester Bridge’s Joanna Walton.

That was the eight-year-old bay mare’s third win following previous successes at Carlisle in April last year and Kelso the month after, with Walton riding on both those occasions too.

Forster said: “We nearly didn’t run her as she was very quiet at home.

“Jo Walton gets on really well with her and they’ve now won three races together.”

Lissen to the Lady was one of two runners for Forster among the opening race’s 12-strong field, the other being Dr Shirocco, guided to an eighth-placed finish by Stephen Mulqueen.

In second place was 3/1 favourite Goodtimes Badtimes, trained near Kelso by Sandy Thomson and ridden by his son-in-law Ryan Mania, and in sixth was Maid of Houxty, ridden by Hawick jockey Craig Nichol and trained in his home-town by Donald Whillans.

Nichol was also in the saddle for Northumbrian trainer Rose Dobbin’s Cliffs of Dooneen, a fifth-place finisher in yesterday’s second race, the 1.30pm Johnston Smillie Novices’ Hurdle.

That race was won by 5/6 favourite Grey Skies, trained by Cheshire’s Donald McCain Jr and ridden by Brian Hughes.

Borders jockeys were in the saddles of that race’s second and third horses, Jedburgh’s Callum Bewley on Escapeandevade, trained near Langholm by James Ewart, and Selkirk’s Sam Coltherd on Augharue, trained by his dad Stuart, respectively.

Nichol and Bewley rode the next two races’ winners, the former on 9/4 second favourite Stainsby Girl, an eight-year-old chestnut mare trained by Whillans, in the 2pm Get Expert Tips at Timeform.com Handicap Hurdle, taking its £7,788 top prize, and the latter on 4/6 favourite Sounds Russian in the 2.30pm JA Wilson Contractors Novices’ Handicap Chase, taking its £7,407 top prize for North Yorkshire trainer Ruth Jefferson.

“She’s tough and game and loves her racing,” said Whillans after Stainsby Girl’s win.

“She stays further so we might come back here for a two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle in a fortnight.”

Jefferson added: “I’m not sure how good that race was but he was pretty good.

“His jumping was atrocious here last time but we had his back seen to afterwards and he was better today.”

Hawick trainer Ewan Whillans, nephew of Donald, had to settle for third and last place in that race with 3/1 second favourite Hold the Note, with Nichol as jockey.

Fellow Borders jockey Mania also notched up a win, riding Empire Steel, an eight-year-old grey gelding trained by Thomson and owned by Cockburnspath farmer Alan Wight, to victory in the 3.05pm Racing’s Best Ratings with Timeform Handicap Chase to take its £13,008 top prize.

“I’m delighted for Alan Wight with the performance of Empire Steel and it was another great ride from Ryan,” tweeted Thomson after the 7/2 second favourite’s first win for a year.

The 3.35pm Lynne’s 65th Open Hunters’ Chase was won by 1/6 favourite Jett, trained in Warwickshire by Robert Waley-Cohen and with his son Sam in the saddle, with Ferocious, ridden by Joe Wright and trained by Kate Leckenby, second.

South Lanarkshire trainer Keith Dalgleish’s Ain’t No Sunshine, ridden by Hughes, won the last race of the day, the 4.10pm Join Racing TV Now Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Forster’s Fog on the Tyne, ridden by Anderson, was fifth in that one and Donald Whillans’ Gie it Laldy, with Bewley riding, was sixth.