AFTER so many disappointments Anthony and Valerie Hogarth are now experiencing the good times as racehorse owners.

The couple from Ampfield, near Romsey, went seven years without a winner - but this season Clipperton has given them two victories, the latest of them at Salisbury yesterday.

Southampton-born Anthony, whose first horse was appropriately named Sotonian, watched Clipperton follow up his success at Bath last month by staying on dourly to land the closing race and complete a double for Hampshire trainer Ian Balding. Balding had struck earlier in the seven-furlong maiden with Lochridge, the first offspring of the brilliant racemare Lochsong to win a race.

Lochsong's first two runners were not gifted with their mother's speed but Lochridge has inherited plenty of it along with a decent amount of courage even though she looks more like her sire, Indian Ridge.

Lochridge led from pillar to post in the purple and light blue colours of Southampton businessman Jeff Smith who praised her resolution because she hated the firm ground.

Indian Ridge - a double Royal Ascot winner when trained by David Elsworth at Whitsbury, near Fordingbridge - had an outstanding day as the father not only of Lochridge but of Calcutta (winner) and Finished Article (dead-heat for second) in the Noel Cannon Memorial Handicap over a mile.

Six former pupils of Havant Grammar School were celebrating after Havantadoubt triumphed at Beverley.

Their spokesman Mark Vandenberghe said: "Ever since our school days we said we would buy a racehorse and we finally did. It brings us together and will give us something to talk about at our school reunion on October 19."

Not only is the Desert King filly cleverly named but she runs in the school colours of green and orange. She has been in the money in all three of her outings to date having been third at Goodwood and second at Salisbury earlier this month before her Yorkshire victory.