Cambridge University Draghounds at Cottenham
Sunday 9th December 2007
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher

TOM CLAIMS PRIZE AT COTTENHAM

Last week it was Devon and Hampshire, 7 days later it’s Cambridgeshire where the winning run for West Midland stables continued following Tom’s Prize’s authoritative win in the Mens Open at Sundays Cambridge University Draghounds meeting at Cottenham.

The wet weather which had saturated most of the western part of the country in the preceding week had somehow been diverted around Cottenham which meant that the official going at the start of the meeting was good, good to firm in places.

As if to test the resolve of the racegoers, the weather took a turn for the worse about 5 minutes before racing started and only relented as the last race was being run.

Some runners remained in their boxes because of the firm ground at the start of the meeting, while others did not run because the course had cut up later in the afternoon but there was a very high turn out with 81 of the 121 entries facing the starter.

Twelve of the sixteen entries for the Mens Open met their engagements, with local hopes resting on Toms Prize who had made the long journey over from Scott Joynes yard at Shipton on Stour.

This proved an eventful journey with the horsebox taking Toms Prize to Cottenham breaking down on the A14. After managing to limp into the local services, Joynes was able to call on the assistance of Tommy Goodman and Henry Kinchin and the horses arrived at the course in good time.

Pam Joynes’s 12-year-old gelding was prominent over the first couple of fences and maintained his position until headed by Tuesdays Child on the run to the 13 th. That horse’s effort was shorted lived but Tom’s Prize faced another challenger as Turnstile moved into a challenging position at the third from home.

Adrian Wintle’s mount had the measure of his rival at the penultimate and began to draw clear of the opposition from that point and had the race in safe keeping approaching the last. He consolidated his position on the run to the line and had a 10-length advantage over Moscow Court who ran on strongly to claim second prize.

Speaking after the race Scott stated “the horse will have one more run in Point-to-Points before going Hunter Chasing and we will see where we go after that. I would like to take him to Aintree because he is such a good jumper.”

Questioned further Joynes said “I gave him too much work last year, but he is better when he is fresh. He has only done two bits of work and I thought he might blow up, but I was wrong.”

Toms Prize stablemate China Chase failed to emulate his stablemates effort. He was within touching distance of the leaders for most of the Restricted but he could never get into a challenging position and eventually finished 5 th.

The racing gods are not smiling favourably on Claire Allen at the present time and she suffered her second fall of the season when Christy Beamish departed at the final obstacle in the Ladies. Abbey Days and Fullards had the race to themselves from the 14 th with the latter showing the better turn of foot to go clear on the flat.

Claire Hart kept High Rank in contention for most of this contest and they reaped the reward when they picked up third money.