REVIEW
TYNEDALE
CORBRIDGE
SATURDAY 2 MARCH 2002

by Dave Scott

The Tynedale Hunt staged a seven race card last weekend. With the course missing the worst of the weather in the North East last week the going was testing but not unmanageable.

Highlight of the afternoon was a treble for Pauline Robson now happily recovered from injury. The opening leg was a hard fought victory on Kirkharle in the Hunt Members race. This one had to battle up the hill to deny favourite Ardmayle by a couple of lengths. Pauline’s strength in the saddle was probably the deciding factor in the outcome. Harry Laws was a moderate third.  Balisteros provided the middle leg in the long distance Ladies Open. Pauline again had to work hard as she was niggling at the winner from a long way out. Balisteros responded to her urgings and came clear from Phar Echo up the hill. Young Steven came from a long way back to snatch third close home from the rapidly weakening Rash Reflection who looked the winner three out but didn’t quite see out the trip. The treble was completed in the concluding Confined Maiden when she partnered the ex Andrew Parker inmate To The Future to a comfortable success. Well supported in the ring to make a winning debut between the flags the partnership survived a few hairy moments on the first circuit before striding away from The Preacher Man and front running Rainton. The runner up showed enough to suggest a Maiden win is on the cards.

Another jockey among the winners was the evergreen Jimmy Walton who rode a double. He brought his own Rum Rebel with a well-timed run between the last two fences to readily account for Needsmoretime and The Black Bishop to land the Intermediate. His double was completed when he steered the unfancied Magical Poitin to a facile success from the well-fancied pair of Distinct and Dr Deductible. The last named jumped moderately and on previous form is better than this.

Elsewhere on the card Sandy Forster partnered Supreme Day, runner up to In Demand at the Berwickshire, to a workmanlike victory in the Confined. Winsford Hill plugged on to take second and there was a distance back to Fairy Bell the only other finisher. John Silver was running a race of promise when coming down at the last. Previously with Jonjo O’Neill this one should be watched.

The Mens Open fell to Alsina under a strong ride from Tom Oates. Seemingly held by Concerto Collonges at the bottom of the hill Tom conjured a sustained effort from the gelding and they wore down the favourite on the run to the last to win by three lengths with the strong finishing Winsome Wallace only a half-length away in third.