A few more today in the first race, The Weatherbys Non-Debutant Six and Seven-Year Olds PPORA Club Members Maiden Race, sixteen going to post and three miles and eighteen fences to complete. After MR BEAN yesterday it was not surprising when Mr Waley-Cohen's IRILUT to be ridden by Sam, was made favourite at 3 to1 early on the boards but the best turned out P Maltby's RED NATIVE (C Williams) Mrs Pike's MISTER PEARLY (N Wilmington) and M Rowley's THE UNAMED MAN (R Burton) soon began taking money, but IRILUT went off favourite. I have a little investment on THE UNAMED MAN; just being cautious as the Australian Shiraz dinner cost me more than I really wanted to spend but no doubt I will make it up today! A sensible pace was set and Fiona Hatfield on W Halliday's THE RISING SCOT was the first to lead up the straight with Lucy Gardner on FINBAR close up and the remainder settling down behind. Mr Prichard's MOUNTAIN LILY soon became tailed off but the remainder kept a tight bunch. After the twelfth fence previous leading horses became tired and those that were mid division began to make their move. By the ditch on the final circuit IRILUT had made a move into the lead with RED NATIVE second with J White's MAGNEMITE making a move as well. The jointly owned TOM PUTT was also travelling well in fourth place. On entering the straight and facing two out it was MAGNEMITE who jumped into a lead of a couple of lengths followed by IRILUT with RED NATIVE hard ridden in third place and TOM PUTT was continuing in fourth. There was now a very exciting finish in prospect and so it turned out - all the way to the line and the favourite prevailed. First by a neck was Sam on IRILUT and MAGNEMITE was just three lengths in front of a tired RED NATIVE. TOM PUTT fourth (for a little while!!) A good finish and a worthy favourite. Not many more finished. My investments name is contradictory to what I called him - he was far from being THE UNAMED MAN I can assure you. Nowhere!
On to Division One of the Members Race for Novice riders. Some class horses are declared here as they will be eligible for entry in Dodson & Horrell/PPORA P to P Series Hunter Chase final at Stratford in May. . I fancied Countess Goess-Saurau's PERRYMAN (P Mason) but Ruth fancied Mrs Goody's FRANK BYRNE (C Studd) whilst V Tremlett's HOLDIMCLOSE will surely go close. Off they go - 'Good Luck Ruth' 'Good Luck Fred'.
The best turned out owned by The New House Farm Partnership's NATIVE KING (Mark Walters) decided he wanted to remain as smart and tidy as when he started so he 'ran out' at fence eight but even before then I saw the Rooney's ORPHAN SPA move forward very quickly whilst the rider was airborne. On his landing unfortunately ORPHAN SPA was not there so it was a case of u/r for S Rooney at fence four. On coming into view after a circuit it was PERRYMAN, Mrs Gittins's FAIR BUCCANEER and HOILDIMCLOSE closely followed by D Baxters's WOT NO GIN and F Bishop's GLADIATORIAL. Very little change up the straight except that S Dawson's WAYWARD MISCHIEF (B Logan) was pulled up at the eleventh, but on rounding the top at fence 12 it was it was HOLDIMCLOSE that took up the lead followed by FAIR BUCCANEER with PERRYMAN in third place. Ruth's choice FRANK BYRNE was being ridden along back in sixth place at this stage so she did look a little anxious. I was in with a better chance. Miss E Boone riding her TOPICAL TIP was about to come into the fray and four went over the ditch practically together. Good racing at a sensible pace. With two to jump HOLDIMCLOSE and GLADIATORIAL were matching strides with TOPICAL TIP and PERRYMAN close up. FRANK BYRNE was trying to get on terms at this stage and was finishing the best of all. Young Mr Studd was riding to win this race and that is exactly what he did. First FRANK BYRNE followed by HOLDIMCLOSE and then TOPICAL TIP.. Ruth very happy - Fred pretending to be!
Miss Tabitha Cave rode at Larkhill yesterday and I know that early this morning she was schooling her first lot in Cornwall and at 8.30 am she was schooling her second lot in Cornwall and here she is now riding The Wakehill Partnership's GOOD THYNE GUY. To travel almost 450 miles round trip she surely deserved to win The Ladies Open Race. Fourteen went to post and favouritism hovered about M Quinlan's EPSILO DE LA RONCE (S Carter) with G Brown's GREY CISEAUX (L Gardner) taking some money and when Terry Biddlecombe was sighted walking towards the bookies with his wife Hen then some money quickly went on T Biddlecombe's RECTORY GARDEN (G Emtage). I had second thoughts about who would carry my investment after seeing Mrs Williams's best turned out SUPREME CITIZEN who Jane (Williams) would ride, up on the board at ten to one. This is an ex Irish pointer with very good form so why the tens about him. I will take that price and sit back and watch. Miss Evans was the first to leave the race, her WADERS took a great dislike to her sitting on his back and removed her in no uncertain term at fence five. About ten lengths would cover the field on reaching fence nine in the straight and it was Miss Jenner's ONE OF THE NATIVES who came into view first with RECTORY GARDENS and Polly Gundry on SAILORS FOLLY close up with SUPREME CITIZEN and EPSILO DE LA RONCE also in close attendance. These leaders were joined by Tabitha Cave on GOOD THYNE GUY and EPSILO DE LA RONCE as they progressed down the back straight for the final time. Coming down the hill it was SAILORS FOLLY on the inside with GOOD THYNE GUY travelling equally as well followed by EPSILO DE LA RONCE and SUPREME CITIZEN. As they came into view it was GOOD THYNE GUY leading from SAILORS FOLLY with EPSILO DE LA RONCE and SUPREME CITIZEN still in with a chance. The front two were getting decidedly tired and it was my horse SUPREME CITIZEN that landed over the final fence in front of Miss Cave and Polly was being challenged by EPSILO DE LA RONCE. Over the line it was money for the tin - ten to one and won by three quarters of a length. Well done Miss Jane Williams, well done SUPREME CITIZEN and thank you Mr Bookie!!
