Callum Shepherd questioned the need for Sunday evening racing after his mount Charlie’s Choice entered the record books as a new era for British racing began under the lights at Wolverhampton.

Floodlit all-weather meetings on a Sunday evening are being trialled throughout the winter as part of the British Horseracing Authority’s wide-range of initiatives to improve the sport, with the enhanced prize-money incentives on offer attracting a bumper field of entrants to Dunstall Park.

Eleven went to post for the opening Find More Big Deals At BetUK Handicap and it was David Simcock’s Charlie’s Choice (3-1) who came home best in the hands of Shepherd to score by three-quarters of a length.

Shepherd was booked for four mounts on the Wolverhampton card, with his final ride scheduled for the last race of the day at 8.30pm, and after claiming the opener, he voiced his opinion on Sunday racing.

“It would be nice if it wasn’t a Sunday evening,” Shepherd told Sky Sports Racing.

“We don’t need to be here on a Sunday evening. I think in the summer, during peak season, you accept it is part and parcel and jump racing can facilitate Sunday racing throughout the winter as we do through the summer.

“Bar the festive period, I don’t think there is any great need for Sunday racing and certainly not Sunday evening racing.

“We might get a couple of hundred quid extra in our pockets, but I don’t think it is healthy.

“I want to be able to go watch football with my dad and things like that and if this becomes a regular thing – which it will – you just cross that brink between having absolutely no work-life balance and I don’t think that is right.

“My desire to ride winners and my desire to ride for David outweighs that, and it has to as a rider with the dedication it requires, it is not an option not to come. So I will always be available. But I don’t think I should be here at 8.30pm on a Sunday night.”

David Bridgwater was back in the big-race winner’s enclosure having saddled Dom Of Mary to a decisive victory in Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old was the 9-2 second-favourite in the hands of Caoilin Quinn for the £35,000 marathon and his in-form pilot was in no rush in the early stages, biding his time and riding his mount with supreme confidence.

Dom Of Mary gradually worked his way into a position to strike with the business end of the race approaching, and as the field rounded the turn for home, there was only Seamus Mullins’ hat-trick-seeking Tommie Beau left to pass.

The duo jumped two out matching strides, but the momentum lay with Dom Of Mary who took control running down to the last, extending clear and ultimately romping home 10-lengths clear of Tommie Beau who kept on gamely for the silver medal.

“He ran well last time and the time before and he deserved to get his head in front again,” said Bridgwater.

“It was the ideal race for him really. Any of these three-mile-plus races we will have a look at them and I always thought he would be a horse who would win a race like that, so it’s worked out well for once.

“Caoilin rides exceptionally well and I think he is a boy that will be around for a few years yet.”

Dom Of Mary is owned by one of Bridgwater’s long-standing owners in Peter Cave, whose colours were carried to Cheltenham Festival glory by The Conditional in the Ultima in 2020.

The handler is now keen to give Dom Of Mary his own shot at Prestbury Park success, but concedes it may have to be the Kim Muir rather than the Ultima depending on how the handicapper assesses his Plumpton triumph.

“He’s been a lucky owner for us and it’s really exciting for Peter and just what the doctor ordered really,” continued Bridgwater.

“He’s won by 10 lengths off 118 so where is the handicapper going to put him? That (Kim Muir) is what I’m thinking.

“I’d love to run him in the race we won with The Conditional really, but he might have to win again (to get in). He’s that type of horse, off a low weight in those big handicaps, he’s going to sneak into it isn’t he.

“We’ll see what’s about and it’s all exciting stuff.”

Dom Of Mary’s success continued a brilliant run in the saddle for the 22-year-old jockey Quinn, who was seen tasting success aboard Gary Moore’s Nassalam in the Welsh Grand National over the Christmas period and has now got his hands on a second prestigious staying prize in the space of two weeks.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “This lad made it very easy for me, he travelled and jumped well which is what you need round here and I know it’s a staying race, but you do need to travel round here.

