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21-year-old Alexandria Bevan from Ledbury and 16-year-old
Worcester Schoolboy Tom Weston both rode their first winners during Sunday
afternoon's 12-race marathon at the Ledbury Point to Point at Maisemore
Park.
It could be argued that fortune favoured Ard Na Carrig in the
Members as several of his more fancied rivals suffered misfortunes but
Miss Bevan was in the right place at the right time and brought her mount
with a perfectly timed run to catch Miss Pilkington at the penultimate and
having sufficient reserves to hold the challenge of Rusty Fellow and Ole
Gunnar on the flat.
Weston had his first race ride on Caught at Dawn at Garnons
two weeks ago and the partnership has obviously benefited from that
experience because they made hacks of the rivals in the Intermediate.
The favourite Oh So Droll never jumped with any fluency and
the writing was on the wall as Caught at Dawn stormed into the lead at the
end of the back straight before sprinting away from his rivals approaching
the last to land this victory for the riders father, Hindlip farmer Martin
Weston.
Two trainers based in the Malvern area enjoyed successful
afternoons with Eastnor's Nicky Sheppard landing a first and tenth race
double with Ard Na Carrig and Aztec Rule while Roy Shail from Hollybush
took Division I of the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden with Raymond James.
Aztec Rules had failed the start the previous week but no
such problems were encountered on this occasion. Under Adrian Wintle's
guidance they made virtually all the running and had sufficient reserves
to hold Certain Surprises challenge during the closing stages of the
8-year-old and upwards Maiden. This winner carries the colours of the Bean
Club syndicate, which is headed by Sheppard's sister Sue Bird.
The Shail family have been lucky to bred three winners from
their race mare Sallisses and Raymond James made it four after his success
in Division I of the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden. David Mansell produced
the winner between the final two fences and they stayed on well to hold
Rideware George's determined challenge on the flat.
Liz Grainger had cause for celebration after Silent Action
(the only horse she has in her stable at Upton Snodsbury) had held on a
hard fought victory in Division II of the 8year old Maiden. The
11-year-old had proved disappointing under Rules for his previous trainer
Ian Williams but found this company more to his liking. It was virtually
impossible to separate Silent Action and Mandate as they flashed past the
judge but the former finally got the verdict by a short head.
Castlemorton's Tim Stephenson teamed up with Worcestershire
trainer Alan Hollingsworth to land the final race of the day with My Lost
Love. Hollingsworth has tried to sell the 8-year-old on a number of
occasions but unfortunately there have been no takers and some of those
people may have cause for regret judging by his performance in this race.
Northern Deal and Adrian Wintle were impressive winners of
Division I of a high class Mixed Open. The Dick Baimbridge trained
8-year-old had seen off moderate rivals in his two previous outings this
year but Fontaine Again and Glacial Trial were to provide a much stiffer
test of his ability.
The Cheltenham based jockey sent his mount to the front from
flag fall but looked vulnerable when Fontaine Again and Glacial Trial
started to close up on the run to the 15th. Fearing he would be
swallowed up by his market rivals, Wintle decided to go for broke turning
into the home straight. It was a decisive move as Glacial Trial challenge
ended at the penultimate while Fontaine Again was never able to match the
winner's speed over the final two fences.
Division II of the Mixed Open produced a vintage ride by
Julian Pritchard. Teme Willow has always had a tendency to jump right at
his fences and he did so on this occasion but still held a decisive
advantage at the end of the back straight. He was still clear at the
penultimate but Teme Willow once again displayed his wayward technique at
the last and while Pritchard's mount met it on a perfect stride which
allowed Goawayoutofthat to gain a clear advantage that was maintained all
the way to the line. This was a fine training performance by Jelly Nolan
because the 9-year-old had been off the course since his last outing in
May 2001.
Border Farmer and Rain Delay were impressive winners of their
respective divisions of the Restricted. The former sprinted clear of his
rivals in Division I to land the spoils for winning owner/trainer/rider
James Richardson. The 24-year-old has recently returned to his
Andoversford home after a spell as assistant trainer to Jonathen Pease in
France. Rain Delay toyed with his rivals in Division II under his Bromyard
based trainer/rider Ray Rogers who looks after the 8-year-old for his
uncle Ken.
Richard Burton took two divisions of the younger Maidens on
Airoski and Lockington. Airoski, a 13,500 gns Doncaster Sales purchase is
trained by Caroline Robinson for her father Jeremy while Lockington is in
the Bromsash stable of Marilyn Scudamore who acquired the Andrew Davis
owned 7-year-old who had a hitherto undistinguished career under Rules
with Ian Williams.
The Ledbury Clerk of the Course deserves great credit for
producing the course is such good condition and on a weekend where other
meetings could only attract a handful of runners, 144 horses contesting 12
races bears testament to the state of the course.
