Lewes trainer Jamie Poulton has put his stable into the Lingfield Park record books.

In the fortnight leading up to Christmas, he scored the first treble on the renowned polytrack all-weather surface and won with six consecutive runners.

But that achievement still left Jamie with a measure of frustration because he only equalled his previous best season's total of 15 winners.

He said: "I needed Fontwell to race on New Year's Eve.

"I felt certain there would be a winner there to take us to 16. Now I've had 15 winners in three of the last four years.

"Never mind, we'll have to do better next time."

Like most trainers of racehorses at this time, Jamie is finding the excessively wet weather poses a major problem.

"The more it rains the higher up the Downs we have to go to find ground we can use.

"The horses are fit so it is a question of keeping them ticking over but with so many abandonments, the jumpers are missing races that were part of their schedules."

Most importantly, Jamie's Martell Grand National contender River Bug needs to get on the track. "The Mildmay Cazalet Chase at Sandown Park tomorrow would have been ideal, the right track and the right distance of three miles five furlongs.

"I was really looking forward to that and as Fontwell on Monday looks doubtful, the next opportunity is the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter but that is not until February 1.

"River Bug loves testing conditions and he is able to plough through going that most horses cannot cope with, so the loss of suitable races at this time is particularly frustrating."

There is more positive news on useful long distance hurdler Male Ana Mou, now ten years old.

"He won't return to jumping until the ground is better," says Jamie.

"But he runs in a two mile amateurs' race on the polytrack at Lingfield tomorrow and my nephew, Harry, will ride him.

"Male Ana Mou hasn't run for a long time so the race should bring him on a good deal."

Male Ana Mou will miss the long distance hurdle at Cheltenham in March and is more likely to go for the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in April.

Brilliant Red is not being allowed to rest on his laurels after a refreshing change of environment. The Lingfield specialist was third and won twice in December and he returns to the track in a fortnight for a valuable handicap.

Jamie said: "He was very unlucky in running last time out and in the end was beaten only three lengths although there were five horses in front of him."

Keeping company with Male Ana Mou on the short journey to Lingfield tomorrow will be Theatre, a first time out winner for Poulton. He runs in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap over one-and-a-half miles (2.40) and the trainer is hopeful of a place at least.