Report
from East
Due to cancellations etc. we were not able to get in
any racing last weekend so it is really great to be back walking the course and
appreciating the lovely weather that is here today. There is a helluva draught blowing but unlike
the previous meeting here, it is blowing from the warm quarter so no problems
there; we can stand this. The strong
wind will also be drying the course which is soft at present and I foresee a
few non-finishers as this track will take some getting. Slow times here today I think!
The normal 'discussion' with the car park attendant
who again wished all early arrivals to park as far away from the amenities as
possible. I cannot think of one good
reason why he always wishes the park nearest the exit gate to be filled up
first. He had his way with one or two
unfortunate individuals; including two lady jockeys who had to carry all their
gear uphill from the furthest point, and then decided to take a rest whereupon
his relief had sense and parked the remaining two or three hundred in a
satisfactory and agreeable manner.
The first three races were open maidens and would be
run over the shorter course (2m 4f); twelve runners in the first two and eleven
in the third. Neither the bag nor tin
profited from the running of these three races.
The favourite, NO WHIPS got the day off to a fine start for Neil Harris
and came home to win division one by a length from WALTER DE WODELAND (Sue
Young) and HERITAGE CASTLE (J Young).
The second horse made up some ground after the last but could not get to
the tiring NO WHIPS who pulled up after being well backed on his previous
run. Division two saw a tight betting
heat between three horses, Mike Weir's I'M GEORGE (Vanessa Shaw), Sue Tanzer's MERLIN MEG (Dom Alers-Hankey)
and H Payne's JAYEMCEE BOY (Darren Edwards).
It was the latter that eventually went off favourite and did the job
well and came home to win by three lengths from my choice, MERLIN MEG and I'M
GEORGE who really looked well in the paddock but finished a couple of lengths
back in third. The well backed favourite
in the third division, David Rogers's CLAYMILLS (R Darke), although running
well, could not match Mrs Trumps MCSOLO (Ian Channin)
who made amends for his disqualification here at the last meeting and came home
under much use of the whip to win by three lengths from CLAYMILLS with best turned out DART A TRUMP* (Tim
Dennis) a further length back in third.
*This one will win over three miles in the not too distant future. You saw it here first!
The Basil Young Memorial Mixed Open came next with
eight runners to post. The very much in
form SOUTHWESTERN (Neil Harris) was odds on in the arena so I went for an each
way bet ROYMILLON (Lucy Gardner) at a much better price. There was also some late betting on GIN 'N'
FONIC (Colin Heard) but SOUTHWESTERN was expected to win and did it in very
fine style and gave Neil his double by coming home ten lengths ahead of GIN 'N'
FONIC with my choice three lengths back in third. At last a little for the tin!
The Confined Hunts maiden race had to be split and
there were now eight runners in two divisions.
The going had taken its toll in previous races and there were not many
finishers and in these two divisions the same applied. Only 3 finished in division one and just two
in division two. The octogenarian Mr
Oliver Carter was seen in the paddock prior to division one and as usual was
handing out detailed instructions on how he wished his horse to be run. Whether Richard Darke carried out those
instructions is of little concern as he rode Oliver's FIRST THOUGHT to
perfection and crossed the line half a length to the good of Sue Young on
This is a class intermediate race on the cards now,
with eleven runners, three or four of which have won this season but the one
that stands out both by looks and performance is Brian Kilpatrick's AN
ACCORDION (Guy Weatherley) having won his previous two outings under the
present setup and is destined to go on to bigger things. He didn't give favourite backers any problems
and came home like the good thing he is to win by seven lengths from another
good horse, Mrs Wickett's SOLDIER OF ROME (Neil
Harris) and seven lengths back in third was Mrs Welch's GUNNERS MISTAKE (D
Edward) who would definitely appreciate better going.
I am choosing an outsider in the restricted race as
Neil Harris is once again on an odds on favourite in J Wingfield
Digby and J Sechiani's
OSOKENDA. This six year old mare won her
maiden by about twenty lengths at the Silverton meeting and just lost out by
two lengths at her first attempt at Restricted level here to none other than AN
ACCORDION, so she is certainly a worthy favourite. I will trust in THIRTYTWORED (G Weatherley)
to bring me in a little and I managed to get twelve to one about this five year
old. Neil Harris completed his hat trick
and brought OSOKENDA home by eight lengths with a promising MAXOU DES BROSSES
(C Herd) in second. Coming down the
final hill and towards the last two fences my investment carrier was trailing
fourth and was not in a position to bring me any reward when all of a sudden
Lucy (Gardner) on her gallant and very tired mare TYRE HILL LILLY lying in
third position, tipped up and THIRTYTWORED just got over the last two fences
and trotted up to the line and enabled me to put a little in the sad looking
tin. The bag has only had one winner up
until now so there is no shouting from that area.
Finally the confined race with nine runners going to
post. The NDITLIR (C Heard) opened up at
a sensible price on the boards but was soon backed down to odds on and would go
off as clear favourite. Joint second
favourites were PERTEMPS PROFILE (Will Biddick) and FRONTENAC (Darren Edwards).
Neil Harris was not able to add to his tally in this one as Eric Wannacott's MARTIN HOUSE couldn't handle this going and was
pulled up. A lovely sight coming down
the hill and towards the second last with the three main protagonists spread
across the course and the crowd cheering them on. Darren Edwards got the best out of FRONTENAC
and crossed the line four lengths to the good of a surprised and well ridden, best turned out YOUNG GENERAL (Nicky Rovai) with Colin a length back on NDITLIR.
Congratulations to Neil Harris for pulling off a hat
trick of wins and to Darren Edwards for clocking up a double. To those that didn't win and were carrying my
investments please BUCK UP and get among the winners soon. There is some one here mocking me so I guess
the bag profited from the last winner well done Ruth!
Next week Spooners and
Ruth and Fred