Moorfoot 1-2-3 at Three Bridges, but old-man Elder in the bing!

Moorfoot winners at the Three Bridges are as rare as the hair on my head but that is two years in a row now and better still it was not only a 1-2-3 in the Open handicap but a 1-2 in the Youth's handicap. A multitude of juniors were also prominent in the primary school races.

Sophie Collins took a break from her student travails (although whether in the library or the bars of Edinburgh we are not too sure) to don the Moorfoot vest and had closed in on the front-marker going out on lap two. Further back in the field Alan Elder was tooting along with his usual economic stride, Ben Hindley was striding out purposefully and Sam MacNeill, who had set off as one of the back-markers, was making ominous progress to within 100m or so and stretching away from those behind. (Where did the elbows out "he-man" style come from Sam?!)

Heading back towards Tweed Bridge and Sophie had a decent lead but Ben had her in his sights and the overtaking maneouvre had been completed by the time they appeared through the old railway tunnel with c.700m to go.

Sam had moved into third as he emerged from the tunnel about 75m adrift of Sophie but the gap to a very determined looking Ben hadn't closed anymore. The unknown bloke in 4th, having just been taken by Sam, was looking behind at this stage so must have been feeling the pace.

There was no catching Ben who fair powered home down the Tweed Green straight to the cheers of the crowd. Perhaps inevitably Sam got past Sophie, but off Priorsford Bridge she dug in again and came home clear in third to complete the club 1-2-3.

After his wining exploits last year Alan Elder found the handicapper's attentions too much to handle and finished down the field but there were still celebrations in the Elder household (or at Franco's again Alan?) with young Ethan streaking away with the Youth's handicap. Finlay Collins produced his Christmas handicap form to run well for second even without the promise of a tin of hot dog sausages as a prize.