Weekend Round-up
23rd & 24th February 2008
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher & Peter Mansell

WINS AT BADBURY RINGS AND EYTON IS ALL OUR TRAINERS HAVE TO SHOW FOR THEIR EFFORTS

Locally qualified horses suffered a frustrating weekend with numerous placed efforts at Eyton on Severn and other meetings. Our riders enjoyed better luck with Claire Allen and Mark Wall both adding to their seasonal tally’s.

Winning the Ladies Championship in 2007 has opened several new doors for Miss Allen. This has enabled her to maintain a Title challenge despite parting company with one of the stables, which supported her Title Chase last year.

Bravery Scot has been a major ally in her success rate during the first months of the current campaign and this partnership kept their unbeaten record for the season, and justified favouritism, in the 17 strong Intermediate at Sundays Tanatside meeting.

Miss Allen’s mount was poised on the heels of the leaders before moving into a challenging position at the fourth from home. They struck the front with two fences to jump and were always holding the efforts of Belligerent and Mr Cee (both previous winners) from this point.

Claire had teamed up with the Andy Hobbs trained Premium First to score a narrow victory in a Chaddesley Ladies a few weeks ago, but this time around they could not shake off the attentions of Protagonist.

These two horses fought out a dramatic finish with Premium First getting caught in the dying strides by Hannah Watson’s mounts with Lava and Claire Hart a fast finishing third.

Premium First (Claire Allen) returns after finishing a close second in the Ladies Open at Eyton

Julie Houldey’s horse have been running well recently without hitting the bullseye but Cottage River looked as though he would put that situation right when he held a length advantage at the last in the 19 runner Restricted.

Unfortunately, Sam Beddoes had other ideas on Beautiful Dawn and her mount put in a race-winning leap at the last, which enabled them to claim victory by a neck.

Cottage River and Dave Mansell (left) just lose out to Beautiful Dawn (Sam Beddoes) in a hot Restricted at Eyton – with Lochtaran and Tom Weston in third

Punters had obviously forgiven Seanin McPherson’s Blazing Guns for his disappointing run at Dunthrop because he was installed favourite for Division I of the Maiden. His supporters knew their fate when the winner Gentle George took up the running at the fourth from home.

Mark Wall got his name on the score sheet in the final race on the card – the 2 ½ mile Confined Maiden. The Bibury jockey produced Kitchen Loan with a winning run at the second from home and they quickened away from Silver Ace and Gunner Be Quick.

The winner carries the colours of Michael Opperman and his son Guy and they sent this useful looking youngster to Adelstrop trainer Katie Baimbridge after his purchase in Ireland last year.

Fergal O’Brien has been carrying the flag for the area during the early meetings and the Naunton trainer sent out another winner when Hambaphambili took the Intermediate at Badbury Rings on Sunday afternoon.

Sam Drinkwater steered the winner home for owners Barry and Jenny Barnes which provided the Nigel Twiston Davies 17-year-old amateur jockey with the second win of his career.

Connections had been expecting a good run from the winner on his seasonal debut at Larkhill but this run went some way towards justifying his purchase at Doncaster last May.