The jumps season continued last Friday with a six-race card and then a further seven races on Saturday, which featured the Ascot Hurdle.

More than 30 stands tempted punters with a selection of presents for both family and friends.

Items on sale included seasonal delicacies, hand- crafted items and charming stocking fillers and fashion accessories.

Runaway winner Croco Bay claimed a handicap chase by 19 lengths despite reservations about the testing ground on Saturday.

The Ben Case-trained seven-year-old now has the Topham Chase at Aintree next spring as a possible long-range objective.

Croco Bay will be given some time off to recharge the batteries but the Topham next April could be a conditional aim upon his return.

Ruby Walsh was motionless in the saddle as Willie Mullins’ unbeaten star Faugheen got his season off to a perfect start in the Ascot Hurdle.

Stiffer tasks await Faugheen and, though Walsh believes his mount can mix it with the best, he still has a bit to prove yet.

Nick Smith is head of communications at Ascot Racecourse. He said: “The jumps season at Ascot is in full swing now.

“We were lucky to see two potential champions in Al Ferof and Faugheen winning and putting down real markers for the future.

“Nearly 25,000 people visited over the two days with the combination of top class racing and the Christmas Shopping Village proving a tremendous draw.

“We’re gearing up for the annual curtain closer on December 19 and 20, with all the usual Christmas attractions for families.

“We have two of the most important races of the jumps season, The Long Walk Hurdle and The Ladbroke Hurdle.”

Meanwhile, The Racecourse Association (RCA) has revealed Ascot Racecourse as Showcase Champion at the annual RCA Showcase & Awards which took place at Haydock Park Racecourse recently.

The Showcase Awards celebrate excellence and innovation at racecourses around Britain, with Ascot winning two individual categories as well as being named overall champion.

The Red Bull Air Race, which took place at the Berkshire track for the first time in 2014, was deemed best in class in the Events category.

Following four years of planning, more than 50,000 people attended the weekend event in August, which has seen Red Bull sign up for a further two years.

The newly installed ‘On 5’ restaurant was the winner in the food & beverage category and has already welcomed top chefs Tom Kerridge and James Martin.

Judges were particularly impressed with the facility, which seats 190 and stylishly celebrates the craft and dedication behind the power of the thoroughbred racehorse.

The fifth annual Showcase & Awards also saw the Arena Racing Company, Cartmel, Musselburgh and Kempton Park as winners with Plumpton snatching the groundstaff champions title and Pontefract and York winning the RCA customer service and the @RCAShowcase #TopSpot Awards respectively.

Charles Barnett, chief executive at Ascot Racecourse, said: “It is a tremendous endorsement of everyone’s efforts to win three awards at the annual RCA Showcase Awards and particularly pleasing to be voted racecourse of the year by our own peers.

“We like to think we provide something for everyone at Ascot, from the best fine dining in the world at Royal Ascot in venues like our now award-winning On 5 Restaurant, to informal, fun and innovative events like the Red Bull Air Race in August.

“It isn’t straightforward to plan, market and then implement so many different attractions in such a busy calendar and all of the staff at Ascot who make this happen deserve the recognition they received last week.”

RCA chairman Ian Barlow, said: “Yet again we had record entries and the standard of innovation was higher than ever. Ascot’s three awards including the overall Showcase Champions demonstrate this in spades.”

FOR PICTURES FROM ASCOT RACECOURSE SEE THIS WEEK'S NEWS.