Racehorse trainer Phillip Hobbs has got the new National Hunt season off to a flying start by notching up seven winners in the space of one week, writes Richard Walsh.

Hobbs, whose yard is close to the A39 at Bilbrook, started his run of winners when 7-1 shot Canastero won at Stratford-on-Avon, ridden by Tom O’Brien. His second winner came three days later when Ben Jones rode Little River Bay to victory at Worcester at 16-5.

His third came at Exeter when Sean Houlihan rode Guernesey to victory at 14-1.

Hobbs then enjoyed a hat-trick of wins at Chepstow’s two-day meeting, generally recognised at the first significant meeting of the jumps season.

Camprond won under Aidan Coleman at 5-1 and the next day Tom O’Brien notched up a double winning with Masters Legacy at 11-1 and Orbys Legend at 7-1.

The seventh winner of the week came when the Hobbs/O’Brien combination struck again at Newton Abbot when Iberio won at 9-5.

The Hobbs team celebrated their success when all seven winners were paraded back at Hobbs’ Sandhill Racing Stables.