REVIEW
ALBRIGHTON WOODLAND
CHADDESLEY CORBETT
MONDAY 26 MAY 2003

by Peter Mansell

Mondays Albrighton Woodland meeting at Chaddesley Corbett provided the best the sport has to offer; competitive racing, close finishes and all enjoyed by a capacity crowd on a sunny afternoon in the Worcestershire countryside.

Julian Pritchard and David Mansell both rode doubles but successes on Teme Willow (Mixed Open) and Mildan Grace (Maiden) were not sufficient for Pritchard to retain his Area Riders Championship. The Ledbury based rider was seen at his very best on Teme Willow, who prevailed by a short head over Supreme Citizen in a pulsating finish to the Mixed Open. Teme Willow adopted his customary front running tactics and led the field a merry dance from the start. They were hotly pursued by Jane Williams and Supreme Citizen down the home straight and the runner up was gaining ground with every stride on the run in but Teme Willow was adjudged to have prevailed by a short head.

Pritchard had an easier task on Mildan Grace for Worcestershire trainer Alan Hollingsworth. The 7-year-old was at the back of the field for the first circuit but made stealthy progress to join the leaders at the 15th and quickening clear of his rivals over the final two fences.

Many adjectives have been used to describe David Mansell's riding style of which the most complementary is probably unique, but it is also effective and the Herefordshire based rider steered Jalcanto to victory in the Confined while Almost a Day was successful in one of the three divisions of the Maiden.

16-year-old Worcester Schoolboy Tom Weston had this race in safe keeping until Caught at Dawn hit the penultimate and paid the penalty which allowed Jalcanto to coast home to victory and secure the prize for owner Tom Hayes and his Suckley based trainer Jonathan Rudge.

Almost A Days connections were entitled to their celebrations after the 9-year-old had landed a division of the Maiden under David Mansell. The horse has finished runner up on four previous occasions this year but was not going to be denied on this occasion although it needed all of Mansells considerable efforts in the saddle to landed the prize for Longdon farmer Keith Bayliss.

Two small stables based at nearby Kinver were also successful. Winning Town taking the opening Members for owner/trainer/rider Sophie Talbot after Mr Naborro's effort had petered out between the final two fences, while Sharlom prevailed in the Restricted for Charlotte Jones one horse stable.  

Bradley Green based rider Mikey Harris got his name on the score sheet in the concluding Maiden. He had Al Vero at the head of affairs from the start but always kept a little bit up his sleeve and this proved decisive when Uncle Ada and Snowtre came to challenge down the home straight. The horse's success provided Tamworth in Arden trainer Rob Summers and his near neighbour Ossie Meli with their first victory of the season.

 

RESULTS
MEMBERS
1ST WINNING TOWN MISS S TALBOT 7/4
2ND MR NABORRO A WINTLE 1-2 FAV
3RD ALASKAN HEIR MISS K TURBUTT 16/1
3 RAN 3 1/2 LENGTHS - DISTANCE
CONFINED
1ST JALCANTO D MANSELL 4/1
2ND IOGA M HARRIS 12/1
3RD LIFEBUOY T MASTORAS 16/1
10 RAN 12 - 6 LENGTHS
MIXED OPEN
1ST TEME WILLOW J PRITCHARD 2/1
2ND SUPREME CITIZEN MISS J WILLIAMS EVENS FAV
3RD SIR DANTE F HUTSBY 6/1
9 RAN SHORT HEAD - 1 LENGTH
INTERMEDIATE
1ST RIOS LORD P MILLINGTON 7/1
2ND VERCHENY MISS P GUNDRY 7/1
3RD CORRIE MOR P COWLEY 2/1
12 RAN HEAD - 1 1/4 LENGTHS
RESTRICTED
1ST SHARLOM W HILL 4/1
2ND CAMPDEN KITTY F HUTSBY 7/2
3RD GLITTER PADDY J OWEN 10/1
18 RAN HEAD - 20 LENGTHS
MAIDEN - DIVISION I (PART 1)
1ST ALMOST A DAY D MANSELL 6-4 FAV
2ND MY NATIVE KNIGHT A WADLOW 4/1
3RD RON MEIL M RODDA 12/1
11 RAN 1 1/2 - 12 LENGTHS
MAIDEN - DIVISION I (PART 2)
1ST MILDAN GRACE J PRITCHARD 3/1
2ND JOLLY JAKE E WALKER 9/2
3RD WIND ON THE COMMON T STEPHENSON 5-2 FAV
10 RAN 10 - 5 LENGTHS
MAIDEN - DIVISION II
1ST AL VERO M HARRIS 6/1
2ND UNCLE ADA R BURTON 3/1
3RD SNOWTRE A WINTLE 7/1
12 RAN 4 - 3/4 LENGTH