HEADLINES
Mel In Blue To Hot For Paddy To Handle
Only the battle-hardened enthusiast turned out for the second day, but still provided a good crowd considering the weather conditions. On arrival at the course the rain was pouring down and the wind blowing a gale. I was thinking to myself what an earth was I doing here. The rain seized before the start of the first race but it was still cold and windy. The racecourse was in very good condition and stood up very well considering the recent weather conditions. This was a great credit to all the ground staff concerned that provided decent ground for both days racing. Another 8 race card on the day with 85 runners. The highlight of the day was Mel In Blue's good performance to beat Paddy For Paddy in the Volkswagen Touareg Mens Open Qualifier.
The first race on the second day was the Novices Riders race. This race was split and the first division saw the sites Nap of the day with Fantastic Champion the selection. On this occasion we were very unlucky not to land the odds. Fantastic Champion was poised to make his challenge just before the turn into the home straight but was unlucky to encounter 2 loose horses in his way giving Sian Carter no choice but to take a pull to avoid both of them and lose what in the end was a decisive margin. Jumping the 2nd last it was still all to play for with Splash and Dash still clinging on to the narrowest of leads. On the run to the last Splash and Dash and Hornbill were locked in battle with Fantastic Champion only about a length down. A superb leap at the last by Fantastic Champion seemed to catch the rider unawares and Miss Carter came out of the saddle to land on the horse's neck. Miss Carter regained her balance and Fantastic Champion finished with a rare old rattle to be just denied by a length as the post arrived. Splash and Dash held on by half a length to take the race from a very improved performance by Hornbill. Fantastic Champion put in another good performance and looks certain to get back to winning ways next time around. Hornbill will have a race in him judged on this performance and the winner also has chances of recording further successes.
Brown Cockle was sent off a very short 4/7 favourite for the 2nd division and was near the front for most of the race. Jumping 2 out it looked to be a 3-horse war with Windy Spirit, Star Angler and Brown Cockle all in with a good chance. On the approach to the last Brown Cockle seemed to be tiring in the ground and was a good length or so down from Windy Spirit and Star Angler. Brown Cockle unseated the jockey at the last but did look held at the time. This left Star Angler and Windy Spirit to fight it out on the run-in. Windy Spirit came out on top for a jubilant David Pritchard who waved his whip and arms in the air to record victory by a comfortable neck. Top Strategy finished a further 5 lengths away in 3rd. Brown Cockle still put in a good performance before unseating and should get back to winning ways very soon. Windy Spirit must of benefited from that opening run behind Double Honour at Ideford March as this was a much improved performance and he could continue to run well now he has hit top form.
The member's maiden race for mares only was split into two divisions. The first division looked a match on paper between Jack's Present and a unraced juvenile from the Richard Barber stable called Royal Rapture. Jack's Present was settled in midfield behind the front running Embercoombe for most of the race. Jacks Present took up the running 4 out and Royal Rapture looked poised to make a challenge and come through from 3rd, but as the pace quickened up suddenly Rachel Green was riding Royal Rapture quite strongly before pulling him up 3 from home. Jack's present for Nick Pearce jumped very well and stayed on very strongly to record a decent victory. He should have no trouble taking a restricted. Embercoombe ran well and battled on to finish a decent second he should be a good thing to land a maiden on his next appearance. Embercoombe was punted in the market from 10's to 6's, so the horse had obviously been showing the right signals at home. This was also a nice introduction by Royal Rapture and it will surely not take long for him to notch up a maiden victory.
The second division of the maiden was a very bazaar event. Bonny Zoe took the lead from flag fall and went a good 25 lengths clear after a circuit and looked to have the opposition in a fair bit of trouble, unfortunately for her she came down at the next fence and left the race open for the pack well behind. Royal Niece under Adrian Wintle had the mare poised to hit the front in 3rd place and stayed on well to record a good performance in what can only be said was a dire race. One for The lads stayed on to take take second with a very excitable lady shouting and almost trying to run onto the course until the fence official moved her away as the horses approached the last fence. Lady De Paris plugged on to finish a remote 3rd. Then all the fun and games started. There was an objection by the clerk of the scales to the winner as the public assumed the jockey must of lost his weight cloth on the way round. The announcer called weighed in and no change of result was given. To my disbelief he then announced the reason for the clerk of scales objection was that Adrian Wintle weighed back in 9lb heavier than weighing out. Maybe he had put a big heavy coat on to weigh in because of the cold. On a more serious note how could the jockey explain the difference in weight?. Also how did the stewards except this additional weight. I think the horse should have been disqualified for not drawing the correct weight. I backed Royal Niece but how could this result stand. (I am going to put this up on the forum so please let me know your views). Bonny Zoe is worth another chance next time out as seemed to be still travelling well and if able to settle better should have a good chance of recording a maiden victory.
