REVIEW
CLIFTON-ON-TEME
UPPER SAPEY
SUNDAY 25
APRIL 2004
by Peter Mansell
photos by Graham Fisher

Racegoers at Sundays Clifton on Teme meeting at Upper Sapey witnessed what can only be described “as the ride of the season” by Geoff Barfoot Saunt in the 5, 6 & 7 year old Maiden.

Riding the favourite Penny Blue for Eastnor trainer Nicky Sheppard, Barfoot Saunt reported that he started to encounter saddlery problems as early as the second fence and these got progressively worse throughout the race.  It became evident that things were more serious than at first thought as the mare took the lead at the 16th and as she encountered steering problems Nessarc rejoined her.

With one foot in the stirrups and one foot out, Barfoot Saunt managed to successfully negotiate the final bend and once he had the mare back on a even keel, she drew clear of her rivals up the home straight. The mares Longdon based owners Anne and Fred Leighton have bred several successful event horses over the past 20 years but this was their initial success between the flags.

Ledbury’s Julian Prithcard scored a double on horses trained by Dick Baimbridge, with Teme Willow taking the Mens Open for retired Twyning Farmer Stan Warner, while Father Tom took the Confined in the colours of Bromesberrow’s Herbie Sharpe.


Father Tom provides Julian Pritchard with a double in the Confined from The Real Bat (Geoff Barfoot-Saunt)

Front running tactics were employed on Teme Willow who had taken the measure of the favourite Pretoria dance at the top of the hill and had 8 lengths to spare over that rival at the post. Having dictated the pace in the Mens Open, waiting tactics were employed in the Confined. Father Tom was 15 lengths behind his rivals at half way, but made steady progress into third place by the 15th. Pritchards mount engaged turbo boost between the final two fences and a 4-length deficit at the penultimate had been turned into a 2-length advantage at the last.


Teme Willow and Julian Pritchard in the early stages of  the Mens Open lead Reefer Dancer and Dave Mansell

Angela Rucker and Do It Once justified favouritism in the Ladies, but were made to fight all the way by Wellburn Boy and Flying Pennant before they asserted their superiority over the last 200 yards.


Do It Once and Angela Rucker (left) jump alongside Flying Pennant (Sarah Jane Davies) in the Ladies Open

Three runners faced the starter in the Members with just a length separating the first two home from the start. It was evident that The Writer was travelling better than his rival over the final three fences and that view was confirmed as Rob Hodges mount prevailed in a close finish to land the spoils for Bredenbury trainer Lucy Sherwood and her co-owner Rosemary, Viscountess Boyne.


Rob Hodges drives out The Writer to win the Hunt race from Top of the Charts and Guard A Dream

Two North Cotswold qualified horses took the Restricted and 8 year old and upward Maiden.

Campden Kitty has run consistently with enjoying the best of luck since her Maiden win back in 2003, but she ran away from her rivals during the closing stages of the Restricted to score an effortless win for owner Sue Collett and trainer Fred Hutsby.


Campden Kitty and Fred Hutsby are convincing winners of the Restricted

There was a collective sigh of relief from Emma Bakers Naunton stable after Jolly Jakes win in the Maiden. The 10-year-old has been second eight times in 20 races and lost out by the shortest of short heads at Andoversford recently, but the result was never in doubt when Ed Walkers mount went 10 lengths clear approaching the third from home. A Proper Charlie threatened to spoil the celebrations as he moved up threateningly 2 from home but that effort was short lived and Jolly Jake ran on well to record his very first victory.


Jolly Jake and Ed Walker are rewarded for their consistency and land the Older Horses Maiden from A Proper Charlie


Nessarc (right - Philip York) and Waky Lady (Michael Hammond) lead the winner Penny Blue and Geoff Barfoot-Saunt at halfway in the Younger Horses Maiden


Geoff's success comes despite the missing saddle which had slipped round the side of the horse

RESULTS
MEMBERS
1ST THE WRITER R HODGES 13-8
2ND TOP OF THE CHARTS M HARRIS 6-4 FAV
3RD GUARD A DREAM E WALKER 2-1
3 RAN
RESTRICTED
1ST CAMPDEN KITTY F HUTSBY 4-1
2ND SNOWTRE A WINTLE 8-1
3RD APRIL TREASURE J PRITCHARD 5-4 FAV
5 RAN
LADIES OPEN
1ST DO IT ONCE MRS A RUCKER 8-13 FAV
2ND WELLBURN BOY MISS L ALLFREY 3-1
3RD FLYING PENNANT MISS S J DAVIES 3-1
3 RAN
MENS OPEN
1ST TEME WILLOW J PRITCHARD 7-4
2ND PRETORIA DANCER M GOLDSTEIN 6-4 FAV
3RD FARNANDO G BARFOOT SAUNT 5-2
4 RAN
5-6-7 YEAR OLD MAIDEN
1ST PENNY BLUE G BARFOOT SAUNT 6-4 FAV
2ND NESSARC P YORK 5-1
3RD DUNMANUS SUPREME T FAULKNER 3-1
6 RAN
CONFINED
1ST FATHER TOM J PRITCHARD 4-7 FAV
2ND THE REAL BAT G BARFOOT SAUNT 3-1
3RD L’IDEFIX M GOLDSTEIN 4-1
8 RAN
8-YEAR-OLD AND UPWARD MAIDEN
1ST JOLLY JAKE E WALKER 5-4 FAV
2ND A PROPER CHARLIE T STEPHENSON 4-1
3RD ROSIE STROUD J PRITCHARD 4-1
6 RAN