Conditional jockeys took the plaudits on the opening day of the Hennessy meeting at Newbury yesterday with 7lb claimers Carl Rafter and Jonathan Eddery grabbing a winner each.

The latter's success came courtesy of Brandon Court in the AON Conditional Jockeys' Novices Handicap Hurdle and completed a remarkable family double. After greeting his charge back to the winner's enclosure following his one and a half lengths victory over Melton Made, winning trainer Ian Balding explained: "Jonathan is the nephew of Pat Eddery who rode his first winner for me 30 years ago."

Jonathan is now a conditional jockey for Balding's brother Toby after spending three years with David Nicholson. "I was with him for three years and rode three times for him," said Eddery. "I think that was my 11th ride in total," he added.

Rafter's success came on board Heart, the second leg of a near 18-1 double for in-form trainer Henrietta Knight, and the jockey's place on board the six-yearold came courtesy of former tennis star Shirley Brasher, the mare's owner.

Rafter brought Heart with a smooth run to deny Shahrur by one-and-a-half lengths in the Tote Handicap Hurdle and Knight praised his performance when the pair returned to the winner's enclosure.

Lord Noelie, successful in the Vineyard At Stockcross Novices' Chase, supplied Knight with her first victory of the afternoon denying the Martin Pipe-trained Lady Cricket by an impressive 15 lengths at odds of 11-4. Knight first noticed Lord Noelie at a point to point meeting and was very impressed.

Martin Pipe began the day with high hopes of completing his fastest ever century of winners but the nearest he came to success was with 33-1 outsider Face The Class, one of a pair of runners from his Nicholashayne yard in the opening Coutts Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

But after cutting out most of the running, the Up And At 'Em filly had to give best to 7-4 race favourite Clandestine by one-and-a-half lengths.