Weekend Round-up
5th & 6th April 2008
by Peter Mansell

WEATHER STRIKES AGAIN

Organisers of Point-to-Points have enough to cope with as it is without problems caused by irregular weather patterns, and it is generally safe to assume that Hunts who hold their meetings later in the season are entitled to believe that this is one less problem to deal with.

No two days are alike at present and that has been self evident in the past week in the West Midlands Area with two meetings falling victim to the weather.

7 days ago incessant rain throughout Saturday caused the postponement of Sundays Ledbury fixture at Maisemore Park, this week overnight snow blanketed most of the Severn Vale and Cotswold escarpment leading to the loss of Sunday’s Cotswold meeting at Andoversford.

The snowfall appeared random in nature with more northerly meetings such as Tabley and Whitwell-on-the-Hill virtually unaffected while Midland fixtures such as Guilsborough and Andoversford suffered its full force.

It was in the interests of all concerned that an early decision was made and the meeting was cancelled on Sunday morning.

With temperatures rising the subsequent thaw led to the rapid dispersement of snow around the Cotswolds but the Cheltenham Area seemed to have bone the brunt of the unseasonable weather.

Things had been much brighter for the Tedworth fixture at Barbury Castle the previous afternoon and there were victories for three horses qualified within our boundaries.

The day did not start well for local stables with the defeat of the odds on favourite Emmet Hotel in the Confined.

The Beaufort qualified 8-year-old moved up threateningly into third place at the end of the first circuit but started to drop back and was pulled up half way down the back straight. After a Stewards Enquiry, the pubic were informed that the favourite had broken a blood vessel.

The Restricted was split on the day and the second half was fought out by two local combinations with Steve Bush and Gossip just proving too strong for Dave Mansell and Deep Hall at the finish.

Mansell moved Deep Hall into a challenging position at the 12 th and this combination took up the running a fence later and would have been most peoples choice to claim victory.

They held a 3-length advantage turning for home but there were some indications that the leader was not responding adequately to his rider’s urgings.

Steve Bush and Gossip (left) are just starting to draw clear of Dave Mansell and Deep Hall in Division II of the Restricted

Meanwhile Steve Bush was starting to get a response from Gossip and they drew level with the leader at the last before edging their way to the front as they raced towards the judge.

A new acquisition by Julie Salter, Deep Hall ran well on his first outing for Julie Houldey’s stable at North Nibley while the 7lb mares allowance probably tipped the scales in Gossip’s favour.

Winning owner Bill Bush reported afterwards that he had brought the mare out of a field in Wales as a foal and had sold a half share to co-owner Sarah Garside just two weeks before the mares Maiden victory at Ston Easton in 2006.

Steve Bush seems relieved after his win on Gossip

The 2-1/2 mile Maiden attracted a plethora of runners and also required division on the day and once again local connections had to wait until the second half to claim another victory.

The first division had seen the Cotswold Vale Farmers qualified Jacko’s Boy beaten by Royal Rapture, while the second half went to the Croome qualified Reflector.

The winner runs in the colours of Leigh Sinton based Diana (one of the Joint Masters of the Croome and West Warwickshire) and Phillip Ralph but his training is entrusted to Marilyn Scudamore at Bromsash.

The 7-year-old started his challenge about three quarters of a mile from home and he had opened up clear water between himself and his rivals as they galloped downhill into the home straight.

This proved a decisive move by Alistair Ralph and they stormed clear of their rivals over the final two fences and had 15 lengths in hand over the runner up Lord Bellamy at the post.

It was appropriate that on Grand National day, the Mixed Open for the Stan James Tedworth Gold Cup was run over the marathon trip of 3 miles and 6 furlongs.

Eleven runners faced the starter with punters unable to separate Cottage River and Long Night in the betting.

With the long time leader Family Business weakening as they went out onto the final circuit Dave Mansell had no hesitation in taking over this mantle and he gradually started to increase the momentum.

Family Business and Richard Burton (purple and orange) just lead from Cottage River (green colours on his inside) with Blue Business and Knighton Coombe in close attendance as they go out onto the final circuit

This injection of pace began to sort the wheat from the chaff with Cottage River, Knighton Combe and Long Night starting to open a gap over their rivals.

The winner held a 3-length advantage as they passed the start for the final time, but Michael Miller and Knighton Combe emerged as their principal challengers and Dave Mansell had to ask his mount a few questions in the closing stages to ensure their success.

Cottage River and Dave Mansell start to draw clear of Knighton Coombe at the finish of the Tedworth Gold Cup

The Julie Houldey trained 8-year-old has run 5 times in the colours of Peter and Lisa Hall. He has won on three occasions and been placed second in the other two. This win provided the North Nibley based handler with her 7 th success between the flags to go along with Why Connie’s Hunter Chase victory at Stratford.

Dave Mansell returns to the winner’s enclosure in a jubilant mood after Cottage River’s success.
The horse’s co-owner Lisa Hall is on the right accompanied by winning trainer Julie Houldey on the left

Richard Burton got a good tune out of Titus Bramble in the Countryside Alliance Members Race but they could not cope with the late finishing thrusts of Drybrook Bedouin and Swift Wood.

There were a couple of local successes during the Monmouthshire meeting at Llanvapley on the same afternoon.

Westbury on Severn based Hannah Lewis and her husband Adrian Wintle left the meeting with a winner apiece following the victories of Waddon Hill in the Red Mills sponsored Intermediate and Sparklinspirit’s success in the Restricted.

In the Intermediate, Hannah beat her spouse who was partnered the Clive Hitchings owned and Andy Hobbs trained Future Sovereign into third place.

Wintle went one better in the Mens Open when Hope Sound finished second behind the odds on favourite Lough Ennel. This was yet another training success for Eastnor handler Nicky Sheppard and jockey Liam Payter, while Hannah finished third on the Harry Wheeler trained Ballyalbert in the Ladies Open later in the afternoon.

The day finished on a good note for the Wintle/Hobbs combination after Sparklinspirit’s win in the 16-strong Restricted. This newcomer to the Hobbs yard had not enjoyed the best of luck under Rules and parted company with his rider at Paxford (see below) after an earlier victory at the Curre and Llangibby, so this race provided compensation for the horses owner/breeder Upton-upon-Severn based Kevin Young.

Sparklinspirit’s blunder at Paxford causes problems for Nick Oliver (see below)