TEDWORTH
BARBURY RACECOURSE
Saturday 5th April 2008
REVIEW
by Brian and Gill Armstrong
Cottage River, staying on strongly under David Mansell, took the feature 3m 6f Tedworth Gold Cup at Barbury Racecourse, where a large crowd saw three events divided and 122 horses contest 10 races. Backed down to joint favouritism, Cottage River led on the far side and comfortably held off Knighton Combe (Michael Miller) and fellow market leader Long Night (Richard Woollacott). “ Cottage River gallops and stays, so this was the ideal race”, smiled North Nibley trainer Julie Houldey, celebrating her eighth winner of the season. “He’s won a Maiden and Restricted and gone straight to Open class, so he’s a progressive horse and should run well in a Hunter Chase on a similar course”, added Peter Hall, joint owner with wife, Lisa. A tilt at Stratford’s Weatherbys Chase John Corbet Cup could be on the cards.
Cottage River (David Mansell )
Lucy Cowen, 34, rode her third career winner on her gift horse East Lawyer, who jumped into the lead at the last in the opening Confined. “I rode my first winner seven years ago, but then didn’t race ride until this season, although I’ve done lots of team chasing in the meantime”, explained Lucy, secretary at Charlie Egerton’s Chaddleworth yard.
Sarah West’s wonderful season continued with Come Out Firing, who quickened clear approaching the last in Restricted Division I. Come Out Firing impressed over 2½ miles at Ston Easton “and 3 miles is no problem”, smiled Sarah, returning to the winner’s enclosure. West Littleton rider Steve Bush opened his 2008 account in Division II on Gossip, jointly owned by his father Bill and Sarah Garside. Steve won the 4-mile National Hunt Chase on Lucky Vane at the 1981 Cheltenham National Hunt Festival “but I rode my last winner at 54, so Steve’s got some way to go to catch me”, beamed Bill.
Rachael Green took her tally to 17 on Royal Rapture, a first point-to-point winner for owner Brian Hammond and Leeann Day in the 2½ mile Maiden Division I. “The ground and distance are the key”, said trainer Richard Barber. “She’s improving race by race, but doesn’t get 3 miles on soft ground at the moment”. The Maz Scudamore-trained Reflector took Division II, sprinting clear under Alistair Ralph. “We bought him and Niver Bai [unbeaten in two points this season] as a pair from Trevor Hemmings last June”, explained Alistair’s mother, Diana.
The two Divisions of the 3-mile Maiden went to former Champions. Richard Burton took Division I, producing Pam Pengelly’s Big Daves Legend at the last for an easy success. Polly Gundry reached the 23-winner mark when Il Marinaio battled home in Division II. “[Owner] Richard [Kelvin-Hughes] picked him out at Doncaster last year”, explained Ed Walker, joint-trainer with Polly at their Ottery St Mary stables.
Drybrook Bedouin delighted connections – “I’ve never ridden a horse that travels so well”, said Nathan Wilmington – when taking the Countryside Alliance Conditions race, while George Scott took his tally to four on Even Homer Nods, who finished alone in the Hunt race.
The Tedworth Charity Flat race, staged before racing in aid of the John Edgar Trust, went to Tracey Bailey aboard Penny Island.
Penny Island (Tracey Bailey)
Confined, 12st (10 Runners) – 3 lengths, 6 – Six minutes: 13 secs
EAST LAWYER (FR) Miss L. Cowen, 16-1
LEFT TO HIMSELF N. Phillips, 33-1
DESAILLY G. Humfrey, 8-1
Restricted (Div 2), 12st (11 Runners) – 1, 2 – 6:20
GOSSIP S. Bush, 5-1
DEEP HALL D. Mansell, 5-2
RIP TULLOUGHER (IRE) F. Hutsby, 7-1
Open Maiden (Div 1) 456&7yo, 2m4f 12st (18 Runners) – 2, 5 – 5:03
ROYAL RAPTURE Miss R. Green, 5-1
JACKO'S BOY P. Mason, 4-1
LATENIGHTDIP Miss H. Watson, 12-1
Open Maiden (Div 2) 456&7yo, 2m4f 12st (17 Runners) – 15, 1 – 5:04
REFLECTOR (IRE) A. Ralph, 6-4F
LORD BELLAMY (IRE) M. Wilesmith, 10-1
GREY IMAGE D. Mansell, 20-1
Mixed Open, 3m6f 12st (11 Runners) – 3, 6 – 7:56
COTTAGE RIVER (IRE) D. Mansell, 2-1JF
KNIGHTON COMBE M. Miller, 6-1
LONG NIGHT R. Woollacott, 2-1JF
CA Club Members Conditions, 12st (16 Runners) – 3, 1 – 6:17
DRYBROOK BEDOUIN N. Wilmington, 6-4F
SWIFT WOOD M. Miller, 3-1
TITUS BRAMBLE R. Burton, 6-1
Open Maiden (Div 1) 5yo&up, 12st (12 Runners) – 10, 2 – 6:24
BIG DAVES LEGEND R. Burton, 7-4F
STREET OF LAREDO (IRE) W. Telfer, 9-2
BRINGONTHEBOYS A. Charles-Jones, 3-1
Open Maiden (Div 2) 5yo&up, 12st (11 Runners) – 1, 8 – 6:23
IL MARINAIO (FR) Miss P. Gundry, 6-4F
LOVE IN THE AIR Miss H. Watson, 20-1
DECLANS CHOICE (IRE) P. Mason, 10-1
Hunt Members, 12st5lb (3 Runners) – 6:34
EVEN HOMER NODS (IRE) G. Scott, 8-11F
only one finished
