Bank Holiday Weekend Round-up
3rd, 4th & 5th May 2008
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher

THREE MORE WINNERS FOR DAVE MANSELL

 Having walked the course and found good going on Friday afternoon, Hanley Swan trainer Andy Hobbs decided to launch a 7-horse raid on Mondays North Ledbury meeting at Maisemore Park.

The planning and hard work that is required for occasions like this almost came to nothing after localised overnight rain left the course much softer than anticipated which effectively ruined the chances of a majority of his horses.

Hobbs did have cause to celebrate after Saint Reverien had come back to form with an easy win in the Mens Open. The 9-year-old suffered a horrendous fall at Howick over Easter and has taken some time to get over that trauma but the team at Tyre Hill stables have managed this difficult situation well.

Adrian Wintle was content to track Gentle Rivage until sending his mount into a race winning lead around the final bend to land the spoils for Clive Hitchings, who is a major supporter of the sport in the West Midlands Area.

After an up, there generally has to be a down and this was certainly the case for the Hobbs/Wintle partnership in the Confined.

Olivier started a warm favourite for this contest, where he was accompanied to post by stablemates The Brooklet and Un Jour A Vassy.

Gothic Charm and David Mansell lead Coldabri before claiming the North Ledbury Confined

Several substantial sums had been placed on the favourite, so one can only imagine the immense frustration of those backers, because as soon as the starter dropped his flag Olivier remained rooted to the spot and refused to start.

With the fellow Hobbs runners weakening down the back straight, David Mansell and Gothic Charm were left in front. Their lead was gradually being whittled away by Coldabri, but Gothic Charm refused to accept defeat and hung on by a neck.

As if to emphasise the ups and downs of the sport, David Mansell looked set to claim victory in the closing Maiden.

He produced Maddies Dream with a well timed run to lead between the final two fences, but with victory in his grasp the 7-year-old lived up to his racecard comment “has his own ideas”.

Before his rider had the chance to respond he suddenly veered across the course, hampering several runners in the process before finally consenting to jump the fence with defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

Montys Moon and Mickey Harris lead Wizard Rock (who departed at the last) with David Mansell and the errant Maddies Dream back in third

 Montys Moon was the major beneficiary of this incident and came through to land the spoils under Mikey Harris for the 8 strong Full Monty Racing Club headed by Cradley based Curtis Munrowd.

Natasha Seeley has a 66% strike rate in Point-to-Points. She has had 3 rides and won on two of them including the North Ledbury Members Race in 2007 with China Chase.

This year she partnered Toms Prize to victory and remained as cool as a cucumber when joined by Another Alliance and Grenoli in the home straight. The result was in doubt until Toms Prize sealed his rival’s fate with a magnificent jump at the last, which gained him 3-lengths, an advantage that was maintained all the way to the line.

Natasha Seeley and Toms Prize lead Another Alliance before claiming the North Ledbury Members

 A vet at the Bourton Vale Equine Clinic, Miss Seeley has a good record on horses trained by Scott Joynes at Shipton on Stour.

Geoff Barfoot Saunt is another jockey going through a purple patch and he was back in the winner’s enclosure at steering Honourable Collins to victory in the young horse Maiden.

The winner was acquired by the 10 strong Good Days Racing Club Syndicate which includes the riders wife Tracey. The horse came from Henry Oliver (of Frozen Dawn and Snowdra Queen fame) and is named after a surgeon named Collins who performed a major operation on Oliver a few years ago.

The Kerry Lee owned/trained Lough Rynn provided 18-year-old Ben Poste with his first success in the Restricted. They put the race out of their rival’s grasp by quickening the tempo at the third from home and the opposition was trailing in their wake from this point.

Chloe Roddick and Perouse looked to have the Ladies Race at the mercy as they came to the last with a clear lead. A slow jump and the consequent loss of momentum allowed Hannah Lewis a second bite at the cherry with Premium First but Perouse held on grimly to claim the spoils.

A delighted Ben Poste returns to the winners enclosure after gaining his first success on Lough Rynn at Maismore

 It had taken a lot of hard work, which included pumping approximately 100,000 gallons of water off certain parts of the tracks before the Radnor fixture was given the go ahead on Friday afternoon.

