Waveney Harriers at Higham is busy for Pennock’s three

Was Higham the only dry place in the country? The courses first meet of the season saw 85 entries but only 35 declared for the six-race card that was run on good/good to firm ground. Ground that spectators could certainly hear the hooves rattle around the flat left handed track.

With a midweek cold snap that saw the thaw take its time to come out of the East Anglian area course the organizers worked hard to get the meeting going.
An early inspection saw the stewards omit the few fences going out into the back straight making the fences 15 instead the usual 19.

Races cutting up into small contests allowed the firm ground lovers to zip on to make fast run contests that in some events sorted the men out from the boys.

It was local trainer and great supporter of the track Andrew Pennock who made most of the day by saddling three winners throughout the afternoon, the trainer that never really stops to take in all his hard work was a hard man to find and talk to Constantly on the move, it was left to his owners and jockeys to talk about his achievements.

Abbey lane takes the fence from placed horses Drumshambo and Carlanstown

Abbey Lane opened the batting for the Pennock team with a nine length win over Drumshambo in the Waveney Harriers members race for veteran and novice riders.
Ridden by Ben James the 12-year-old took his pointing career of four runs, two wins and two places the last win coming two weeks back that time on good to soft ground.
‘It’s plenty firm enough out there, but it’s safe which is the main thing,'mentioned the jockey. 'I got the ride off Mr Pennock this morning and have been told plenty about him, I was delighted when I got the call.’
The young assistant trainer to Michael Bell, who has ridden winners over both disciplines explained, ‘ I work for Mr Bell in the morning, after midday I’m available then to go off school or ride out for other trainers, so it works very well.’

On eight pointing rides with two winners, twenty five rides on the flat and under rules this young jockey/trainer certainly comes with experience and has something the trained eye of Pennock has noticed.
The same can be said about the horse also who certainly looks the type to come on from his endeavours, and one to note.

The in form trainer had to wait until the last two races to notch up his finale two winners of the afternoon. Mahler’s Sprit winning the maiden open by a length from Archie Wright having a positive season himself on Le Fou Royal by a length.

Mahler’s Sprit winning the maiden open by a length from Le Fou Royal

The seven-year-old chestnut owned by avid supporters of the local trainer the 2 Farmers, a Butcher and two mates’ partnership were somewhat surprised by the win.
'We didn’t really have a bet on him today as he was just out for the run being a bit short on work,the weather has meant he hasn’t been able to jump many fences but we seem to be lucky owners for Andrew, or he is a lucky trainer for us. He is a good trainer though.’

Ridden by Evan David the horse seemed very competitive, the race run at a much more sedate pace throughout the distance compared to earlier races and off the fast ground it would be interesting to see how the gelding reacts to the run and progresses.
The partnership not shy of collecting point to point races as they owned the mare Galros Lady who was leading winning mare last season.

Again the trainer not present at the prize giving, never stopping he was saddling up two in the last race of the day, jockey Evan David also having to rush off to get on the 11/10 favourite for the trainer in the Restricted race.

The local trainer on a brace sent two to post for the final race of the day, Scorpion Star ridden by David, the jockey looking for a double for the afternoon and his 40^th winner of his career.
 And 7/4 shot Torran Na Dtonn, ridden by another jockey looking for a double for the afternoon Shane Roche.

Torran Na Dtonn, ridden by another jockey looking for a double for the afternoon Shane Roche.

The favourite looked to be set to win three out, Roche on the other Pennock horse on his heels, but it was the nine-year-old Torran Na Dtonn who took the last in clean fashion, the favourite faltering giving Evan a nasty fall, to take him to a 6-length win from Mere Detail and Charlie Marshall.

‘I had trouble pulling this fella up to be fair,’ mentioned the Irishman. ‘He pulled my arms out the whole way around, he travelled so well he’d test your fitness that’s for sure.’

The gelding by Fruits of Love looked a nice solid type for chasing, and showed good jumping and enthusiasm that would be sure when out again be hard to beat.