“I sort of lost my place at halfway, but I wasn’t too worried as they went a good gallop early and just down the hill I was just trying to creep into it as I knew when I did go for him, he would pick up. Turning into the straight he put it to bed in a matter of strides.

“David has targeted this race all year for him and when I first rode him here at the beginning of the season he said this was his big target. We’ve got that now and hopefully he can keep improving.”

Joe Anderson made an astonishing recovery to produce one of the rides of the season and register the biggest victory of his career aboard Transmission at Plumpton.

Placed the last twice in the hands of the conditional jockey, Neil Mulholland’s seven-year-old was sent off at 9-2 to claim the most valuable race on Sunday’s card, the BetGoodwin Sussex Stayers Handicap Hurdle.

However, victory seemed unlikely when an error early in the contest catapulted Anderson out of the saddle and clinging on for dear life around the horse’s neck.

He showed supreme horsemanship to vault back into the plate and then maintain the momentum aboard his mount as he eventually returned his feet to his stirrups.

Thanks to the extended three-mile trip, Anderson still had plenty of time to then gather his thoughts and approaching the home straight was travelling best of all aboard Transmission.

He was ridden and took the lead approaching the final flight of hurdles and stuck on gamely to the task at hand to record a two-and-a-quarter-length victory over Robert Walford’s Hititi.

“It was great and we were hopeful before the race, but we weren’t planning on what happened,” said Mulholland.

“The horse had a couple of good runs and was going the right way and speaking to his owner Paul McKeon, this race came up with plenty of money on offer and we decided to target it.

“It was all going well until the first hurdle down the back and then it looked like it was all going wrong, but Joe made a fantastic recovery – he’s a good horseman and he’s ridden plenty of winners for us in the last year.

“It’s great for racing and it’s a good positive story. The applause the horse got when he came back in after the race, it was nice to be a part of it you know.”

He went on: “I’ve seen Paul Carberry at Leopardstown go under one side and come back up the other, but I’m not sure he won.

“For that to happen and then to win, it was a great result for me, for the owners, for Joe and for racing really.”

Anderson, speaking to Sky Sports Racing, added: “Thank God that is over and done with.

“I lost my irons and I thought he was going down – he did very well to stand up.

“I kept going for one of my irons but it had gone over my saddle, so I was trying to get it back and every time I moved he kept lighting up and then jumping the last second time around he settled away, so I was able to have a little play around and get it back. It’s very good he’s very good at jumping.”

He went on: “It wasn’t actually that uncomfortable to be honest with you and he jumps so well – if he was one who needed a good helping hand I might have struggled, but it worked out in the end.

“It will probably be one of those where I watch it back and it will make me look a bit better than I actually am, but it all worked well today.”

Promising novice Imagine looks set for a step into open company on his next start, with the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles in his sights.

A useful hurdler last season, Gordon Elliott’s charge has thrived since switching to the larger obstacles this term, scoring in heavy ground at Fairyhouse in November before successfully stepping up to Grade Two company at Punchestown a few weeks later.

Connections had suggested a run at Kempton in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase was a possibility over the Christmas period, but with French raider Il Est Francais convincing most to stay away, the Imagine team decided to hold fire in favour of other options.

Now the Caldwell Construction Ltd-owned six-year-old will tackle two and a half miles for the first time over fences in a Group Two event won by Allaho in two of the past three years.

“He runs at Thurles in a Grade Two over two and a half miles,” said Joey Logan, racing manager for the the owners.

“We just didn’t want to run again to soon with him (after the Craddockstown) and we were thinking of going to Kempton (on Boxing Day) but we decided not to with it being three miles and with the French horse coming over.

“We didn’t want to run him over three miles at Leopardstown, so we said we would keep him fresh and the plan is to go to Thurles on January 21.

