Sundays Flint & Denbigh meeting
between the flags at Eaton Hall, near Chester attracted a massive
crowd of around 10,000 people. However, the runners were a bit thin
on the ground. This was due to the change in the going,which was
soft with heavy patches.
Much Wenloch trainer John Groucott and
Cholmondley trainer Donald McCain Junior took centre stage,
training two winners each. Both of Groucotts winners were owned by
Mark Harris from Shrewsbury and ridden by William Hill. The first
leg went to Ikemba, who was a very impressive winner of the Open
Maiden. The Executive Perk gelding, who is a half brother to Tug Of
Peace, was heavily eased at the line for a length and a half
success over the Richard Burton ridden Joe Brown from the Sheila
Crow yard. Owner Mark Harris sent his horse to Groucott eighteen
months ago. The horse had previously campaigned under rules with
Steve Brookshaw and Richard Phillips.
Precious Bane completed the double in the
Restricted beating Raiseapearl under Tessa Clarke by three and a
half lengths. The runner up did well as he was nearly brought down
when Instamoss fell six from home. The winner used to be trained on
the level by Nick Littmoden and was sent to Groucott eighteen
months ago by Mark Harris. He was full of praise for his trainer
for improving his horses jumping. Owner Mark Harris has four
point-to-point horses in training with Grocoutt, his best is No
Retreat whom he gives a major chance to in this Thursdays
Foxhunters at Aintree.
Nantwich trainer and rider Gary Hanmer won
the Mens Open last year with Soundtrack and won the race for the
second year running on the son of Orchestra, who made every yard
from flag fall to beat Rambo Tango by 5 lengths. The only change
from last year was the owner, this time around the horse is owned
by Chester bookie Geoff Powell. He bought the horse last year on
the recommendation of Hamner and this is the first horse that he
has owned.
Towcester trainer Jenny Pidgeon made the long
three and hour journey worthwhile when Galaxy Minstrel landed the
Intermediate race under Sarah Phizacklea by 5 lengths from Euro
Bob. Pidgeon said afterwards that the winner was not an easy horse
to train and that he needed the conditions underneath to be very
testing, which he got here.
After Flagg Races on Easter Tuesday, it was a
relief that there was no controversy this time around with Houghton
Bay, from the Cholmondley yard of Donald McCain Junior. The Camden
Town gelding hacked up under Tessa Clarke in the Confined to win
going away by 8 lengths from Coole Venture. The winner is owned by
the flamboyant entrepreneur Derek Malam from Nantwich, who also has
The Eeens and Cornish Gale in training with McCain Junior, the
latter of which could run in the Foxhunters at Aintree this
Thursday if the ground dries up.
Thirty five minutes later McCain Jnr was back
in the winners enclosure following the success of Another Club
Royal in the famous Amberleigh House colours of John Halewood,
which was carried to victory in the Confined by Gary Hanmer who
completed a double in the saddle after they beat the useful
Darnhill from the Sheila Crow yard by 3 lengths. McCain Jnr
revealed afterwards that the winner had galloped alongside the ante
post favourite for the John Smiths Grand National Amberleigh House
at Haydock Park last Sunday morning in the horses final workout
before trying to win the Grand National for the second year running
and McCain added that people have said to him that the winner is
too good for pointing.
The easiest winner of the day was reserved
for Top of The Dee who won the TBA Mares Maiden race by a fence
under David Gater. The runner up Thingaboutsophie jumped the last
fence when the winner had pulled up well past the line. The mare is
trained at Saighton, near Chester by Mark Williamson and owned by
his wife Lisa.