Weekend Round-up
12th & 13th April 2008
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher

LOCAL STABLES GET TOP MARKS OVER THE WEEKEND

 With several re-arranged meetings there were plenty of winning opportunities for West Midland stables and they took full advantage of this situation winning 9 out of 10 races at the Ledbury fixture on Sunday. This was a higher percentage-winning rate than they had enjoyed at the Ludlow meeting at Bitterley the previous day when they won six out of the nine races.

Prior to the Ledbury meeting Fergal O’Brien looked as though he was going to run away with the Trainers Championship, but a treble for Andy Hobbs puts this prize back in the melting pot with another 7 meetings due to be held before the end of the season.

Favourite backers should thank Adrian Wintle after Olivier’s victory in the Members, because the 10-year-old made a bad mistake and was down on his nose at the first and repeated the feat when the same obstacle was jumped the second time around.

Olivier and Adrian Wintle land the odds in the Members race

The favourite looked as though he had a battle on his hands when Mark Wilesmith brought Joyful Jack to challenge as they turned into the home straight. They were 2-lengths down at the penultimate but made up ground rapidly coming to the last.

The favourite looked vulnerable at this point, but Joyful Jack was unable to match his rivals expertise at this obstacle and ruined his chance with a bad mistake, where a more fluent jump might just have allowed him to claim victory.

Olivier was winning his third race for joint owners and neighbours in Twyning Stan Warner and Kate Forster Smith and that is some feat given his well-documented medical problems.

Hobbs Hanley Swan yard then had a long wait before their final two winners of the afternoon, which were provided by Himself Dreams On and Rusty Zaffaran in the two divisions of the 8 years and over Maiden.

Himself Dreams On and Philip York make all to land the Older Horses Maiden Div1

Himself Dreams On was a birthday present from the trainer to his wife and should have run when the meeting was due to be run on the 30 th March, but after the meeting had been cancelled Hobbs had to go out and buy Rachel an expensive pair of boots instead!

Phil York had the winner in front as soon as the starter dropped his flag and although he got a little low at some of his fences there were no major dramas. Himself Dreams On was 10-lengths clear entering the back straight but had doubled that advantage by the end of it and had few problems maintaining that lead during the closing stages of this race.

The Hobbs treble was completed when Alistair Ralph steered Rusty Zaffaran to victory in the concluding Maiden. There was a succession of leaders in this contest but Ralph brought Rusty Zaffaran to lead at the 14 th but a mistake temporarily halted their progress.

Rusty Zaffaran and Alistair Ralph take the Maiden Div2 to complete a treble for trainer Andy Hobbs

The 9-year-old was given plenty of time to recover and they took it up entering the home straight and none of their rivals were able to get in a blow as the winner kept up the gallop over the final two fences.

Rusty Zaffaran had run in Adrian and Maria Brown during the 2007 season but he fractured his shoulder during a fall at Paxford last year and now runs in the colours of Diana and Phillip Ralph.

Martin Oliver has a reputation for providing owners and trainers with Point-to-Pointers and after sourcing three winners at Bitterley on Saturday, he had another three at this meeting (We’re Confused, Himself Dreams On and Rusty Zaffaran) plus other other successes at Higham and Guilsborough. Its seems to be that everytime you ask a trainer where did you get the horse from – the answer is always the same – Martin Oliver.

Dave Mansell is among the winners again as We’re Confused land the Maiden Div1 Part2

The first division of the 4-5-6 year old Maiden had to be divided again on the day, a rare occurrence for a re-arranged meeting and both halves of this race went to horses who look as though they will progress onto better things.

The winner of the second half We’re Confused continued the excellent winning run of North Nibley based Julie Houldey.

Claire Allen was reunited with the Dick Baimbridge trained Equivocate in this contest and she tried to exploit any weakness in their rivals make up as they went out onto the second circuit.

These two horses began to draw well clear of their rivals down the back straight and it was difficult to know which way the dice were going to fall until We’re Confused eased clear as they approached the third from home. Equivocate was driven to try and mount a challenge round the final bend but We’re Confused stayed on strongly to claim an easy win.

Diana Gaskins presenting the John Houldey Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup to Julie Houldey (grand daughter of John) following the success of We're Confused in the Younger Horses Maiden

Described as a “great leeper” by his jockey Dave Mansell the winner has always been held in high regard by his trainer, who is part of the five strong Sandfield Farm Racing Club, which comprises Peter and Liza Hall and Julie and Gary Salter.

