REVIEW |
Didmarton has played a crucial
role in Alison Dare’s Point to Point career. The six times Ladies Champion
had her first ride and her first winner at the course and she had further
cause for celebration when Machalini’s victory in the Duke of Beauforts
Members race secured her first training success.
Radbrook Hall carried the
colours of Tom George to victory in Division I of the 5, 6 & 7 year old
Maiden. The Slad trainer was busy saddling Tremalt at Newbury so missed this
win but his wife Sophie was on hand to greet this progressive 5-year-old on
his return to the unsaddling enclosure.
Harry Dowty is enjoying his
gap year prior to University and the winners are beginning to flow now that
he is able to devote himself to the sport fulltime. He was seen to good
advantage on Daisy Fay who was noted making significant progress on the
downhill run to the 15th and the 9-year-old mare was in full
command of the Restricted until she started to slow dramatically approaching
the last.
The Mixed Open was the West Midland Area Feature Race but the lure of extra prize money attracted just five runners and resulted in a comprehensive victory for the Keith Cummings trained Friar Waddon who was winning his third consecutive race over the course having won the Intermediate in 2002, and the Mixed Open the following year. The favourite Shobrooke Mill was in trouble at the 15th and was unable to respond when the winner drew clear at the next.
Jumping played a crucial role
in several of the races. Kerstino Two started favourite for the Intermediate
but made several errors including a bad mistake at the 11th which
Jamie Snowden did well to survive. It says much for the 7-year-olds
constitution that the partnership were still in contention at the last but
Michael Miller and Skip’N’Tune soon took command and had little
difficult holding their advantage down the long run in. Trainer Richard
Miller had bypassed a more local meeting at Charlton Horethorne in such of
better ground.
Favourite backers were extremely lucky to collect on Brass Razoo in the closing Maiden. Stuart Morris’s mount had been left floundering as Billie Whitelies held a race winning lead at the second from home. Unfortunately for jockey/trainer Scott Joynes his mount made his only error in an otherwise faultless round and paid the penalty. Left in front, Brass Razoo was all out to hold the determined challenge of Beau Jake on the flat.
Caroline Keevil looks to have a useful prospect in the 5-year-old Western Frontier who got the better of a sprint finish with Saffron Hill in Division II of the younger Maiden.
|