Considerable improvements, including a new post and rails
paddock, extra running rails and
the removal of some of the undergrowth were all welcomed by spectators and
the attendance of a portable grandstand overlooking the course was another
new innovation.
Congratulations to all concerned.
RESULTS
MEMBERS
1ST ARD NA CARRIG MISS A BEVAN 20-1
2ND RUSTY FELLOW MRS M FINCH 8-1
3RD OLE GUNNAR M WILESMITH 6-1
6 RAN 3 - 3 LENGTHS
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN - DIVISION I
1ST AIROSKI R BURTON EVENS FAV
2ND MILDAN GRACE G HANMER 8-1
3RD SING HIGH A MARTIN 6-1
15 RAN 5 - 2 LENGTHS
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN - DIVISION II
1ST RAYMOND JAMES D MANSELL 8-1
2ND RIDWARE GEORGE W HILL 14-1
3RD LORD TIDDLYPUSH J PRITCHARD 4-1
11 RAN 1/2 - 1/2 LENGTH
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN - DIVISION III
1ST LOCKINGTON R BURTON EVENS FAV
2ND LORD CASTLE M BALDOCK 8-1
3RD THE UNAMED MAN R COOPER 4-1
13 RAN 4 - 2 LENGTHS
RESTRICTED - DIVISION I
1ST BORDER FARMER J RICHARDSON 6-1
2ND SPRING CABBAGE T STEPHENSON 4-1
3RD HILLSPRITE R ROGERS 20-1
11 RAN 6 - 6 LENGTHS
RESTRICTED - DIVISION II
1ST RAIN DELAY R ROGERS 3-1
2ND GLITTER PADDY N OLIVER 8-1
3RD CAMPDEN KITTY F HUTSBY EVENS FAV
10 RAN DISTANCE - NECK
MIXED OPEN - DIVISION I
1ST NORTHERN DEAL A WINTLE 5-4 FAV
2ND FONTAINE AGAIN T STEPHENSON 3-1
3RD GLACIAL TRIAL G HANMER 3-1
12 RAN 2 - 6 LENGTHS
MIXED OPEN - DIVISION II
1ST GOAWAYOUTOFTHAT J PRITCHARD 6-1
2ND TEME WILLOW T STEPHENSON 6-4 FAV
3RD MASTER PILGRIM G DISNEY 8-1
15 RAN 1 - 1/2 LENGTH
INTERMEDIATE
1ST CAUGHT AT DAWN T WESTON 5-1
2ND OH SO DROLL R BURTON 8-11 FAV
3RD DINSEY FINEGAN N PHILLIPS 10-1
11 RAN 6 - 1/2 LENGTH
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARDS MAIDEN - DIVISION I
1ST AZTEC RULE A WINTLE 3-1
2ND CERTAIN SURPRISE MISS E JAMES 5-1
3RD NORTHSPRITE C WADLAND 5-1
13 RAN 1 - 2 LENGTHS
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARDS MAIDEN - DIVISION II
1ST SILENT ACTION M HARRIS 5-4 FAV
2ND MANDATE G MAUNDRELL 5-1
3RD ROCKWELDA A WINTLE 5-1
14RAN SHORT HEAD - 1 LENGTH
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARDS MAIDEN - DIVISION III
1ST MY LOST LOVE T STEPHENSON 5-1
2ND MISS BIDDY A HARRIS 16-1
3RD STAR DESIGN MARK WALL 10-1
14 RAN 6 - 3 LENGTHS
WEST
MIDLAND AREA CHAMPIONSHIPS
SPONSORED BY NEWSQUEST - HUMBERTS - EQUIMIX
LEADERS AFTER THREE MEETINGS
MALE RIDERS
LADY RIDERS
ADRIAN WINTLE
40
POLLY GUNDRY
17
JULIAN PRITCHARD
30
JANE WILLIAMS 7
MICHAEL HARRIS
10
ALEX BEVAN
7
LEADING MARE
CHAMPION NOVICE
CAMPDEN KITTY
10
MR NABORRO 7
MILDAN GRACE
5
RAYMOND JAMES
7
ROCKWELDA
3
QUATERMASS
5
MILDAN GRACE
5
LEADING HORSE
NOVICE RIDER
FONTAINE AGAIN
12
JANE WILLIAMS 7
CAMPDEN KITTY
10
ALEX BEVAN
7
AZTEC RULE
10
TOM WESTON
7
OWNER/TRAINER/RIDER
GROOM OF THE YEAR
JANE WILLIAMS
7
LEADING CONTENDERS THUS
JAMES RICHARDSON
7
SHARON SMITH & MANDY
TOM WESTON
7
TATLOW |