Alas not a dry night for the Berkshire course, but still one
of plenty,not only seven races underway, but some of the horses on show
showing great potential for future stardom.
A superb evening also for Oxfordshire trainer Eve Johnson
Houghton, set above the village of Blewbury, once home of racing novelist Dick
Francis, the third generation trainer set a first in her training career.
Already with a winner in the bag when Coarse Cut took the last at Kempton at
20-1, and a short drive down the M4 gave the trainer her second winner of the
afternoon in the second race at Windsor Bahamadam at post at 33-1.
The two-year-old filly by Bahamian Bounty handled the six furlong softening ground well to take up the race a furlong out,
beating Hugo Palmer's Bee Case by two lengths.
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| Bahamadam |
Ridden by Robert Winston who himself riding plenty good winners lately mentioned ‘we thought she might need the run, she is a
little green and I had to get after her a bit towards the end, but she has won
this well, she is a nice little filly.’
The trainer exuberant with her double for the day
mentioned,’ we have really liked this filly, and thought today was a run out for
her, she is very green and should come on for the run. She may need a hood in
the future, or might grow out of it but time will tell, we won’t rush her, we
know she has ability.’
The filly in time may be aimed for a decent two-year-olds race before the end of the season, but the trainer who mentioned in an
interview that one thing she has learnt from watching her father Fulke Johnson
Houghton train was eye for detail and patience, both these factors would have
to be put into play with this youngster.
Her second winner at Windsor and the trainers 13’565/1
treble, came in the of the fifth race of the evening, Goring ridden by John
Fahy, jockey of the trainer’s winner at Kempton, pushed the four-year-old over
the line late on to beat Free Zone in a qualifier for the Windsor sprint series
by half a length, the final now only a few weeks away.
‘He is a tough sort of
horse,’ mentioned the jockey. ‘possibly suited to seven furlongs, but with the
rain taking a bit of the sting from the ground took that well.’
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| Goring |
The
trainer on her first ever treble mentioned, ‘I ride him out at home
occasionally, he tried to kick me when saddling him up, but he is real battler
this one I’m really pleased.’
Eve who is always championing the staff in the
industry also gave thanks, ‘Nothing can happen without a good team behind you,
I have a head lad that calms things down if I’m running around all over the
place and a good team that knows what they are doing, and I always have Dad to
ask for advice if I need it, Happy days.’
And so it was for the trainer, this four-year-old by Areion could be
back for the final of the series and if the ground is not fast could be a
contender.
The final itself is looking to be a massive event for the Berkshire
course, good prize money up for grabs will bring the great and the good out,
and looks a race not to miss.
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| we have really liked this filly, and thought today was a run out for her, she is very green and should come on for the run |
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| I ride him out at home occasionally, he tried to kick me when saddling him up, but he is real battler this one I’m really pleased |
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| Trainer Clive Cox and Jockey Tom Queally come back after checking conditions |
Racing though was not without incident, in the ten runner
amateur one mile three furlong race.
First Victoria Pendleton on her last ride before joining the
British media team in Rio for the Olympics on Lawney Hills Royal Etiquette
broke from the stalls very late, making it impossible for the jockey to make
any sort of race.
Then as a fine rain soaked the Berkshire track, two horses
slipped on the pull up area, causing concern as a few weeks earlier incidents of
that nature caused the abandonment of the meeting.
In the meantime, nineteen year old Charlotte Greenway
steered the Tom Dascombe trained Jersey Jewel home by a couple of lengths from
Miss Tiger Lilly.
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| Jersey Jewel |
‘She really picked up well for me and took the race in good form,’mentioned the amateur riding her second winner.
‘I’m riding out at the
moment for Mr Dascombe on my summer break before hitting university, so it was
nice to get a win.’ Business studies is what this nineteen year old will be
studying and looking the business in the saddle as she steered the four year old
filly around the Windsor figure of eight.
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| Charlotte Greenway steered the Tom Dascombe trained Jersey Jewel home by a couple of lengths from Miss Tiger Lilly. |
The five furlong dash of the evening went to another local
trainer, Lambourn based Joseph Tuite sent out the three-year-old filly Pink
Martini in the three year olds and upwards handicap, ridden by Oisin Murphy the
filly on her third win from ten starts ran on gamely in the fishing strides to
take the race by a short head from Andrea Atzeni on John Joiner. ‘The race went
as planned, and it is really nice to get a winner for the trainer, who is in
form at present having three winners in ten days.
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| The five furlong dash of the evening went to another local trainer, Lambourn based Joseph Tuite sent out the three-year-old filly Pink Martini |
A gutsy performance
from the Tagula filly in ground that had changed from the start from good to
firm to good, as the rain continued to trickle more than pour on the course
that had had a good watering over the weekend. On the plus side, without the watering more incidents could have occurred, the ground giving way for the
horses to get their toe in, whereas a few weeks earlier the ground stayed wet on the top causing slipping, and the abandonment of the meeting before the third.
Ralph Beckett saddled the winner of the next race the one
mile handicap for three year olds and upwards.
The See the stars chestnut filly, September Stars made short work of the six runner field to take her second win in two starts.
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| September Stars |
Taking the race with ease by six lengths from top weight
Harlequin Striker Jim Crowley on board mentioned.’ Winning on her last week with firmer ground she is a filly that is progressing nicely, the distance
suits her and she has a lovely cruising speed.’
It must be said that See the starts offspring look good
sturdy types, dependable and tough to boot, this filly no exception and would
be defiantly one to put in the note books.
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| Jim Crowley on board mentioned.’ Winning her last week on a little firmer ground she is a filly that is progressing nicely, the distance suits her and she has a lovely cruising speed.’ |
William Haggas even on his summer vacation can churn out the
winners, Julia Dream ridden by Pat Cosgrove performed under pressure well to
take the one mile two furlongs’ maiden by a length from Charlie Hill’s
Heartstone.
‘She took a bit to get her up to top speed but once there I always
knew she was going to win,’ mentioned the Jockey. ‘Her action would warrant her
for a little firmer ground really, but she has stuck it out well.’
The Montejeu
three year old on her first win from four starts looks the type that would go
on again soon off a fair weight, so would be one to look out for next time out
if placed well. A winner none the less that would allow the holiday cocktails
to taste a little more sweeter for the master Somerville Lodge.
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| Julia Dream |
The last race of the evening in the failing gloom of a wet
summers evening went to Hughie Morrison’s Senza Una Donna, in the mile two furlongs’
handicap.
The three-year-old by Sir Percy took up the race a furlong out under
the steerage of 5 lbs claimer Charlie Bennett, hung left and only got to the
line a neck in front of Robert Havlin on So Celebre.
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| Senza Una Donna |
‘We have gone a good gallop so I have been able to settle
him, in the end he has done alright to take the race.’
The jockey ever keen to
get weighed in and showered and on the way home than to stand a chew the cud about
this one.
The gelding on his tenth start and third win all of them on the grass
could be one to go again, dependant on the opposition,and could be one for a quick
turnaround.
And for the course a quick turnaround also, Sunday and Monday
racing looms for the Berkshire course in a double header for the weekend, it is
hoped for better weather.
Reports from both the days can be viewed at
