West Street Tickham
Detling
Sunday 18th January 2009
by Simon
McInnes
Aaaah (as in soothing, rather than alarmed),
the beginning of the south-east season. A mild sort of day for
mid-January offset by being perched in the wind whistling over the
top of the North Downs, cars getting stuck in the mud on the way
into the course, dozens of disobedient dogs, a good turnout of
runners and, erm, only a month to the next meeting in the area. And
with a safety limit of 18, the open maiden was divided into two
races of nine. I blame the teachers...
The going remained good throughout, although the riders reported
that the lower points on the far side and end of the track were
getting a bit battered as the day progressed and some slow motion
finishes were fought out, especially for those chasing the minor
places . One of the fences has been removed from the back straight
(eaten by cattle?) so there is a very long run between the fourth
last and third last, which was exploited by shrewd riders a couple
of times today.
Going: Good
race 1: Giles Hopper
Memorial Open Maiden, Div I
1: Sidney Charles 2: Star Gift 3: Caged Tiger
Winner owned & trained: Annie Blaker, ridden: Peter
Bull
The opening show in the ring for the first race of
the season had an ominous over-round of 282%, and even after a
writing error - copied faithfully by the other bookies - on the
first board to price up was corrected, changing Star Gift from 4/6
to 4/1, it was still over 220%. Greeted by utter indifference, the
prices eased, so that 150% seemed a bargain later on. All things
are relative... The first division contained a smattering of
interesting contenders but did not prove as competitive race as
might have been expected, with Sidney Charles a fairly easy winner
in the end. Given that the winner showed modest promise over
hurdles and is now in a yard that has livened up one or two
performers in the past and Caged Tiger's Rules failures were often
far from disastrous, Star Gift's debut in splitting them was not a
bad effort. Round And Round made the frame a few times in Ireland
but ratted out his supporters on this occasion.
race 2: Giles Hopper
Memorial Open Maiden, Div II
1: Nessa 2: Podium Pete 3: Trooper Kit
Winner owned: Mrs KH York, trained & ridden: Phil
York
Phil York fielded four of the eighteen declarations
in the open maiden, so nabbing one winner from among them was not
an excessive reward for supporting the race. Nessa had shown
promise in bumpers and on her pointing debut (when the
unpronouncable winner was ridden with exaggerated waiting tactics
and may be a lot more superior than the bare margin says), and
having led at just after halfway, that ability was enough to burn
off all of the oppo, with only two other finishers, both at a
respectable distance. The time was seven seconds slower than the
first division, and only part of that was due to the easier time of
it that the winner enjoyed. Podium Pete and Trooper Kit are rather
known quantities and that is not yet showing them as likely maiden
winners.
race 3: Keenhay
Services SE Hunts Club Members Conditions
1: Highland Chief 2: Magnus Veritas 3: Theatre Knight
Winner owned: Mrs PA Wilkins, trained & ridden: Phil
Hall
This was not a bad race at all and Highland Chief
was very impressive in dismissing the opposition, his jumping being
noticeably efficient. He was consistent at a modest level for Alan
King, and can probably step up in class from this. Magnus Veritas,
who is generally fit and raring to go first time up, is a good,
steady yardstick in second, and he was well beaten. The conditions
on the course, in combination with the recent cold snap, were seen
to effect in the trundle for third. Myson was clear in that
position over the last, but was so tired on the run-in that Theatre
Knight, travelling at milk float speed, was able to pass him in the
shadow of the post.
race 4: Ovenden's
Restricted
1: Master Alf 2: Cotton Bay 3: Ilikehimmac
Winner owned: Mr & Mrs P Bull, trained: Suzy Bull, ridden:
Peter Bull
Since his maiden win, Master Alf had chanced
his arm under Rules, and not been embarrassed once he qualified for
modest staying handicap chases, and it was enough to make him
favourite on his return to points. Only two rivals appealed as a
threat - Cotton Bay and Charm Lord. Cotton Bay, an import after
winning one of two in Ireland, had every chance but was done for
when he made a bad error at the last. A promising British debut,
but in general horses named after maritime geographic features do
less well than those named after land based ones. Picking two
random examples - Calgary Bay compared to Arkle. Charm Lord played
up going to post, but was far more reliable in the race until he
made mistakes at five out and the next, from which he lost too much
ground to make up and he just chugged away to finish fourth.
