Carberry lands treble on flying visit

Johnson was swiftly on the phone to Paul Carberry when his stable jockey Denis O'Regan broke a collarbone at Leopardstown on Sunday, and having persuaded the top Irish rider to come to Newcastle, he provided him with a treble.

Carberry opened his account with a confident ride on Stormy Weather (5-2) to beat the odds-on Bocamix by two-and-a-quarter lengths in the juvenile novices' hurdle. Winning owner Graham Wylie said: "When Denis got injured, Howard had to move quickly to find a jockey for our runners today. We wanted an experienced jockey for Door Boy and of course we could not ask Paul to come over just for one ride – he flew into Leeds-Bradford airport early this morning and I sent a driver down to pick him up."

O'Regan is expected to be out of action for about three weeks, and Wylie went on: "We like Brian Hughes and Ryan Mania so hopefully they will ride for us, but we will be having runners down south too so we will get the best jockeys available."

However, Carberry picked up a one-day suspension for using his whip in the incorrect place on Stormy Weather.

Door Boy (4-9) had made a successful debut over fences at Aintree in November and jumped well again, heading the long-time leader Fabalu at the fourth-last and going on to win the Rely On Rutter Builders Novices' Chase by one and a quarter lengths.

Carberry made it three for the Johnson stable when Blacks Bridge, who is also owned by the trainer, took the S.V Rutter Developments Novices' Handicap Chase.

Team Johnson were expected to strike again in the svrutter.co.uk Novices' Hurdle but 1-2 favourite Washington Irving was beaten fair and square by Karen McLintock's Bygones Of Brid (3-1) in the hands of Graham Lee.

Johnson and Carberry had to be content with another second place when Jack The Blaster was beaten a neck by Jim Goldie's 7-1 chance Stormin Exit, who was given a splendid ride by James Reveley in the Lombard Physiotherapy Handicap Chase.

Ayr has been allocated a replacement fixture on Friday, 12 February which creates a two-day meeting at the track where racing was already scheduled to take place the previous day. The course lost three fixtures – two in January and one in December – during the cold spell and extra date provides a welcome boost.

Ayr Racecourse sales and marketing manager Lindsey Smith explained: "We are very happy to have been allocated this extra fixture and the fact it now means we have a two-day meeting is even better news.

"It means trainers can fill their horse boxes and send horses for both days while racegoers coming from further afield have the opportunity to have a weekend break."