Worcestershire at CHADDESLEY CORBETT

Saturday 14th April 2000
by James Griffiths

Do It Once, 6-4 fav, only had to be ridden out by Clare Dyson to defeat Stretchit and his inexperienced pilot. This was Do It Once's first run in England, having won an Irish hunter chase last season.

The confined race promised a thrilling duel, with three improving young horses Philtre, The Archdeacon and Wejem among the seven runners. However it was the 20-1 outsider Strong Chairman (Sam Waley-Cohen) who came home first. The Archdeacon was never put into the race, Philtre hit the 2nd last very hard and couldn't recover, and Wejem fell at the last when 1/2 l down. This was easily the best race of the day, and far above the average confined race.

Only four turned up for the prestigious Lady Dudley cup, which was won in gallant front running style by Distinctive, 5-2 (Adrian Wintle). The winner jumped superbly and easily ran an off-form Solba into the ground to record a 20l success.

Killatty Player, 12-1, (Mouse Bariga) finally got the win she had been threatening all season, in a weak ladies open, where main rivals Karaburan jumped awfully and Name Of Our Father was woefully one-paced.

Atoski, 8-13 fav cantered home under Andrew Dalton, to win what was probably the worst restricted race of the season.

By contrast the closing maiden was a very classy affair and should produce many winners in the future. Fanion De Nourry crept gradually closer and took it up 3 out to win all out by 6l under L Hicks at a generous 7-1. This made up for pilot error at Sandon a fortnight earlier when he was caught on the line. Cherry Gold stayed on very strongly, on his first run of the season to take 2nd, just ahead of the slightly one-paced favourite, Mick Mackie.