“He’s still a baby and there is a similar race coming along for Fil D’or as well. These are all young horses and they are coming along nicely and we’re very lucky to have them.”

Jade De Grugy could put her Cheltenham Festival aspirations to the test at Fairyhouse later this month following an impressive debut for Willie Mullins at Leopardstown.

The five-year-old was snapped up for €230,000 after winning at Saint-Brieuc in late 2022, and after a 452-day absence finally made her first start for her Closutton training team and new owner Kenny Alexander over the festive period.

Sent off the 5-4 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend for a two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle, Jade De Grugy delivered a blistering display, making light work of her rivals to romp home by 15 lengths.

She is now poised for a step up in class for her next start, with Fairyhouse’s SBK Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle on January 27 seen as one possible spot where Jade De Grugy can tune-up for a shot at the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in the spring.

“She was very impressive,” said Alexander’s racing manager Peter Molony.

“We are not sure what she beat, but what she did was very good and Paul was very impressed with her – we are quite excited about her.

“Every option will be open, but something like the Solerina at the end of the month might be something for her.

“If she progresses in the right direction you would be dreaming of the Mares’ Novices’ at Cheltenham. It’s what we’re thinking of at the moment and hoping for.”

Mullins also unleashed another exciting prospect in the colours of Alexander during Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival with French import Kargese finishing second in the Grade Two Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle.

It was the same position Gala Marceau filled in the race on stable bow 12 months ago and Kargese will seek to repeat Gala Marceau’s Grade One winning exploits in her next start at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Molony added: “We were happy with her, she just didn’t settle great on the day. Considering that, she ran very well and the winner had had two runs already so again we’re quite excited about her.

“Hopefully all going well she goes to the Dublin Racing Festival and if things progress well, we will dream of a go at the Triumph Hurdle.”

This afternoon’s card at Naas will go ahead as planned after the track was declared fit to race.

The Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle is the highlight of a seven-race fixture, but fog had put the meeting into some doubt.

However, clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan reports conditions to have improved since inspections at 7.30am and 9.30am, with the meeting given the official go-ahead.

He said: “I can see the last fence now pretty clear, the fog has lifted and at this point in time racing goes ahead.

“We’re good to go. Having chatted to a few of the riders that have gone for a run around the track, they are happy enough they can see. We have been up to the judge’s box and from there you can see the last fence.

“At this point in time, we’re good to go but we will continue to monitor because of fog, it can lift and come back again.”

The ground at Naas is soft, soft to heavy on the chase and hurdles track.

Fog continues to be a concern at Naas ahead of this afternoon’s Grade One card.

The Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle is due to be the highlight of a seven-race fixture, with the ground declared fit for action following an initial 7.30am inspection.

However, fog has been slow to lift at the track and while it is forecast to clear, clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan is maintaining a careful watch.

He said: “Met Eireann are saying it’s lifting, but the fact there’s no wind means it’s going to be slow lifting.

“We can see the last fence now which we couldn’t earlier, so it is lifting slowly, but it’s very unpredictable and we will just continue to monitor.”

The ground at Naas is soft, soft to heavy on the chase and hurdles track.

This afternoon’s meeting at Naas is subject to a second inspection at 9.30am.

The threat of frost prompted officials to call an initial 7.30am check and while the track is reported to be fit for action, fog is causing some concern at the track.

The fog is forecast to lift, but another inspection is required.

There will be an early precautionary inspection at Naas on Sunday morning ahead of a card that includes the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

Forecast low temperatures and the threat of fog have prompted the decision, with staff at the track set to inspect at 7.30am.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course at Naas, said: “There was a very slight grass frost on Saturday morning but the track remained raceable at all times and we would have raced today.

“However, having been in regular communication with Met Eireann this afternoon, the latest forecast is for temperatures to get down to -2 or -3 tonight along with the possibility of fog in the morning also.

“With that forecast we will hold the precautionary inspection to assess the situation.”