REVIEW
NORTH SHROPSHIRE
EYTON-ON-SEVERN
Monday 17th April 2006
by Arthur Shone
Monday afternoon produced a cracking
days racing. The warm weather prior to racing saw race goers flock
to the course in droves, which resulted in a crowd well in excess
of 10,000. It was also another good day in the office for
Shrewsbury rider Richard Burton, who followed up his treble at
Sandon on Easter Saturday with another treble here. This was his 32
nd winner of the season, which puts him well on track to retaining
his national and area riders championships. Once again, Hadnall
trainer Sheila Crow took the training honours with a double to
record her 22 nd winner of the season.
The Men’s Open for the coveted Silver
Fox trophy was a repeat of the 2005 Bangor Final between the winner
No Retreat from the John Groucott yard and the runner up Cornish
Gale from the Donald McCain Jnr stable. This time around the
placings were reversed. Cornish Gale who won this race last year
was given a supremely confident ride by the champion rider Richard
Burton. He tracked No Retreat all the way round and then pounced at
the second last to win going away by 6 lengths. Winning trainer
Donald McCain said afterwards that this was the first time in 18
months that the winner had had his favoured fast ground; he also
added that he was very hopeful that his charge would run very well
in the Bangor Final next month if the ground was quick. The winner
ran in the well-known colours of the flamboyant entrepreneur Derek
Malam from Nantwich, who is great supporter of this sport.
The mare Jackie Jarvis regained her old form
of last season when easily winning the Ladies Open easing down by
15 lengths from Sue Sharratt on Lance Toi with Monsieur Tagel a
further two lengths back in third. Winning trainer John Swindells
from Tarporley said afterwards that his charge loved the fast
ground and Eyton and added that if it was similar ground at Bangor
next month then he would be tempted to run her in the Bangor Final.
The winner is owned jointly by the trainer and Jan Wood who is also
from the Tarporley area
Will Hill is riding on a crest of a wave this
season and rode a very stylish race on Oh So Droll in the Confined
to record his eighth winner of the season. The Teenoso gelding was
produced with a perfectly timed run at the last fence to collar the
odds jolly Shraden Edition under Richard Burton and win a shade
cosily by six lengths. The winner is trained at Bishops Castle by
Pam Sykes and ran in the unfamiliar colours of Johnny Lomax and
Chris Acton as most people associate this horse with Richard
Burton’s father Rob, but he explained afterwards that he had
leased his horse to the new owners for the season, because co owner
Chris Acton wanted a horse to learn to ride on in point to point
races but unfortunately he fell off the horse at Bangor and is
currently sidelined with a broken thumb as a result of his
tumble.
Only three runners faced the starter for the
opening Members race which saw the Sheila Crow trained Lord Bush
under Richard Burton go off at an unbackable 1-10 on. The
combination won as an odds on shot should making every yard to beat
Hugo De Perro under Luke Johnson by 15 lengths. The runner up is
trained by Crow’s brother Gordie Edwards. The Lord Americo
gelding was winning his fourth race of the season and is owned by
Richard French from Eccleshall and by David and Ann Carding from
Walcot. Crow said afterwards that her charge would have a rest for
a few weeks and plans to run him next in a hunter chase at
Cheltenham.
Richard French also visited the
winner’s enclosure as the sole owner following the success of
Bobtail in the Restricted, who found a nice turn of foot under the
champion rider Richard Burton to win going away by three lengths
from Times Two under David Greenway. Winning trainer Sheila Crow
was very relieved after this race that her charge had finally got
his head in front. Speaking after the race, she said, “We
bought him in Ireland two years ago. He has plenty of problems from
sore shins to a bad cold and we have just had to be patient with
him. We’re lucky to have owners like Richard (French), who is
a very patient man. Thank God that we have won another Restricted
as I have so many horses to run in these races. We might run him
next in a two and a half mile hunter chase at Huntingdon if the
ground remains fast, as this is his ground.”
It was also a notable landmark for
Cholmondley trainer Charlie Barlow, who recorded his first winner
as a trainer following the success of Carnalway in the Open Maiden
with his brother David in the plate; he only needs one more winner
to reach the century as he is currently on 99-winner mark after
yesterday. The winner pulled out more when challenged by Carly
Goodall on Major Bit to win by a length and a half with the
well-backed Minnigaff a similar distance back in third. The winner
used to be trained under rules by Francis Flood and was purchased
by his owner and trainer privately in Ireland two years ago.
The 4,5,6 & 7 year old Maiden race over
two and a half miles was won in fine style by Lathyrus who
quickened up nicely under the talented Charlie Huxley to win
readily by 8 lengths from Inch Over with Hop Pocket a further 4
lengths back in third. The winner was a former inmate under rules
with Henry Daly and is trained at Leighton by James Evans for a
syndicate from the Welshpool area, which includes the trainer his
father Jim, Jim Blurton, Patrick Burling and Wayne Tuffin.
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