NORTH WEST AREA
NEWS
TEN TO FOLLOW IN THE NORTH WEST AREA 2012
by Arthur Shone
This season's 10 to follow are a mixture of older and young horses. It is unprecedented in the area to see three of the horses to follow going for the Cheltenham Foxhunters at the Festival and two horses going for the Aintree Foxhunters at the John Smiths Grand National meeting, which is proof that the quality of horses in the North Western area gets stronger each season Each horse is listed with comments from the trainer or their representative in the yard, Alistair Crow has taken over the dark horses selections from his late father Edward, who had a remarkable strike rate of 15 winners from 18 selected, Alistair's record is currently 2 from 4.
CAPTIVE AUDIENCE 9YO GELDING
"He used to be trained under rules by Rebecca Curtis and has won over three miles and will get the trip. He is by Saddlers Wells and will go on any ground bar heavy; the plan is to qualify him for the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival."
Trained by Oliver Greenall
MAC STEAMY 6YO GELDING
"He is from the same family of Fatal Hesitation and Numbersixvalverde. The horse has good form in his point to points in Ireland, when finishing second at Durrow and third to a very good horse called Forgotten Gold at Lismore. I liked him as soon as I bought him - my mother will train the point to pointers this season as I have taken out a full training licence. He is working nicely at home and is the dark horse from the yard."
Comments by Will Kinsey; Trained by Julie Kinsey
MAD VICTOR 11YO GELDING
"I honestly think this horse is not given the credit he deserves and there are not many miles on the clock despite coming up for 11 years old. His record speaks for itself as he has been a model of consistency. He broke a rib badly at Stratford and seems well over it and is working well at home and we are expecting him to run well in hunter chases this season.
Comments by Paul Jones; Trained by Sue Taylor
MY FLORA 8YO MARE
"She is a top class mare who proved how good she was when winning the John Corbett Cup at Stratford. I honestly think she will take all the beating in whatever race she runs in, as she settles so well in her races and has plenty of speed as well. The plan this season is to go for the Cheltenham Foxhunters at the Festival. I might run her in a point to point before going for the Walrus Hunter Chase at Haydock. I ride her out every day at home and she is going exceptionally well on our gallops."
Trained by Sheila Crow
OUR JASPER 12YO GELDING
"A nice recruit for pointing who should win races this season. The form is there for all to see, as he was a decent chaser when trained under rules by my husband Donald. The same owners Mr and Mrs Benson, used to own him under rules and still own him this season and they should have a lot of fun with him."
Trained by Sian McCain
SHOULDHAVEHADTHAT 10YO GELDING
"He was very consistent last season running in three hunter chases and winning the Bangor Final by 42 lengths beating the previous winner of the race Ice Tea. He finished runner up in his other two starts in hunter chases. He will be aimed at the Bangor Final again and also I feel he would make an ideal Aintree Foxhunters type as he would love the course."
Trained by Phillip Rowley
SOMETHING FISHY 8YO GELDING
"I would like to nominate the Artic Lord gelding as my dark horse selection for the new season. He was a very expensive 4yo old at the Derby sales and has generally been misfiring in Ireland. I have been really pleased with his attitude and work at home and he will be out towards the middle to end of the season as he needs good quick ground, he should win his fair share of races."
Trained by Gary Hanmer
SURENAGA 10YO GELDING
"Won the Lady Dudley Cup last season at Chaddesley Corbett when trained by Sally Randell. He is new to the yard and a very exciting type to have in and he will be aimed at the Cheltenham Foxhunters next March at the Festival. He is working really well and should win his fair share of races this season."
Trained by Phillip Rowley
THE RECOVERY 7YO GELDING
"He won impressively on the first day of the season at Cottenham and he is a horse that I have always liked. He will progress from that race and he is a horse that I am expecting big things from this season."
Trained by Gary Hanmer
WOODVIEW PRINCE 7YO GELDING
"A very exciting new edition to the yard, who I have no hesitation in nominating as my dark horse selection for the season. He was very well thought of in Ireland and was second to a really decent sort in Bothar Clei at Knockanard and with any luck will be aimed at the Red Mills Intermediate Final at Cheltenham."
Comments by Alistair Crow; Trained by Sheila Crow
ARTHUR SHONE VISITS TOP POINT TO POINT TRAINER SHEILA CROW AT HADNALL
Hadnall trainer Sheila Crow needs no introduction to followers of point to point racing. The Shropshire trainer sends out a steady stream of winners season after season and has done so now for around a quarter of a century. When you reflect on her training successes it becomes evident that she has deserved her place as one of the top point to point and hunter chase trainers in the country. A brief glimpse at her CV will tell you that she has won the John Corbett Cup with Lord Harry and also with My Flora last season, four Bangor Finals and the highlight of her career was training Cappa Bleu to win the 2009 Cheltenham Foxhunters with her stable jockey Richard Burton in the plate.
