A BUMPER crowd of nearly three thousand racegoers enjoyed a day of glorious sunshine and thrilling finishes at Les Landes yesterday with the most prestigious race of the season, The Coors Jersey Derby, going to the Alyson Malzard-trained Crossways.

Off Minor, attempting to win the second leg of the CI Triple Crown after taking the Champion Hurdle last time out, went off a hot favourite for the feature event and was settled in midfield in the early part as Royal Starlet was allowed to bowl along in front.

Approaching the turn for home Royal Starlet was still leading but the chasing pack were now hot on her heels, though the long-time leader was not going to give in easily.

It was not until they had passed the final furlong pole that Crossways, under strong diving from Adam Jones, finally got his head in front with Tony Procter equally hard at work on the favourite.

Crossways stuck to his task well and as they passed the winning post he had a length to spare over Off Minor with Royal Starlet a further eight lengths back in third.

This was the second time that Crossways, owned by Guernsey bookmaker Trevor Gallienne, has won the Jersey Derby as he beat Off Minor in the 2004 renewal by a head.

The runner up once again ran his normal game race but on the day the 2005 champion was second best.

Riding honours of the day went to Amy Baker who rode a double for trainer Joan Le Brocq, her first in the Dandara Handicap over five furlongs.

Sprint races are renowned for tardy starts but on this occasion none of the field can have any excuses about the break; Highland Flight got off to her normal flying start, with I’m Aimee, but on this occasion she was unable to get away and was soon in trouble as Compton Spark took up the lead over two-and-a-half furlongs from home.

The Brady Bunch-owned four-year-old then stayed on gamely to hold off challenges coming from all sides to win by half a length from Top Pursuit, with I’m Aimee the same distance back in third.

Connections of the runner-up will not be too pleased that jockey Neil Pollard put up 13 pounds overweight on their charge as without this extra burden he would have won.

Disappointment of the race was the English raider Nifty Major who was reluctant to go to the start and never got into the race.

Baker and Le Brocq completed their doubles when Wall Street Runner held on in another driving finish to take the Animal Trust Handicap from Time to Wyn by a neck, with Tony Tie putting in another gallant effort a further half a length back in third.

Opening race of the afternoon was the conditional maiden hurdle.

Groomsman went off as the odds-on favourite and although he put in a number of sketchy jumps he just held off the challenge of Cheeky Girl to win by a length-and-a-half with Silver Silence, who failed to see the trip out, 15 lengths adrift in third.

The Blackthorns Cider Stayers Handicap, the final race, produced yet another thrilling finish as Countrywide Pride got up on the line to beat Snow Lark.

The winner, who normally runs his races from the front, was restrained at the back of the field by Ross Studholme as he was not guaranteed to see the trip out, but approaching the final two furlongs his pilot produced the David Evans-owned and trained eight-year-old with a well timed effort.

This was Countrywide Pride’s third successive win and his fourth of the season.

With two meetings to go Alyson Malzard heads the trainers championship with 11 winners, two ahead of Joan Le Brocq, while Adam Jones and Tony Procter are joint leaders of the race to the jockey’s title with eight wins each.

Next meeting, ladies day, is on Sunday 13 August.