Although the ground was officially described as good to soft with one heavy patch, the organisers must have been satisfied with their efforts as the two day meeting commenced at Cold Harbour on Saturday afternoon.

There were some exciting finishes and there were victories for three local horses on the first day.

Jenny Turner’s Super Cannes won a mile and a half flat race for Geoff Wragg so was ineligible for Maidens but judged by his effort in the Confined should have no difficulty making his mark between the flags.

The well-supported Fertile Valley parted company with Alistair Ralph at halfway, while the favourite Sparklinspirit’s effort ground to a halt at the 13 th.

Mighty Strong had led the race for the lead for most of this contest but was challenged by Super Cannes as they turned back towards the judge and Philip York was looking round for non existent dangers on the run in.

The winner is one of seven horses currently in training with Paul Davies at Bromyard.

Super Cannes and Phillip York start to draw clear of Mighty Strong in the Radnor Confined on Saturday afternoon

Charlotte Banks recalled that Analan’s grand dam Indy Ann had provided her with her first Point-to-Point ride and she could not contain her excitement after one of that horses descendants had prevailed in a close finish for the Mares Maiden.

The winner’s dam Ancella had won 10 races between the flags back in the 1990’s but Analan has been absent from the racecourse for two years since a minor leg injury at Garthorpe back in 2006.

The owner was reluctant to return the mare to racing because she is such a good hunter and has been out every week since the start of the season. “We were priming her for a run in the Clifton Members and this seemed a good place to start” said Mrs Bank in the winners enclosure.

Equivocate was made favourite for this contest despite running 7 miles up the A38 after she got loose at Woodford last Saturday. The dice are not falling in Dick Baimbridges favour this season and after the two horses had been in the air together at the last, Analan just proved the stronger on the run to the judge.

Analan (Hannah Watson) left and Equivocate (Claire Allen) are inseperable at the last in the Mares Maiden at Coldharbour

Having questioned why his wife Hannah “had taken a spare ride in a Maiden” Adrian Wintle had a wry smile on his face and Hannah had the last laugh when Keith Bayliss’s Mister Kay Bee drew clear on the flat to win the Non Rules Maiden by a length.

Lotomore Court looked to have stolen this race by drawing 5-lengths clear as they raced behind the poplars for the final time but that advantage was gradually reduced in the home straight as Mister Kay Bee and What Of It both threw down challenges between the final two fences. Mark Walls mount was still in front at the last but Hannah had timed her run to perfection to land the spoils for the Longdon Farmer.

David Mansell and Shodbon trainer Steve Flook teamed up to land the opening Members Race with No Virtue, although the favourite had to be ridden out to hold King Shadi’s challenge on the run in.

There were just 5 runners in the Mens Open but it still proved an exciting contest, and resulted in victory for Eimear Chances Murphys Cardinal.

The 12-year-old has a history of leg problems but is clearly a useful horse on his day but he needed to be to see off the challenge of Strong Weld.

Murhpys Cardinal and Richard Burton catch Strong Weld and Liam Payter at the last in the Mens Open on day one of the Radnor meeting

The habitual front running Strong Weld had got the better of a battle with Itsalf to ensure that the pace was dictated on his terms but he was never able to establish a race winning lead and the other runners always had Strong Weld in their sights.

His advantage was gradually whittled away down the back straight but the favourite took until the penultimate to get his head in front.

Lady Myfanwy continued on her winning ways in the Ladies Open, but once again her battling qualities were needed as they jumped the penultimate in unison with Claire Allen and Howard Howard. The favourite then managed to pull out that little bit extra on the flat, which prompted one of her supporters to question whether “is anything is going to beat this mare?”

Lady Myfanwy (Jodie Hughes) and Howard Howard (Claire Allen) battle out the finish of the Radnor Ladies , with PointingWM Graham Fisher an interested observer in the background

5 mm of overnight rain were sufficient to make the car parks very greasy and some horseboxes elected not to make the journey into the main parking area due to the muddy conditions.

