NORMAN WILLIAMSON'S smiling face said it all at Hereford yesterday. Victory aboard Cardinal Rule in the Wormelow Novices' Handicap Chase was the Irishman's 50th winner of the term and he confided there was plenty more to come.

"At the beginning of the season 50 winners was my target," recalled Williamson, who has been riding as a freelance since splitting with Kim Bailey last summer.

"Everything's going superbly well at the moment and all those miles I clocked up on the motorways at the start of the season have paid off and I'm very pleased," he added.

Cardinal Rule, trained locally by Venetia Williams, jumped superbly for Williamson and came home four lengths to the good over Boots N All.

And with his 50 in the bag Williamson is now eagerly looking forward to the rest of the season. "With Cheltenham and Aintree and all the big races still to come hopefully the winners have not stopped flowing yet," he smiled.

His big race winners this season include Jodami in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at Haydock and Master Tribe in The Ladbroke at Leopardstown.

Trainer Giuseppe Fierro sent out his first winner since renewing his licence at the beginning of the month when Ranger Sloane lifted the Ewyas Harold Novices' Handicap Hurdle at 25 to 1.

However, the result was not a complete surprise to the Hednesford handler as he admitted quietly fancying the winner and backing his judgement with the bookmakers. Fierro temporarily relinquished his trainer's licence last summer after being involved in a road accident and badly injuring his back.

Charlie Brooks' Halona lifted the Hoechst Roussel Panacur EBF Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) a shade comfortably by a couple of lengths from Moonlighter under Graham Bradley.

The mare was beaten into the third by the smart Juyush last time but this event represented a drop in class and she duly made much of the running to open her account over hurdles.

Tom George, who moved to his father in law John Edwards' old yard at nearby Ross on Wye last November, found the winner's spot after Thats The Life bravely took the Weatherbys Leasing Directory Handicap Chase.

Caracol and Arioso had a battle royal for the Arrow Maiden Claiming Hurdle with the former just coming out on top by a length and a quarter. The pair came close together on the run in which prompted the runner up's rider, Michael Brennan, to lodge an objection. However, the stewards did not take long to allow the result to stand.

. Collier Bay will bid to defend his crown in next month's Smurfit Champion Hurdle without the benefit of another outing, owner Wally Sturt confirmed yesterday.

The seven year old was successful in the Sporting Life Champion Hurdle Trial at Towcester on his reappearance last Friday.

The Jim Old trained gelding won two races last season before taking hurdling's blue riband but connections have decided they will have to settle for just one this time.

"Jim won't hear of him having another run," said Sturt. "The only races he's qualified to run in the Kingwell at Wincanton and the trial at Haydock are much too close to the Festival."

Sturt said another racecourse gallop for Collier Bay was a possibility, although it was not always easy to find an accommodating track. "They are a little bit tardy over here allowing horses on their courses, unlike in Ireland where you can go round most courses.

"You'd have thought they'd be keen to have a champion hurdler on the track, it can't do any harm to their attendance figure.

. Significant rain yesterday caused Philip Arkwright to scrap plans to start watering the track in preparation for next month's Cheltenham Festival.

The clerk of the course, just back from the United States, explained: "It was my intention to start watering today had there been no rain but overnight there was prolonged rainfall.

"We will continue to monitor the situation daily."