Weekend Round-up
1st & 2nd March 2008
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher & Peter Mansell

LOCAL STABLES HIT THE JACKPOT AT WEEKEND MEETINGS

Ran and Luke Morgan have been familiar figures on the Northern Point-to-Point scene for a number of years, and still ride in that area. Currently based near Stow on the Wold they are now beginning to make their presence felt in the West Midlands.

Ran gained his riders certificate with the North Cotswold, whereas Luke is ineligible for any of our area awards.

Elder brother Ran got his name on the scoresheet first when Fergals Find was gifted the Intermediate by the fall of Oscar Royal at the second from home.

Fred Hutsby had his mount in front from the early stages of this contest and they held a 6-length lead when reappearing out of the dip with four fences to jump.

Fergals Find was asked for his effort at the third from home and while the response was not instantaneous he had reduced the leaders advantage when Hutsby’s mount took a crashing fall.

Intermediate winner Fergal’s Find and Ran Morgan have joined the luckless Oscar Royal (Fred Hutsby) two out – horse and rider thankfully walked away

Fergals Find was then left to coast home in his own time, with the trainer Fergal O’Brien stating on the horses return to the paddock “that’s the first back to back wins the horse had ever achieved – it’s down to the girls in the yard for keeping him sweet and happy”.

Luke Morgan and Fergals Find are well clear as they round the final bend in the Intermediate

Things have gone well for the Naunton trainer so far this year. He has 8 Pointers to campaign between the flags this season and this was their 7 th success.

Morgan’s younger brother Luke then teamed up with Naunton trainer Emma Baker to record a double with Gaelsbob scoring an easy win in the Mens Open while Ballydonagh repeated his stablemate’s feat in Division I of the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden.

Luke Morgan records a double aboard Ballydonagh (1) in the Open Maiden Div1

Gaelsbob was sent into the lead as the runners passed the judge for the first time and maintained a narrow advantage until Luke Morgan went for broke on the downhill run to the 14 th.

Gaelsbob (red stripped sleeves) and Luke Morgan are poised on the heels of the leaders at halfway in the Mixed Open

This move seemed to catch his rivals by surprise because the advantage had been extended to 6-lengths as they breasted the rise before the 15 th.

With the other runners floundering in his wake Gaelsbob went further and further clear over the final four fences and had put 20-lenghths between him and the other runners by the time they passed the winning post.

Luke Morgan returns on Gaelsbob following an impressive win in the Mixed Open

This was the second winner of the season for owner/trainer Emma Baker who reported “the horse jumped well today and has really blossomed over the last three weeks”.

The winning connections repeated this achievement 35 minutes later when Ballydonagh provided Baker with her first double after a facile win in Division I of the Maiden.

“A change of tactics seems to have been beneficial” according to Miss Baker whose horse had finished 3 rd on his debut at Larkhill a few weeks ago.

The outcome was difficult to predict as the runners emerged from the dip with four to jump but Ballydonagh had got the measure of Frankie Phlanagan before the penultimate and scooted clear to record a 15-length success.

Polly Gundry was oozing with confidence on the favourite Emmet Hotel as they disputed the lead with Black Legend turning for home in the opening Members Race.

The two horses were level at the last but the winner quickened away impressively on the run in and had an 8-length advantage over his rival at the post.

Emmet Hotel and Polly Gundry (pink) are about to go on from Black Legend at the penultimate in the Hunt Race

Emmet Hotel runs in the colours of West Kington based Bruce Akerman who was achieving a life long ambition in winning this race, having served on the Beaufort Committee for over 20 years and been a tenant farmer on the estate for over 50 years.

Division II of the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden went to the Bill Tuck trained Lord Goshen who just hung on from No John No and Even Homer Nods. The three runners were spread right across the course, which tested the ability of the judge who ruled that there was a short head and a neck dividing the three runners at the finish.

Those horses had battled it out throughout the final mile before Lord Goshen gained a narrow advantage as they turned into the home straight. His rivals were not going to accept defeat easily however so Robin Shute needed to be at his most vigorous to repel these challenges. David Bass on the runner up expressed his disappointment to trainer John Manners that they had not been given the verdict.

Lord Goschen (Rob Shute – 16) take the Maiden Div2 in a thriller from No John No and Even Homer Nods

Killnascully King made a bold bid for victory in the Restricted but he was joined by Millesian King at the second from home while Celestial Dragon was snapping at their heels.

Richard Burton and Celestial Dragon (right) draw clear of Kilnascully King in the Restricted following the fall of Milesian King at the last

Millesian King held a narrow advantage at the last but failed to get his under carriage down and paid the penalty which left Celestial Dragon to claim the prize.

Andoversford trainer James Richardson and Richard Burton have had differences of opinion regarding the horse’s stamina with the former insisting that he does stay a 3-mile trip while the jockey was not so convinced.

It was decided to revert to the tactics that had proved so successful when the horse opened his account at Tweseldown in January, when he was held up for a late flourish.

Owner Bill Parker said jokingly afterwards “I’m just glad that all three of them having finally got their act together!”

Condicote based Sally Sandes trained her first winner when Call Me Captain took Division I of the 8-year-old and upwards Maiden in impressive fashion.

Jonathen Jarrett brought the winner with a well-timed run to join the leaders at the penultimate and they extended their advantage all the way down the home straight.

Miss Sanders helps out in Martin Keighley’s yard so no doubt some of that experience has rubbed off of the young trainer.

Silent Gunner crowned a great day for West Midlands stables when the Beaufort qualified 10-year-old stayed on dourly to land the final part of the Maiden.