Once again the organisers excelled themselves with the use of copious amount of straw and as conditions dried up departure was not as bad as earlier anticipated. A shuttle service was laid on between the secretary’s tent and the temporary box park to ensure no delay in proceedings.

It appears that you need three main ingredients for success this year, have your horse trained by Julie Houldey, ridden by David Mansell and sourced through Martin Oliver.

Deep Hall has finished twice already this season and this resulted in the 7-year-old starting a short priced favourite for the Restricted.

Deep Hall was always in a prominent position and improved to join Brimham Boy in the lead half way down the back straight.

Vaselli looked dangerous until his effort petered out as they straightened up for home. There was little between the two leaders until Deep Hall opened up a narrow advantage on the flat but in the words of his jockey “he pulled himself up when he saw the crowds” and was only a neck clear as they passed the judge.

Deep Hall’s ears are pricked and he is already beginning to look at the crowd before David Mansell managed to force his head in front and land the Restricted from Brimham Boy at Cold Harbour on Sunday afternoon

The winner is yet another product of the successful Sandfield Farm stables but is the first horse to carry the colours of owner Julie Salter, although she has shares in other horses in the yard.

Local racegoers then had to wait another three races before they tasted further success when Lady De La Vega ran away with the 2 mile 4 furlong Maiden under Mark Wall.

The 4-year-old was surprisingly made favourite on her racecourse debut at Garthorpe last weekend despite Phillip York putting up 10 lb overweight. Her supporters that day will obviously be kicking themselves after seeing this result and she obviously benefited from that experience and was receiving 28 lbs from some of her rivals.

She made full use of the advantage and was just moving into a challenging position when she made a mistake at the 9 th. Given time to recover she drew clear with Rose I Suppose until Wall’s mount began to open up a clear advantage at the third from home.

The filly emerged from the poplars at the far end of the course with a 15-length lead but did cause her supporters some concern as she started to hang round the final bend. She was quickly back on an even keel and had 20-lengths to spare as she passed the judge.

Lady de La Vega and Mark Wall clear the last before landing the Maiden at Cold Harbour

This is yet another winner for Westbury on Severn based Nick Lowe who was keen to praise the part played by Somerset based Tracy Brown who finds most of the French bred horses he has acquired over the past few seasons. Lowe runs an Accident Repair Centre in the Forest of Dean, but finds training racehorses a relaxing occupation compared to his day job.

Minsgill Mans repeated last years win in the principal race of the day, the 4-mile Mens Open for the Crudwell Cup.

The Wee Bishop represented the Houldey/Mansell partnership and they must have been pleased with the horses run. The 11-year-old had not been seen on a racecourse since 2006 due to pelvic problems and ran creditably, moving up in threatening fashion as they went out onto the final circuit before his effort petered out over the final three fences.

Jonathon Tudor and Minsgill Mans win the 4-mile Crudwell Cup for the second year at the expense of the runner up Waterberg

Minsgill Mans took the race by the scruff of the neck at the point and had the race in safe keeping at the penultimate. The runner up Waterberg made some inroads into the leaders advantage on the run in but the winner was never in danger of defeat.

19-year-old George Humfrey, a student at Llandovery College rode his first winner on the Jonathen Geake trained Desailly in the Novice Riders. They led turning into the home straight and the race was over as a contest as this point.

At the other end of the scale, came the Intermediate winner Theatreland and Godfrey Maundrell who quickened the pace at the 13 th and claimed a clear advantage which Adrian Wintle and the favourite Absolutely Barking were unable to close, while Geoff Barfoots Saunts good run continued when he took the 8 year-old and upwards maiden with Minella Bogs.

26-year-old Emma Alvis who is attached to Clive Bennetts yard at Dymock rode her first winner on only her two ride after partnering Balinova to success in the Novice Riders Race at Ashorne on Monday.

Claire Allen missed her local fixture at Maisemore and travelled up to Eyton on Severn on the same day and rode a double with victories on Mad Victor and Frankie Bee.

Desailly and George Humfrey are well clear of the opposition in the Novice Riders race on day two of the Radnor meeting