Division Two of the Members Race for Novice riders sent 14 runners to post with a few more classy individuals involved but only four were destined to finish. The best turned out R Pyman's ROOM TO ROOM fell at the fifth and the remainder were led by J Danahar's blinkered NAHTHEN LAD (T Sturges), M Holdforth's DANCING FOSENBY (M Holdforth)and Mrs Price's GENEREUX who was a clear third with G & H Dowty's PARAHANDY (H Dowty) and G Disney's NOISY MINER still travelling well. Mrs Silk's FERGUS O' D (T Faulkener) was taking closer order as the field progressed down the straight and out into the country for the final time. With four left to jump it was DANCING FOSENBY who led followed by GENEREUX, then NAHTHEN LAD on the inside with FERGUS O' D and NOISY MINER still in it and PARAHANDY last of the leading group. A loose horse in the wrong direction caused a panic but came to no harm and with two to jump any one of these six horses could win. NOISY MINER gradually got the better of GENEREUX who weakened and PARAHANDY stayed on to come in second with NAHTHEN LAD third. Many of the others pulled up in the straight. This was a close well ridden finish by tired horses.
At this stage we had to listen to the result of a stewards inquiry as regards the first race when the fourth placed jockey failed to weigh in and was disqualified. So TOM PUTT you have been declared a criminal and your rider whose excuse was pretty poor is going to have to find forty quid. What amateur jockey has forty quid in his pocket? His excuse was " I was in a hurry to weigh out for the next race" He got that bit right! Could the owners of TOM PUTT please tell the good looking seven year old gelding - YOU did nothing wrong!
I hadn't invested in the last race as I was too busy picking up and stowing away red ones but on this race both Ruth and I have picked the same one to carry an investment. It is The Fawcetts Men's Open Race for the PPORA Club Challenge Cup with again, fourteen runners. We chose J Stud's MINERS DANCE with Charlie (Studd) to ride and as he has brought in FRANK BYRNE with a fine ride we are hoping that he can do the same and at 10 to 1 we will fill the tin. He didn't and we didn't. Although Mrs Bowen's SECRET BAY (R Cope) was sent off the even money favourite there was only one horse in this race and it was D Chown's DRUM BATTLE with Christian Williams up for trainer Richard Barber. From early in the race this horse went to the front and remained there with an ever increasing lead until the finishing line. The judges decision was that he won by 30 lengths but this horse was not extended at all and will be watched very closely this season. The best turned out was R Waley-Cohen's STRONG CHAIRMAN who came in second with FREEDOM FIGHTER (A Martin) in third place. Our investment managed fourth so nothing to come. Unfortunately SECRET BAY came to grief at the 13 and will not be seen again but DRUM BATTLE certainly will. The last race was the restricted for 6,7 and 8 year olds with 17 going to post. The best turned out was the jointly owned BAYOSS (G Barfoot-Saunt) who has rewarded me in the past at a nice price but today I have chosen another. Mr Manners has had quite a few runners over the last couple of days so maybe it is time for his CREWSKI (G Faulkner) to past the post in the most enviable position but as he is such a good price (25 to 1) I will do him each way. He is reported as 'stays well' and that is just what he did - in the whipper-in position - from the off. Not one runner passed him as they were all in front from the flag and no impression was made to catch any other horse up, well that's how it looked to me. The commentator announced that CREWSKI was relegated to last - believe me that did not take a lot of doing. Only five finished with Tigger Barnes riding out P Bevins's LE CURE to win by six lengths from David Smith's WATERLOO LEADER and five lengths back in third place was BAYOSS.
That completed a good days racing. Excellently organised with results, times and other details being broadcast with the minimum of delay. Good commentary. Really good prizes for the successful. Well done all concerned.. We will just dash off to Cornwall to prepare for next week at Black Forest Lodge and we are feeling quite chuffed as the results from Larkhill yesterday were out on our web site within an hour of the last race finishing. Thank you all at Blounts Court Farm for allowing us to use your 'phone line and while I am at it - a BIG thank you to the Landlady at The Raven Inn at Poulshot for providing us with such a lovely evening meal last night. Life is again - one bowl of cherries!
Next week -Fred & Ruth