After the race, Diana Gaskins presented the John Houldey Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup for the first Ledbury qualified horse past the post in the 5-6-7 year old Maiden to Houldeys granddaughter Julie who trains We’re Confused. Those of you with long memories will recall that John Houldey enjoyed much success with Champagne Peri when the horse was stabled with Dick Baimbridge and ridden by Alison Dare.

Polly Gundry motto should be “have saddle will travel”. She has already ridden more horses in Point-to-Points than any other rider this season and on Sunday she teamed up with Clive Bennetts new acquisition Raleagh House in the first half of Division I of the 2 mile 6 furlong Maiden.

Raleagh House and Polly Gundry take the Younger Horses Maiden Div1 Part1

Wizard Rock and Raleagh House had seen off most challengers as they raced down the back straight for the final time and Miss Gundry was able to secure the inside berth round the final bend. There was not much between these two horses at the penultimate but the winner held a clear lead at the last and stayed on strongly for a comfortable victory.

Described as a big baby by connections the winner has been in Benett’s Dymock stable for about 6 weeks. The trainer went on to explain that “we had lots of things go wrong this year so we decided to go over to Ireland. We saw him run but had options on several other horses before deciding on this one”.

Joanne Paddock’s Chipping Campden yard is another stable that has not enjoyed the best of luck since the turn of the year, although they are realistic enough to know that this is part of the sport they enjoy so much.

Plenty of horses were in with chances as they raced along the riverside butapproaching four out Monty’s Moon burst from the pack to establish a 2-length lead. Jeremy Mahot had timed his run to perfection on Ian and Jackie Beale’s The Hoo and they came through to claim the spoils on the flat.

The Hoo and Jeremy Mahot (left) catch Monty’s Moon at the last in the Maiden Div2

The 7-year-old is the apple of Joanne Paddocks eye at Chipping Campden and the horse has been nursed back to fitness after breaking down a couple of years ago.

Angela Rucker had a good weekend and rode a fine tactical race to land the Ladies Open. The winning combination never got within touching distance of Chestnut Annie at Howick recently, but the mare has gone onto win a Hunter Chase and Mrs Rucker reported that Honest Endevour had coughed briefly after that run.

Angela Rucker lands a weekend Ladies Open double aboard Honest Endeavour

She had him much closer to the pace on this occasion and significantly managed to secure the vital inside berth round the final bend. There was little between Honest Endevour and Balinova at this point but Mrs Ruckers mount started to draw clear and eventually won by 4-lengths.

Naunton trainer Emma Baker must have left the meeting with mixed emotions with Squadron Leader parting company with Luke Morgan in one of the Maidens while his stablemate, the promising Ballydonagh broke down during the closing stages of the Restricted.

Sandwiched between that Gaelsbob had given another workmanlike performance in the Mens Open. Recent Hunter Chase winner Lord of the Hollow tried to go with the favourite during the final mile, but that challenge was soon beaten off and Gaelsbob hardly broke sweat in claiming the prize.

Mens Open winner Gaelsbob (Luke Morgan) leads runner up Lord Of The Hollow over the ditch

There were several promising horses in the Restricted but they were all firmly put in their place by the recent Siddington winner Yeabut. The winner took the lead with a good jump at the third from home and entered the home straight with a 3-length advantage which jockey Ryan Mahon maintained all the way to the line.

Yeabut and Ryan Mahon come home ahead of a competitive Restricted field

“We’d almost forgotten what the winners enclosure looked like” commented Graeme McPherson after Gaining Grounds success in Division I of the Restricted at the Ludlow meeting at Bitterley on Saturday afternoon.

Gaining Ground and Liam Payter are clear at the last in the Restricted Div1

McPherson was representing his wife Seanin who was unable to attend due to dressage commitments but he was able to telephone her with the good news immediately after the race.

The McPherson’s Stow on the Wold yard has been under a cloud recently, but Gaining Ground had missed the worst of the problems and had won on his debut between the flags in the Old Berks Maiden over Easter.

The 8-year-old is reported to be very lazy at home and needs the acquisition of cheek pieces to help him concentrate. “The plan was to hold the horse up and not take up the running till 2 out” reported the trainer in his post race interview “but Liam reported that he jumped his way to the front, so he thought he may as well take advantage of it”.

Gaining Ground did just that with a brilliant jump at the 13 th and that helped him establish a 2-length advantage, which had increased to 5-lengths between the final two fences. Rachel Reynolds started to get a tune out of Lets Rock at this point and they reduced the deficit on the run in, but as soon as Lets Rock reached his quarters Gaining Ground found that little bit extra to claim the prize.

