Bumper crowd at Stratford's big weekend of the year
HORSE RACING
THE crowds flocked to Stratford’s big weekend of the year, with Wonderful Charm just coming out ahead in a thrilling finish to the £25,000 Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters’ Chase, highlight of Friday’s ever-popular Hunterchase Evening, writes David Hucker.
Just touched off by Hazel Hill at Cheltenham four weeks before, Caryto Des Brosses was well-backed to go one better here and he was taken to the front by Dale Peters before the water jump on the first circuit.
Jumping well in the lead, he still held the advantage at the second-last fence when he made his only mistake.
He came to the final obstacle still looking the likely winner, but it proved far from over as, although Sam Waley-Cohen had been hard at work on Wonderful Charm from some way out, he was staying on strongly and, despite an untidy jump at the last, came to nail the leader right on the post and win by a neck.
The betting suggested that the opening Llewellyn Humphreys 'Restricted Point-To-Point' (a Novices' Hunters' Chase) lay between 8-11 favourite Earth Leader, trained by Rose Loxton, and General Arrow, ridden by record-breaking lady rider Gina Andrews for her husband Tom Ellis.
Mrs Loxton has had a good point-to-point season with her small stable and the progressive Earth Leader came into the meeting having won four races in a row, including a maiden hunters’ chase at Fontwell Park by 24 lengths with regular jockey Bryan Carver.
General Arrow, successful in his last three point-to-points, was making his debut under Rules and he set the early pace with Pancrace, with Earth Leader tracking the leading pair.
General Arrow made mistakes down the back straight allowing Earth Leader to take control and, although Buck Dancing came from the back to lay down a challenge, the result was never in doubt.
A bad mistake three fences from home cost Bletchley Castle any chance of winning at Huntingdon last time out and punters were betting on him making amends in the following Sheldon Bosley Knight Open Hunters’ Chase, sending him off the 7-2 favourite.
But, in a race run at a furious pace, it was a local success for Wellesbourne trainer Fred Hutsby with 28-1 outsider Downbythestrand, who led coming out of the back straight, holding off the challenge of Llancillo Lord, with Bletchley Castle, who held every chance, fading tamely from the penultimate fence.
Multiple point-to-point winner Kalabaloo was a pretty short price to become the first mare to win the pointtopoint.co.uk Champion Novices’ Hunter Chase, but there was also a bit of gamble on Law Of Gold, backed from 14-1 into 9-1.
The two jumped the fourth-last fence together, but the petrol tank emptied quickly for Kalabaloo and it was Law Of Gold and Dale Peters who came home in front, holding the challenge of Winged Leader, whose chance wasn’t helped by a last fence blunder.
Virak, a winner of 15 races and dropping back in distance after finishing third over three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham last time, was a hot favourite to make it a double for Rose Loxton in the Skinner’s Ladies Open Point-To-Point Championship Final.
Ridden by Natalie Parker, he almost came to grief at the first fence when colliding with Patricktom Boru, but was soon back in the race and in with every chance.
He hit a flat spot as the runners jumped the fourth-last fence and, although running on again, couldn’t catch Meldrum Lad on whom Becky Smith rode a patient and well-timed race to come round the inside and win with a bit in hand,
Carry top weight of 12-7, past course winner Risk A Fine made all the running with James King in the White Swan Hotel Handicap Hunters’ Chase, always having too much in hand for Irish raider Road To Riches, before 10-1 shot Love Around won an eventful bumper to bring Friday evening to close.
Highlight of Saturday’s Peaky Blinders Evening was the Class Two Derek Pardy 90th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase over two miles and a furlong and it went to northern raider Double W’s who followed up his recent Warwick win in fine style for trainer Ruth Jefferson.
Again brought from off the pace by Leighton Aspell, Double W’s blundered at the third-last fence, but recovered to take the lead at the last and hold Champagne At Tara on the run-in.
There was another valuable prize for the Mid Warwickshire Cleaning Handicap Hurdle with Constancio, who was left clear by the last flight fall of Red Hot Chilly, making all the running to score for the Elite Racing Club.
For jockey Aidan Coleman, victory on Western Miller, another to lead all the way when landing the Timy Cup Handicap Chase for Over Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon, was the 1,000th of his career, becoming the eighth jockey currently riding to reach four figures.
