Huntsmen and hounds of the Southdown & Eridge Hunt
In the heart of Surrey Godstone point to point paid host the
Southdown and Eridge Hunt, were a good attendance and fine weather pathed the
way for six high class and competitive races. One of them being the South East
Grand National mixed open.
The first race an open maiden saw eleven runners to post,
Gina Andrews hoping to carry on her winning streak from the last at High Easter
the day before, now on board the even money favourite Fizzlestix.
But at the finish it was the ever popular colours of red and
brown and David Maxwell stormed up the finishing straight beating Andrews by
twenty lengths on an impressive five year old Brice Canyon.
Brice Canyon
Consistently in the winners enclosure in the geldings first
three runs David mentioned that he had been running consistently below par in
those outings.
’This is a proper good horse, it beats everything on the gallops
at home, he’s a good jumper and we just could not understand why we haven’t won
on him already, I think the ground has just come right for him today and he's shown what he could do.’
Maxwell mentioned how he thought this was one of his
best maidens, that being high praise enough from an owner/rider who knows what
is needed in a racehorse. Especially after a superb placed ride over the
Aintree fences in the Foxhunters.
‘That was the best fun you could have with your clothes on,
it was just a thrill.’ Talking about of course his ride in the race third
placed Mendip Express.
‘We are off to Punchestown with him next to take on the
Boldgers and on the Fringe in their own back yard.’
David giving praise to
these type races as getting better and better.
But certainly his maidens are
showing they are improving to.
Another good healthy declaration for the conditions race saw
the Rose Grissell charge of Time is tickin beat the mighty team Maxwell. The
ten year old by Alfora, ridden by up and coming jockey Oz Wedmore winning by ten
lengths.
Oz Wedmore on Time is Tickin
Winning a restricted and placed in a Hunter chase last year,
the horse has taken time to get going this season.
Coming round the bend at Godstone the
gelding looked as If he was going to get headed up the final two fences, but
fighting on again the horse took over, and went away from Rob Conti and Maxwell
and Black Glen Boy and Dicky Collinson.
‘He wore a tongue tie for the first
time today and that has made all the difference.’ Mentioned the jockey who is
having a very successful season so far. ‘There wouldn’t be much improvement
from that run; I would say that would be one of his best contests. But we will try
to get him on that ground again if we can and get another win from him before
the end of the season.’
The young jockey not too enthused by the rest of the
season mentioning his other fancied mounts are not on full form at present, but
there is plenty of time yet for this up and coming to make his mark.
Winner of the Restricted.
Oz Wedmore on Time is Tickin
The third race of the day was the South east Mixed Open Grand national
run over the extended distance of 3 ¾ miles.
A quality field, but racing has its way in becoming a great leveler as Louise Allan who had her first winner (as a jockey) of the season
at High Easter the day before, in an emotional fashion, due to the loss of her
charge Clonbanan Lad in the Foxhunters a few days before, bought home Mr Robert
Clifton-Brown’s Kimora by ten lengths from the useful Hunters Lodge and Rey
Nacarado.
Louise Allan on Kimora
The ten year old mare, no slouch herself winning the mares’
race at the Fontwell’s hunter chase meeting last year, was ridden with fine
execution to take on the front runners from about three out, with that run she
gained momentum to which the others could not match, making it easier going for
the rider/trainer coming over the last.
That was the first time I have ridden
her actually in a race,’ mentioned Louise.’ I have watched her in races, and
have been told to be patient with her, but when she is asked to kick
and go she just flies, and that’s what she has done today.’
Kimora winner of the South East Grand National open
Louse mentioned they were lucky to buy the horse really, who was bought for the veteran owner Mr Robert Clifton-Brown to have some fun with.
‘After sadly loosing one of his horses at Aintree I didn’t really want to come
to the races this weekend, but I was told to get on with it, and I’m thrilled
for the owner really who hasn’t had a great time of it himself this year.’
The mare know looks like she might go back to Fontwell, but
with a possible penalty, if the ground stays soft a trip to Cheltenham for the
Hunter Chase evening meet could be on the cards. But whatever, this weekend is
what makes National Hunt racing what it is. One for you Clonbanan........