David Turner’s mount led from the 5 th and was able to see off the challenge of Alexander Musical as they raced towards the second last.

Ran Morgan and Primordial Soup delivered a more serious challenge but after all his hard work Silent Gunner was not going to be denied and battled courageously down the run in to finally prevail by a length and a half.

This provided the first win of the season for Cliffe Pypard based Richard Bryan who trains the 10-year-old for his breeder Trish King (wife of ex-N.H. trainer Jeff King) and her co-owner Tracy Morshead.

The area had a solitary success down in Oliver Carter’s kingdom at Bishops Court where the East Devon staged their meeting. This was supplied by impressive Larkhill winner Niver Bai to went on to claim the Restricted by 7-lengths for his Leigh Sinton based owner Diana Ralph and her son Alistair.

There were more winners for local stables during Sundays Ross Harriers meeting at Garnons and at the Curre fixture at Howick, while Kim Smylys long trip to Godstone failed to pay dividends.

19-year-old Helen Grundy recorded her first success on Mighty Strong in the 15-strong Confined at Garnons. Helen works for Lambourn Trainer Nicky Henderson who recommended the horse to his current connections.

Grundy was held up for much of the trip but made good progress and moved into second place with four fences to jump.

Joyful Jack and Mark Wilesmith took advantage when Mighty Strong drifted wide coming into the straight and held a narrow advantage between the final two fences but the winner was in front again at the last and stayed on strongly up the final hill.

Mighty Strong (Helen Grundy) just got the better of Joyful Jack and Mark Wilesmith in the Confined at Garnons

Helen Grundy and Mighty Strong return to the winners enclosure after the riders first win in the Ross Harriers Confined

Grundy was emulating her father Simon who recalled winning races on this course with Dingbat about 20 years ago. Mighty Strong is the only Point-to-Pointer Grundy has in his yard at Upton-on-Severn with the trainer stating “I was not sure how fit the horse was because we have nothing to gallop it with at home and we were unsure whether he would stay in the trip”.

 

David Mansell finished second on Bowdens Lane in Division I of the Restricted before making the journey up to Garnons to partner Memories of Gold in the Mares Maiden.

Memories Of Gold and Dave Mansell landed the Mares Maiden at Garnons

Owner James Danahar expressed his disappointment after Memories of Gold had been beaten at Whitwick recently and with her staying ability never in doubt, Mansell made good use of that attribute on Sunday afternoon.

The winner was in front as early as the sixth fence, and she was able to maintain a two to three length advantage for the remainder of the journey.

Richard Burton and Charm of Gold made an effort to get on terms on the climb back towards home but that challenge was quickly dismissed as the mare ran out an easy winner.

Memories of Gold is owned and trained by Danahar at Tirley and he revealed afterwards that he had purchased the mare from the Bowe family of Limestone Lad fame in Ireland.

Having been beaten in second place earlier in the afternoon, Mark Wilesmith suffered the same fate in the concluding 2-1/2 mile Maiden.

Mark was riding Inch Royal who is trained by his wife Claudia, while Burton was on The Humbel Butler who runs in the colours of his father Martin, who is ably assisted by his wife Doreen and their daughter Emma.

The Humbel Butler and Ryhope Chief disputed the lead from halfway and they went about 6-lengths clear of their rivals along the back straight.

Richard Burton returns on the Wilesmith family’s The Humbel Butler after his victory in the 2m 4f Confined Maiden

Inch Royal started to eat in the leaders advantage as they meet the rising ground and looked dangerous as they turned for home but his effort petered out very quickly and The Humbel Butler ran on well to record a 12-length success.

Sheila’s Legacy and Charlotte Keel looked set to provide the area with another winner in the first half of the Novices Riders race, but the combination blundered away their 10-length advantage at the penultimate, which left Little Apple Bay to run out the most fortunate of winners.

Richard Burton and Ballylusky took the Ross Harriers Mens Open for owners William and Angela Rucker

Andy Hobbs has his team in great form at the moment and following Royal Hectors Hunter Chase win at Newbury on Friday (Andy’s 50 th success under Rules and his first victory at Newbury – Information courtesy of Rachels Blog), the Hanley Castle stable record at double at Sundays Curre fixture at Howick.

If you dismissed All Thyne Greats disappointing run at Chaddesley Corbett he was always going to be an odds-on shot for a Maiden and he proved just that by seeing off 17 rivals over the final three fences in part two of Division I of the Maiden.

This victory provided the stable with some compensation for Saint Reverien’s heavy fall when in second place at the penultimate in the Mens Open won by Iris’s Prince. Lough Ennel was held up as usual but could never get in a blow in this contest.

No doubt All Thyne Greats victory accounted for his stablemate’s Sparkling Spirit equally short price in part I of Division II of the Maiden. His supporters never had cause for concern as the favourite was always up with the leading group before drawing away in the last half mile.

Nicky Sheppard recorded his second success of the season when Strong Weld overcame 13 rivals to land the Confined in the hands of Liam Payter.

Manor Down and Tom David took the Connollys Red Mills Intermediate for Zara Phillips at the Bicester meeting at Dunthrop on Sunday afternoon to provide the area with yet another winner, while Hannah Watson kept up her good run by scoring on Beet de Bob in the Ladies Open at Higham.

Kim Smyly has made several visits down to the South East Area this season. That long journey is OK if you have had a winner but no so if you have not been successful.

David Maxwell’s pair of Iphar and Noakarad de Verzee were both odds on favourites for their respective races but Iphar had to settle for second place in the 2/1-2 mile Maiden while Noakarad de Verzee was surprisingly beaten in the Mens Open.