ANTHONY Honeyball wore a warm glow of satisfaction in the wintry weather after reaching a career best for winners in a season.

Having chalked up his highest total of 14 victories in 2010-11 the trainer from Mosterton near Crewkerne improved on that with a double in the "bumpers for jumpers" scheme that has kept National Hunt horses on the go in the recent icy snap.

Midnight Minx posted success number 15 when making it two wins out of two racecourse appearances at Kempton Park on Friday and highly impressive newcomer Regal Encore added to the tally at Southwell on Sunday.

Both winners were ridden by Honeyball's assistant trainer and partner Rachael Green.

After being dogged by a stable virus for a couple of months Honeyball reported in mid-January that his string were back on track and he was confident of making an impact in February.

His words have proved correct – and now he is aiming Midnight Minx at the £20,000 European Breeders' Fund mares' listed bumper at Sandown Park on March 10, a race won by his neighbour Bob Buckler with Mizzurka two years ago.

Honeyball said: "We think Midnight Minx is very smart and it will take a good one to beat her at Sandown.

"She won on her debut at Folkestone in November and we thought she was just a galloper but we were particularly pleased with her Kempton performance because it showed she had more gears than we thought she had.

"She has an excellent attitude and really wants to win but she's relaxed with it – you can put her where you want in a race and she'll be quite happy. Rachael gave her a splendid ride.

"We now have four weeks to prepare Midnight Minx for Sandown and that's just perfect. Ground is not an issue – she could cope with it softer if necessary."

The Midnight Legend five-year-old's owner/breeder is Joanna Mann from Worcestershire who sent the mare to Honeyball because of his record with young horses, especially in bumpers where he has a 25 per cent strike rate over the past five seasons.

The owner also has a full older brother to Midnight Minx and this winning point-to-pointer could be heading one day for Mosterton.

Honeyball, who besides saddling a record number of winners this season has also shattered his best with £64,000 in prize-money, could be double-handed at Sandown Park as the promising Eleven Fifty Nine is qualified to run as well and the trainer is still not convinced which is the better mare.

This Midnight Legend six-year-old – born just before midnight, hence the name – was due to run in an Exeter bumper on Sunday but the thaw did not come in time to save the card.

Honeyball and Green were confident of a bold show from Regal Encore – and the four-year-old did not disappoint leading on the bit a furlong out before coasting home by a cosy two lengths in the 11-runner field.

The King's Theatre gelding, who is out of winning Irish hurdler Go On Eileen, was bought by Honeyball at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales for £20,000 and will now be aimed at the £50,000 sales bumper at Newbury on March 3.

Honeyball, who part owns the horse with Somerset-based James Burley, said: "Regal Encore was awesome and although it wasn't a fantastic race it was the style he showed – I have never had a horse who has been as impressive as that in his first race.

"That was his prep run for Newbury and I think he'll be even better on a galloping track like that."

Burley must hope Regal Encore fares as well as his hurdler of a few years ago Moody Man, who completed the Imperial Cup-County Hurdle double in 1990 when trained by Philip Hobbs near Minehead. And Honeyball's share? "That is for sale," the trainer added.

Regal Encore could be joined in the Newbury line-up by newcomer Kalani King, a strapping five-year-old son of Ashkalani who has needed time to grow into his substantial frame.

By David Briers