The Open maiden race saw an eight runner contest. Leading East
Anglian jockey Dicky Collinson’s mount Hi Lucy Lou going to the tapes the even
money favourite, showed her worth by a gutsy performance beating Eagle Harbor
and Clondaw Nell by five lengths.
The eight year old Luso mare owned by the same partnership
as the impressive Galros lady showed that a pair of quality racing mares is
worth a lot in the racing world.
‘I’m so please for the owners,’ mentioned the
jockey. ‘It’s so nice, possibly not practical to have two quality mares in the
team. This mare though has such a fast jump she just grinds her opposition into
submission. When you know you have good horse under you it makes decisions
easier in a race.’
Hi Lucy Lou winning the open maiden at Godstone
Collinson gave praise to the trainer Andrew Pennock. ‘He trains
a tough horse, not over worked, but when they work they have to do their job,
some come to the races for a rest and still win, but it seems a good partnership
and long may it continue.’
Hi Lucy Lou, in her first run for the Pennock/Collinson
combination will be watched now and see how she comes out of a race before
future plans are announced.
And that the same for Galros Lady, the five times winning mare for the two farmers and a Butcher partnership has a plan yet to be
disclosed, possibly Stratford but who knows, anyway it’s a fine situation to be
in with a pair of mares on the table.
Hi Lucy Lou, R. Collinson on board
The penultimate race of the day a restricted Subaru race,
five runners went to post.
Margot Fontane
With her win here at Godstone five weeks back, Peter Bull’s
Margot Fontane was sent off the odd's on favourite, despite having a fall at the
Penhurst meet two weeks previous.
‘When she ran here first time she didn’t
really know what had hit her, so we took her to Penhurst, she knew a little
more that day, a bigger field and she stepped through the open ditch fence and bough her
down. Disappointing, so i dropped her out a bit today and it has done the
trick.’
The small six year old mare by Tobugg beating by a distance the runner
up Tinkakellyflyer and Oz Wedmore.
Peter Bull on board Margot Fontane
The veteran jockey in the changing room mentioned, ‘she
never really feels like a racehorse. She hunts well and often, and bred
to stay so I’m delighted on her come back, at such a young age.’
Both wins know
being at the Godstone course and in impressive fashion makes up for her size and
feel. And is a young horse with a big future.
The experienced showed in Bull as at the second last he put
her into the fence at an angle,’ she was wrong approaching the fence, so I put
her into the fence at an angle to give her a bit more room, instead of asking
her to stand off. So we’ll have to see how she comes out of the race and go
from there.’
A small horse with a big future of point to pointing. A
true amateur on her back in Phil Bull who will look after her and place her
just right. Underline her for the future.
The last race of the day a race for veteran and novice
riders went to the fore.
Jockey Marcus Gorman on even money favourite The
Crafty Butcher timed his announcement to retire from the point top point saddle
just right as he bought the nine year old trained by Carolyn Gorman home by two
lengths from the witches’ hat.
‘I’m pleased he has been challenged, he is lazy in front, in Ireland he never made the running, so a chase up has spurred
him on again. We really fancied a win today, and whatever happened I was going
to retire here so I’m delighted.’
Marcus Gorman on The Crafty Butcher
The jockey with 80 point to point wins to his credit, the
first one being at the now closed Berkshire course of Twesledown on the late
National hero Dick Saunders trained Optic Paddy, in the year Marcus aptly
forgot to mention.
‘My best memory I would take with me from the saddle. Must
be my ride around Aintree, apt for this weekend really but that one stands
out.’
Marcus who has seen so many changes in the point to point
field one of them being the lack of farmers with horses to run is delighted
with his lot and a final piece of advice he could give to the young bucks in
the changing room was to ‘Enjoy it, as before you know it your as old as me and
retiring, so have fun while it lasts.’
Marcus Gorman, The Crafty Butcher winning the veterans and novice riders race (centre)
A fitting end to a glorious day. Throughout the country
meeting have been well attended, good racing on offer. Point to point racing I
feel is in good firm hands.
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