Black Forest Club at Black Forest Lodge
&
Tweseldown Racing Club at Tweseldown
Sunday 2nd December 2007
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher

EWING DOUBLES UP AT TWESELDOWN

Debby Ewing is one of the smaller trainers in the West Midlands Area, but her success rate bears up to the closest scrutiny and she proved this again on Sunday afternoon.

She took two thirds of her string to Sunday’s meeting at Tweseldown and won with both of them and crowned a magnificent training performance by wining the Conditions race with a horse that was making its racecourse debut.

There was also a local winner at Black Forest Lodge where Janet Holloway’s Greet You Well scored a 50-1 shock in the Intermediate under Mark Wall.

Mark Wall and Greet You Well landed the Intermediate for owner Mrs J Holloway

The heavy rain, which had swept the southern part of the country overnight had blown itself out by the time racing commenced at noon, which resulted in an official going report of good to soft, soft in places, which may not account for some disappointing performances by well fancied horses.

Thompsons Wood was initially chalked up as favourite for the Ladies Open on the strength of his Huntingdon Hunter Chase victory last year, but was eased out to 3-1 in the face of strong support for the Charlotte Tizzard ridden French Executive.

Hannah Watson had Thompsons Wood in a prominent position throughout but the partnership was still about 4-lengths behind French Executive as they turned for home. The favourite led into the cutting but as they re-emerged at the second from home Thompsons Wood held a clear advantage which he increased with every stride in the home straight. French Executive had already been pulled up but suddenly suffered a fatal collapse near the last fence.

Mrs Ewing did not see her charge win as she was back in the box park with her Conditions race runner Milton Du Tresor, who was making his first appearance on a racecourse.

The 7-year-old had been evented up to Intermediate Level but according to his owner Paul Ridgeon "he was never any good at show jumping, so we thought we would try Point-to-Pointing because we had nothing to lose”.

The winner was given a perfect introductory ride by Richard Burton. He was taken wide throughout to give him a good view of his fences, but was well placed to cover any sudden moves by the leaders.

The highly regarded favourite Le Seychellois and Coast to Coast disputed the lead when the field emerged with two to jump but Burton had them in his sights and asked his mount for an effort as they turned to face the judge. Milton Du Tresor jumped the last as superbly as he had done all the others and was 7-lengths clear as they passed the post to provide the Ledbury trainer with the first double of her career.

Irilut was well supported in his bid to complete a hatrick in the Mens Open but in the end he had to settle for second place behind the John Maxse ridden Whereareyouknow. The 10-year-old made the running from the start but looked exposed when Irilut started to close on the leader at the 14 th.

He was gradually reducing the leaders advantage as the field disappeared into the cutting for the final time, but Whereareyouknow was not going to be denied and kept up his relentless gallop and the favourite was unable to make any further inroads after the penultimate.

Noakarad de Verzee was prominent for a long way in the contest but weakened in the closing stages, while the Seanin McPherson trained Calvic looked to struggling at halfway but stayed on in the closing stages to claim a remote third.

Following Noakarad de Verzee’s disappointing run, Kim Smyly was able to take a more positive approach when Willie the Kid and his new owner Anthony Ward Thomas finished third in the Red Mills sponsored Intermediate.

Smyly provided the favourite for the concluding Maiden but the David Maxwell owned and ridden Iphar faded rapidly during the closing stages after looking the likely winner as they raced away from the stands for the final time.

This race provided the closest finish of the day with The Tailor Carey and Millview both struggling to get home in the conditions while the Seanin McPherson trained Blazing Guns finished with a flourish. He was gaining ground on his rivals all the way up the home straight but was still a length in arrears at the post.

There was a major surprise in the Restricted at Black Forest Lodge when Greet You Well scored a 50-1 victory under Cirencester jockey Mark Wall.

The horses owner Janet Holloway is a key member of Martin Keighleys stable at Luckley but Greet You Well looked beaten when Oscar Royal held a 4-length advantage turning into the straight.

The winner stayed on strongly in the home straight to win by 5-lengths and foil a hatrick seeking bid by the runners up rider Fred Hutsby who repeated last years feat by sending out two winners on the opening day of the season, with Rash Move taking the Restricted prize while stablemate Lord Trix justified favouritism in the Mixed Open.

Fred Hutsby was on the mark at Black Forest Lodge with another double – the first leg coming via Rash Move in the Restricted

 Lord Trix provided the second leg following a hard fought victory in the Mixed Open

Claire Allen injured her arm at this meeting but it is understood that her injury is not as bad as was first feared.