CATTISTOCK
LITTLEWINDSOR
Sunday 30TH MARCH 2008

REVIEW
by Brian and Gill Armstrong

Seaborough trainer Richard Barber stole the show with a treble at Littlewindsor, where the spring weather brought out a large crowd.

Richard combined with stable jockey Rachael Green – now on the 16-winner mark, just six behind Polly Gundry – to take the Hunt race (with Brown Cockle) and Ladies’ Open (Rimpton Boy). Brown Cockle forged clear in the straight to give Beaminster owner Bill Dupont his first-ever win in the contest. “I finished second and third in the race myself in the 1970s, once behind Robert Atkinson”, recalled Bill. “Brown Cockle jumps much better these days and much of that’s down to Teresa Dufosee, who’s done a lot of work on his back since he ran at Chipley Park in January”.

Brown Cockle (Rachael Green)

Rimpton Boy again showed the benefit of blinkers, leading at the second last and holding off his three rivals in a slow run race. Now the winner of 27 races, the 13-year-old shows no sign of deterioration and continues to give enormous pleasure to his owners, the 16-strong Axe Valley Racing Club.

Rimpton Boy provided former stable jockey Nick Williams with his first-ever winner at Larkhill in 2002, so it was fitting that Nick completed Richard’s treble on Range Rover, the comfortable winner of the 3-mile Maiden. “I also remember Nick winning for me on Landrover at Woodford in 2003”, said owner Lucy Dickinson, who bought Range Rover “out of a field” after seeing him advertised in the Western Daily Press.

Rhys Flint also rode a double, taking his tally to 12 and giving him a commanding advantage in the National Novices’ table. Rhys kicked off in the six-runner Men’s Open with Iris’s Prince, who finished alone after Ryan Bliss pulled up final challenger Barney Blue at the last rather than continue in futile pursuit. Bobosh completed Rhys’s double in the Countryside Alliance Novice Riders race, finally asserting on the final circuit after running freely in the early stages.

Richard Barber came close to a four-timer with Briteside (Lucy Dickinson and Nick Williams again), who jumped ahead at the last, but couldn’t hold Tabaristan (Nathan Wilmington) in the 2m4f Maiden. “He was bought at Doncaster two years ago, but didn’t run under Rules”, said Woolminstone’s Chloe Newman, who trains Tabaristan for her mother, Ros. “He’s been steadily improving and he’s very quiet at home – a real sweet horse”.

Tabaristan (Nathan Wilmington)

Tory Blue’s Restricted race win was a family success, as the horse is owned and bred by Jim and Ann Tory of Winterborne Whitechurch, trained at Thornicombe by daughter-in-law Mary and was ridden by granddaughter, Emma. “This is the first time he’s run on soft ground”, said Emma. “We were slightly worried as we weren’t sure how he would handle it, but he’s absolutely loved it”.

Hunt Members, 12st (3 Runners) – 5 lengths, dist – Six minutes: 53 secs
BROWN COCKLE Miss R. Green, 4-7F
LORD ANNER (IRE) G. Fry, 3-1
KIWI RAP Miss C. Atkinson, 3-1

Open Maiden 456&7yo, 2m4f 12st (10 Runners) – ½, 10 – 5:45
TABARISTAN (IRE) N. Wilmington, 12-1
BRITESIDE N. Williams, 7-4
MR SLIPPER R. Bliss, 11-2

Restricted, 12st (8 Runners) – 5, 10 – 6:54
TORY BLUE Miss E. Tory, 5-1
DOUBLE POPS R. Bliss, 25-1
KAYLEIGH (IRE) Ben Clarke, 40-1

Ladies Open, 11st (4 Runners) – 1, ½ – 7:00
RIMPTON BOY Miss R. Green, 4-7F
QUIZZLING (IRE) Miss C. Stenning, 8-1
DR CERULLO Miss P. Gundry, 6-4

Mens Open, 12st (6 Runners)
IRIS'S PRINCE R. Flint, 1-2F

CA Club Members (Nov Rdrs), 12st (3 Runners) – 5, 1 – 7:13
BOBOSH R. Flint, 4-11F
MISTER PUTT (USA) Miss E. Alvis, 4-1
DEAR DEAL Miss C. Davis, 6-1

Open Maiden 5yo&up, 12st (5 Runners) – 10, 4 – 7:15
RANGE ROVER N. Williams, 1-2F
MISS FLEUR R. Bliss, 7-2
LITTLE KIMMIE R. Lee, 20-1