The winner was a gift horse to Trish Smith from trainer John Upson and connections patience in waiting for better ground is starting to pay dividends.

Gothic Charm had won a 2 mile 6 furlong Maiden at Kingston Blount on his last outing but Hollybush trainer Roy Shail was not confident the horse would stay the trip in the soft conditions.

Gothic Charm and Dave Mansell land the Restricted Div2 from Patrick’s Double and Mr Roche T

Those fears proved unfounded when the 6-year-old son of Goathland who had been held up by David Mansell for most of the trip came through to join Patricks Double and Mr Roche T turning into the home straight.

Patricks Double did not help his cause by jumping right throughout this contest and running wide of several bends but having been 2-lengths down at the penultimate Jamie Goss’s mount and Mr Roche T renewed their efforts on the flat and had reduced the winning margin to half a length and a length at the post.

This is the horse’s second win of the season in the colours of the Golden Valley Partnership, which includes Arthur Hayes, his son Simon and partner Sally. It also provided David Mansell with the first leg of a treble - all of his successes were on horses sourced by Martin Oliver.

Our third success of the afternoon came in the Mens Open with the Nicky Sheppard trained Strong Weld. Despite winning his last two races, Nigel and Serina Gowlings 11-year-old was thought to be susceptible in the softer conditions, but those fears were never put to the test by his rivals, who were unable to get in a blow after Liam Payter’s mount went to the front at the very first obstacle.

Strong Weld and Liam Payter never saw another horse in the Mens Open

A searching gallop was set from the start and the leader was already 12-lengths clear by the fourth and this had been extended to at least 20-lengths as they went out onto their second circuit.

Up until this point, it appeared the remaining runners were confident the leader was going to come back to them but by the 12 th it was evident this was not going to be the case and Sweet Minuet and Royal Katidoki were then sent in vain pursuit.

Although Strong Weld was tiring over the last three fences, neither of these horses were able to reduce the deficit and they were still 20-lengths in arrears at the finish with Royal Katodoki staying on well to claim the runners up spot.

Royal Kadodoki carries the colours of William and Angela Rucker who took the Ladies Open with Pirate Flagship. The Corvedale Cup has a long and illustrious history and was one of the principal prizes for Ladies Race when they first came into existence and it was won on several occasions by Angela’s mother Pat Tollitt.

 

Pirate Flagship and Angela Rucker record a comfortable success in the Ladies Open

Eight runners faced the starter but approaching the home turn the race had developed into a battle between Pirate Flagship and his Chaddesley conqueror Premium First with Society Buck breathing down their necks in third.

Premium First was the first to crack and Mrs Ruckers mount drew clear between the final two fences to score by 3-lengths with Premium First another 10-lengths away in third.

“He doesn’t like that ground” was the jockeys initial reaction on returning to the winners enclosure after riding her fourth winner of the season on a horse the family had purchased out of Paul Nicholls stable at Doncaster in May 2007.

“He had a bad overreach after Chaddesley and was in his box for 4 weeks but Sheila (Crow) did a great job, although we realised he was short of work when beaten at Eyton. He’s better on good ground”. (Note: - Step and Run who beat him that day won the Ladies Open at Alpraham on Saturday afternoon).

The first half of the 4-5-6 year old looked the weaker of the two divisions and it resulted in an easy win for the Gary Hamer trained Mistress Katyee, home bred by owner Peter Burke.

Younger Horses Maiden Div1 winner Mistress Kaytee (Matthew Sollitt) puts in a fine leap at the eleventh

The second half resulted in a pillar to post victory for Eco Style and David Mansell. Having opened up at 6-1 the 7-year-old was backed into favouritism despite the presence of the Dick Baimbridge trained Slavedriver, but as usual the market proved right because the winner never put a foot wrong and won in a very fast time.

Dave Mansell eases down Eco Style after making all in the Younger Horses Maiden Div2

Eco Style has recently joined the Rockhampton stable of Elizabeth England as a replacement for a horse called Red Salmon Dancer she lost in the spring. Bitterley must be one of her favourite courses because she won a race here last year with Albert House.

To complete a great afternoon for David Mansell and Martin Oliver, Sykee Savage took the 8-year-old and upward Maiden for North Nibley trainer Julie Houldey.

Dave Mansell completes his treble aboard Sykee Savage in the Older Horses Maiden

The race was as good as over when Mansell sent Sykee Savage to the front as they turned into the home straight and he was never in danger of defeat from his point. The 8-year-old runs in the colours of Cam Lecturer Brian Chivers.