race 5: Ladies'
Open
1: Roaringwater 2: Big Moment
Winner owned: Michael Haydon, trained & ridden: Cynthia
Haydon
After his defeat of Minouchka at Cottenham, Big
Moment was inevitably a warm order in this six runner race, but his
bravery had been questioned under Rules, and there was reason to
suspect that a long slog uphill to the line was not his thing at
all. The trouble with this train of thought was picking what would
beat him, as Roaringwater, brought to his pointing debut the
baggage of a questioned atttitude, and Young Collier's interesting
form is beginning to seem a bit distant. Young Collier did show up
a bit better but he had been shaken off when falling heavily three
out. Meanwhile, the excellent Cynthia Haydon had gone for home a
long way out on Roaringwater, and as suspected, Big Moment either
could not or would not cope. He was not beaten that far in the end,
neither finisher appeared full of zest on the run-in. Returning to
the point about geography in horse names, it is presumed that
Roaringwater is a river feature, and can thus be used to justify
points in favour of marine and land based arguments.
race 6: Men's Open
1: Dante's Storm 2: Lord Trix 3: Lord Atterbury
Winner owned: Mr IM Cobbold, trained & ridden: Phil
York
A year ago, Dante's Storm won the restricted on
this card in a canter, despite blundering at the last, and he has
swept unbeaten up the rankings to enable him to do exactly the same
on his Open debut this time, even as far as the final fence faux
pas. This was only a so-so race of the class, as Lord Trix was the
sole rival really shaping as if he could make a race of it, so
Dante's Storm will meet tougher challenges in future - the
officially announced margin was two lengths, but Dante's Storm was
only mildly encouraged along so that was a touch flattering to Lord
Trix. Lord Atterbury, whose trainer/rider team usually have their
debutants looking pretty fit, ran a very laboured sort of race, and
Glenbower Woods never appeared to be travelling very well.
race 7: Horsemart
PPORA Club Members Conditions, Novice Riders
1: Jack's Present 2: Lord'n'Master 3: Indoux
Winner owned: Simon Tindall, trained: Nick Pearce, ridden: Joshua
Moore
With the horse having won three times in 2008,
including an intermediate, and the rider being brother of Ryan and
Jamie, plus father Gary there to watch, Jack's Present was an
unduly warm order to win this, and did so fairly unruffled,
although credit to Will Hickman and Lord'n'Master, who did not
allow the winning combo to have things all their own way. Veteran
enigma Indoux does have a history to being uncharacteristically
helpful to novice riders and ran a decent race again, only seen off
from the runner-up spot after jumping the last.
Plus Points
Star Gift (race 1): Sound effort on first racecourse appearance,
and a possibly stepping stone to imminent success.
Mooresini (race 1): Looking back at his Rules
form, it was not as strong as memory suggested, but he needed the
run today, and is probably capable of winning a maiden when fitter,
most likely on soft ground.
Castle Banquet (race 2): Jumped right all the
way but was in the mix when a bad blunder knocked the stuffing out
of him four from home. Promise was shown for a feast on a more
suitable track.
Jacobin (race 2): Had come a long way for
this, but did not get home up the hill, and was not knocked about
in vain before pulling up before the last, which is convenient for
the exit from the course. With the run under his belt, he can do
better.
Highland Chief (race 3): A steady performer
in handicap chases, he was qualified for a modest UK pointing intro
and can go on to better things after looking a useful recruit.
Ballyrainey (race 3): Was a disappointment in
the respect that he pulled up, but his fitness was not 100% and
normal service should be resumed shortly.
Cotton Bay (race 4): Probably will not find
opponents as strong as Master Alf in restricted races after
this.
Lord Trix (race 6): Does not have a huge
number of wins, but ran OK and will have blown away some
cobwebs.
Down Arrows
Good Gordon (race 1): Went encouragingly until he ran out of steam
nearing the second last and having run well already this season,
the problem seems to be with his stamina.
The Tailor Carey (race 3): Made a mistake at
the second and got stuck in the rear, progressed to be second (as
the winner kicked on) at the fourth last, only to fade out of it
coming home up the hill. He has not yet lived up to his promising
maiden win.
Ilikehimmac (race 4): Has won a maiden, hence
running in the restricted, and seems to do his best, without
looking like that is enough to rustle up another win.
Parzando (race 4): There is a suspicion that
he dislikes Charing least of all, but a new season arrives and
Parzando is as Parzandishly non-winning as ever.
Roaringwater (race 5): Just as Big Moment's
fifteen minutes of glory was not to be relied upon for a repeat,
his defeat of Big Moment might also have been something of the
time, the place and, erm, the moment. He was also a far inferior
chaser to hurdler in his old yard, and may yet decide that even
pointing is too much like hard work.