This season Sheila Crow is very optimistic about the new season ahead where she will have about twenty horses in training. On the new season she said, "We have a lot of new young horses this season and we have only kept a handful from last year. I have been asked many times over the year to take out a permit to train, but I have resisted until now. But with having some promising young horses in the yard, I feel they would benefit by running in bumpers and under rules. It tells you how serious I am as I have the application forms already at home, at the moment I am not sure who will be applying me or my son Alistair".
Sheila Crow's regular stable jockey Richard Burton has decided to hang up his boots after an illustrious career in the saddle, which has seen him ride more winners between the flags than any rider above or under the turf. His tally of 414 wins will probably never be surpassed and he has been the champion national rider four times. Burtie has also ridden 64 winners under rules including at the Cheltenham Festival, the highlights of his career being the Aintree Foxhunters with Scots Grey and the Christies Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival with Cappa Bleu.
Following Burtie's retirement Crow will also have the services of Tom David and Patrick Gerety, whom the trainer describes as a very fine horsemen. Sheila Crow has listed a few of the horses in the yard to follow, her comments on her charges are well worth noting. Her son Alistair has taken over the dark horse selection from his late father Edward, who had an amazing strike rate of 15 winners from just 18 selections.
BABD CATHA 6yo MARE
"She is a well bred mare by Flemensfirth from the same family as Alleged. She has improved a great deal from last season and should go on to win a Maiden this season."
BRIGHT MIX 6yo MARE
"She is a nice mare by Fair Mix, who is owned by the legendary point to point rider Pat Tollitt, she has really improved in her work at home and I am very hopeful that she can win a Maiden and progress further - definitely one to follow from the yard."
CURRENT EXCHANGE 7yo GLD
"He is a favourite in the yard and he owned by my son Alistair and his wife Caroline. I have always thought he had plenty of ability and he has proved it by winning all four races last season He will run mainly in hunter chases this season. To be honest I see him as an ideal Aintree Foxhunters type, I think the course would suit him and the John Corbett Cup at Stratford is another possibility, he should progress further this season and will go on any ground."
FRESH FRUIT 8yo MARE
"She is a nice mare and I was pleased to see her win at Heslaker and Garthorpe last season, she goes well for Patrick Gerety and she will run in point to points to start with. There is no ground preference with her as she will go on any ground."
MY DAD'S HORSE 6yo GLD
"I liked this horse as soon as he came into the yard; he is a nice stamp of a horse by Exit To Nowhere. I was looking for a name for him last season and my son Alistair suggested My Dad's Horse after my late husband Edward and his father and I said to Alistair what happens if he turns out to be useless and he said that dad would see the funny side. As it was he has turned out to be very good and was impressive when winning his Maiden at Aspatria. He has been bought this season by William and Angela Rucker, who owned Cappa Bleu, the Cheltenham Foxhunter winner that I trained. He has progressed from last season and is working really well and I would not be afraid of running him in the John Corbett Cup at Stratford, that's how highly I think of him."
MY FLORA 8yo MARE
"She is very progressive mare who won well at Chaddlesley Corbett first time out this season and I honestly think she will take all the beating in whatever race she runs in as she settles so well in her races and has plenty of speed. The plan is to go for the Christies Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival. Her next race will be the Walrus Hunters Chase at Haydock. I ride her every day at home and she is going exceptionally well on our gallops."
WALCOT LATHYRUS 7yo GLD
"Another horse in the yard by Alflora who I think is going to be useful. He was impressive when winning his Maiden at Tabley by 15 lengths and he will improve this season again. I will run him in point to points to start with and then progress to a hunter chase at Ludlow."
WAT JIMMY CALL IT 7yo GLD
"A fine big stamp of a horse by Luso, who seems to like Bangor on Dee, as he won both races there last season. He will stick to point to points to start with and then we will look for a novice hunter chase for him at the end of the season."
WOODVIEW PRINCE 7yo GLD **DARK HORSE SELECTION**
Comments by Alistair Crow
"I have no hesitation in nominating this horse as my dark horse selection. He is a very exciting edition to the yard, who was very well thought of in Ireland and was second to a really decent sort in Bothar Clei at Knockanard. He was impressive when winning his Maiden at Chaddesley Corbett and will be aimed at the Red Mills Intermediate Final at Cheltenham."
NORTH WEST AREA 2012 FIXTURE LIST
MARCH
Sunday March 11th - Wynnstay at Bangor on Dee
APRIL
Easter Saturday April 7th - North Staffs at Sandon (Stages the area feature race - The Scally Muire Trophy)
Easter Saturday April 7th - Vale Of Lune at Whittington
Easter Monday April 9th - North Shropshire at Eyton on Severn
Easter Tuesday April 10th - High Peak at Flagg Moor
Sunday April 15th - Cheshire Forest at Tabley
MAY
Bank Holiday Monday May 7th - South Shropshire at Eyton on Severn
Sunday May 20th - North West Point to Point Club at Tabley
Saturday May 26th - Meynell & South Staffs at Garthorpe
Sunday May 27th - Flint & Denbigh at Bangor on Dee
JUNE
Sunday June 3rd - Cheshire at Tabley
**North West Area Championship Hunter Chase Final, is at Bangor on Dee on Saturday May 19th 2012