The Ladies race looked a cracker on paper with Twenty Degrees, Reviewer and Thompsons Wood having the best form credentials. The bookmakers did not really seem to know which one was the best as the opening show was 2/1 each of 3. Twenty Degrees was quickly punted down to 11/8 favourite with piles of cash being poured on the horse. While Reviewer and Thompsons Wood both drifted out alarmingly to 7/2. Polly Gundry on Twenty Degrees always had matters under control and when she hit the front 3 from home it was going to be down to the horses temperament rather than his ability to go on and win the race. Twenty Degrees behaved himself today and Polly rousted him home to cheers from the crowd. Reviewer and Thompsons Wood were never at the races and cannot be trusted on the evidence of this race. Thompsons Wood looked beat after only a few fences being hard ridden by Hannah Lewis and must of really hated the ground. Maybe Reviewer was in urgent need of the run, but even so this was not a good opening performance. Doof who led throughout the contest ran and stayed on well and should easily find a Ladies race in the future.
The Mens open race looked a match between Mel In Blue and Paddy for Paddy. Mel in Blue was sent off a very short 1/2 favourite and looked all over the winner for the majority of the race. Sam Waley-Cohen had him nicely settled in 3rd place and probably hit the front to soon 4 from home. Paddy for Paddy had ground conditions to suit and never gave up the chase and was gaining quite strongly on Mel in Blue as they came down to the second last. Mel in Blue had only a narrow advantage but stayed on well enough on the run to the last. Paddy for Paddy was not giving up without a fight but cocked his jaw and made life very difficult for Richard Burton who tried to steer a straight course. Jumping the last both horses looked very tired but Mel In Blue stayed on much stronger to record a good 5-length victory. Both horses are likely to improve for this first run and we look forward to seeing them both in Hunter Chases later in the season.
The 2-day meeting finished with a Maiden, which was inevitably split with 59 entries. In the first division they sent off Royal Crystalcadou the 2-1 favourite. As he was travelling well and looked the winner at Dunthrop in December until running out of gas to finish in 3rd place. After a circuit Geoffrey Barfoot-Saunt had the horse nicely positioned in the middle of the pack but on the first fence on the second circuit made a bad mistake, which the horse obviously took a disliking to, as he duly dumped the jockey out of the saddle at the next fence. Harry Teal who led throughout the contest and was nibbled at in the market from 10-1 into 7-1 stayed on to strongly for Heather Kemp on Sounds Good. Mrs Kemp had a big smile on her face even though she finished 3 length second and was obviously pleased with Sound's Good first performance in this country following the horses move from Ireland. Always a Brownie stayed on into 3rd but never looked like troubling the leaders and could find a small race in due course.
Unfortunately, due to personal reasons I had to leave the course before this race was completed. They sent off Yeahbut the 2-1F favourite but the winner was Cottage River for David Mansell who recorded 5 placed runs last season and got off the mark at the first time of asking this time around. Cottage River was followed home by the favourite Yeahbut and Silent Gunner who finished the race in 3rd place.
Selections For This Meeting :
Race 1 Fantastic Champion (NAP) (Winsley) 3RD
Race 2 Abbey Days (N.B.) (Brown Cockle) NR
Race 3 So Long (Present of Flame)NR
Race 4 Double Honour (Iznogoud)NR
Race 5 Something Small (Bon Accord)NR
Race 6 Royal Crystalcadou (Johnny Be)Fell
Unfortunately we did not find a winner on the second day. Again we had a few Non-Runners but the actual runners were very difficult to predict. Better luck next time around. We are sorry but no photos are available for this meeting. Normal service will be resumed next Sunday at the Heythrop. So don't forget to look out for the Preview on Thursday. Where we hope to get back to winning ways and enjoy another great day pointing.
Please email any comments to info@southmidlandp2p.co.uk