TIVERTON FOXHOUNDS
CHIPLEY PARK
6th February 2005
by Liam Hale

The ground at Chipley Park was riding soft after rain in the area and it looked a competitive days racing down in “Pipe” country.

The first race was the Hunt Members which had two runners, Jabiru (Darren Edwards) and Ballysicyos (Guy Weatherley), both very able competitors who have won twenty three races between them. This race would surely be a stepping stone for both competitors before they go and contest better races, possibly hunter chases.

The favourite, Ballysicyos, jumped mostly left and led most of the way at a good clip until Jabiru jumped into the lead at the fourteenth and skipped about eight lengths clear. But between the last three, Jabiru got tired allowing the staying on again Ballysicyos to jump the last in the lead, running on powerfully to win by four lengths from the tiring Jabiru.

Both competitors should pay their way this season with Jabiru, looking as though he needed the run, and Ballysicyos both capable of better at a higher level. The time achieved in this two runner event of 6.21 was a fair time for the meeting and was only two seconds slower than the fastest time which was the Mixed Open.

The Mixed Open saw thirteen go to post with favouritism vying between Perkys Pride (Charlotte Tizzard), who had unseated when in the lead on his only previous start this season and Leon Garcia (T Bishop), who had ran well behind County Derry at Black Forest Lodge. Kali Des Obeaux (Emily Jones), a Welsh raider and also a Black Forest Lodge eye-catcher, was next in the betting and was well supported. The mare was ridden by Emily Jones who was due to ride Trevor Wall’s Kansas City in the 4:50 at Hereford, which was eventually pulled up!

Tigger Barnes on the ex-eventer Le Cure for P G Bevin was handy throughout and skipped five lengths clear and looked to have stretched the field. Going over three out, his closet pursuer was Perkys Pride who was going ominously well and excelled from the last to win by four lengths in the fastest time of the day. This ex David Pipe trained gelding looked disappointing last season and seems to have enjoyed the switch to Alan Tizzard. Le Cure ran well and does not usually contest this top level but showed enough to suggest he can pick up an open contest. Genereux (Les Jefford) ran on well from the pack from third on his first start for Mrs R Board after previously being with Mrs A Price in Hereford.

Kali Des Obeaux was disappointing and never really got into the race along with Leon Garcia who never jumped with any zest. Perkys Pride has regained the winning thread and the way he did it suggests there’s more to come.

Race three was the Exeter Racecourse Intermediate where Cantenac Brown and Michael Miller qualified for the Intermediate PTP Championship final at Huntingdon after winning in determined style.

Killy Beach (Miss K Northcott) and Cantenac Brown were prominent throughout until Bobs Lad (D Luff) took it up with a circuit to run and scooted clear until Cantenac Brown jumped to the lead again two out after cutting down what seemed like a sizeable advantage to beat the favourite Proby Lady (Daryl Jacob) who had stuck on well without challenging the winner. Presuming Ed (Adrian Wintle) also ran on but could not threaten the winner. Cantenac Brown did this in good style and it would be interesting to know if his ambitious owners were to take the hunter chase route.

The Club Members race saw Phillip Hobbs 16-year-old daughter, Kathyrn, open her account on only her second ride. Unplaced in the Mixed Open on Simber Hill, she romped home here on Saint Romble, who is owned by her mother. Going round the far bend on the final circuit, she kicked some 25 lengths clear under an enterprising ride and that gap was only cut down when the pairing made an horrendous mistake at the last where the partnership did well to remain intact and allowed them to saunter home by ten lengths from the favourite Cherokee Run (Charlotte Tizzard) who ran a funny race being off the bridle for some way.

Earls Toy (Harry Fry) was eye-catching in the finish and may have to be ridden closer to the pace in the future. But this Club Members race only had one winner from the start of the final circuit and the formerly capable eight year old who had won chases and hurdles for Mr Hobbs showed the rest a clean pair of heels to win well. The combination could be worth following in the future, along with the trainer-jockey combination, as some very generous odds were on offer today!

The fifth race of the day was the Restricted and gave Michael Miller a double for the day on R Millers Mister Swallow who was an all the way winner, winning by one and a half lengths from the running on Itchen Mill (Daryl Jacob), with Enoch (Emma Tory) twelve lengths back in third (ran well for a long way). Mister Swallow looks a likely improver and showed again how the course was suited to horses near the pace. Both Itchen Mill and Enoch should be able to pick up a race before the end of the season. Question It (Lucy Gardner) was a disappointing favourite after improving on the final circuit only to weaken and this may not be his true running.

The First Division of the maiden saw an unlikely winner in Pirandello Due (Zoe Lilly) who was left in the lead two out when the long time front running leader Four In Hand (Darren Edwards) fell bringing down the pursuing favourite, Biltons Nap, trained by the Alner’s and ridden by Daryl Jacob, who last weekend had four winners but had less luck today.

The Sanderson’s Four In Hand looked to have the race in the bag but crumpled on landing giving the pursuing horse Biltons Nap no chance of avoiding the stricken horse. This left the ex Paul Keane gelding Pirandello Due to run on well to the line to beat Highway Robbery (Geoff Barfoot-Saunt) by half a length after jumping left and running wide throughout.

Pirandello Due would have been fighting it out with Highway Robbery for third if the first two had not exited and could be seen as a lucky winner but did stick on well for his young rider.

Four In Hand and Biltons Nap will be gaining compensation in the coming weeks if all is ok with them after their falls.

Division Two of the Open Maiden Race was won in gritty style by Flora Poste (Adrian Wintle) who was handy and kicked on five out when Camerosa, trained by Ashley Farrant fell. As Flora Poste kicked on, he was pursued by the first time out Simply Bert (Harry Fry) and Mighty Mack (Lucy Gardner) who both ran on well to finished placed.

Flora Poste had shown improved form at Barbury Castle first time out this season and can continue to pay her way.

Simply Bert is a horse to follow as this six-year-old son of Relief Pitcher, who stands at Vauterhill Stud, looks a stamp of a chaser standing at almost seventeen hands and will be a horse that can prove himself in the future.

The last race of the day was the third division of the maiden and was won well by the favourite Manhunter, ridden at Tim Vaughan. Every post was a winning one for this ex Peter Bowen performer and he ran on well to the line with the fast finishing Dionysian (Daryl Jacob) finishing half a length second with PharTo Dante (M Munrowd) back in third.

This Welsh trained gelding had showed ability under rules, including a head second in a Worcester 2m7f hurdle, but found it hard to win and could well of found his niche in Point to Points and will be worth following in the coming months. The two placed horses who had both showed very limited ability under rules should also improve for their first Point to point experience and Dionysian will be winning soon.

Maidens to Follow: Four In Hand, Biltons Nap, Simply Bert

Easiest Winner/ Best Ride of the Day: Saint Romble Ridden By Kathyrn Hobbs