The jockey on two wins for the afternoon was delighted to get good rides of quality trainers.’ I was asked to ride this one mid-week by Mr Pennock and any ride from the stable is a good spare to get.

All three of the winners from the Andrew Pennock stable looked very promising for the future and must of made for a happy horsebox on the way home

Abbey lane

Mahler’s Sprit (farside) Le Fou Royal (nearside)

Torran Na Dtonn and Shane Roche. 

Shane Roche’s other winner of the afternoon came in the shape of another spare ride. This time for fellow countryman Thomas Gallagher’s Mr Raj the usual mount of Sam Davies-Thomas, who took the PPROA members race by two lengths form Mister Bricolage ridden by Archie Wright.

‘He well suits this ground and has ran very well so early on,’ mentioned the trainer.’ This was really meant as a prep race for him, but it’s all fallen in so well for him today. Shane has ridden him well for me today and I’ve told him to ride his own race, I just need now to find the right races for him, he probably is not that much of an open race contender.

The jockey on 55 rides pointing and hunter chasing with seven wins under his belt, six of the wins coming from race card doubles mentioned, ’Tom has a nice bunch of horses with Mr Reddington, this horse is a really nice jumper and we all thought he needed a run, he is a spring horse really but I have given him a squeeze and he has come on for me.’

The trainer now with his work cut out to find races for the nine-year-old, but note should be taken by this well-respected trainer when he has horses out they would be well worth a follow.

Mr Raj 

Both open races on early entries looked very competitive affairs,at declaration only six runners between the two races came forward on the firm ground.
The Men’s open, trainer Francesca Nimmo sent her eleven-year-old Green Bank to post the 4/7 favourite.

The pace not for the faint hearted certainly showed for from one of the participants Good Order who found the going and pace too hot early on was well tailed off  from the front pair of Green bank and Guy Disney on Off the Ground.

At the eleventh fence the fast pace jumping was a little too sharp for the Guy Disney mount as they came crashing to the ground giving the jockey a nasty fall, this left Hugh Nugent and Green bank unchallenged for a circuit to take the race at his ease.

Francesca Nimmo sent her eleven-year-old Green Bank to post the 4/7 favourite.

‘I rode this fella at Barbury last time out and got unseated, he was probably a little too over keen, but he has settled well and is a horse we like a lot in the yard,’ mentioned the trainer on her first win of the season. Who last season had a good run of winners in the Spring. ‘We have some really nice maidens to run yet in the spring so all going well the season should pick up, they all school at Mollington tomorrow so i hope all goes well there.’

Hugh Nugent who usually rides for the Cotswold based trainer mentioned,’ being left on his own suited him really, the pace was very hot to start as in a small field we had two big front runners, but he has jumped well and with his head in front was happy with the way things were for him, if he gets headed that’s when he seems to chuck the towel in a bit.’

Hugh Nugent on Green Bank

The ladies open was run a similar fashion as that of the previous race, a good pace was set, but quality showed through as the Alan Hill trained Start Royal went to post on his 37^th outing, 22 being wins.

Ridden by sixteen-year-old Izzie Marshall, Gina Andrews at another meeting the thirteen year old looked the class act taking the lead from the sixth fence and pulling away from his only two other competitors by 15 lengths two out.

Alan Hill trained Start Royal

‘He is such a dream ride to get,’ mentioned the young jockey still studying for her A levels. ‘I took the five pounds off still being a novice rider but it was an honour to get the call with Gina being somewhere else, I have to be honest about it getting on him I was slightly nervous as he is such an amazing horse and I didn’t want to let anyone down, but he looked after me so well out there.'

The jockey on a 40% strike rate, four winners from ten rides regularly rides out for the Oxfordshire based trainer, in between school work, the Hill yard being the place to be for jockeys with talent to tune into their craft.
‘Riding out and schooling in the yard helps me so much, everyone is eager to give good feedback and areas to work on so it really helps.’

Riding quality horses such as Start Royal also helps get the young jockeys noticed, and there must be something the Hills have seen in this young jockey to give her this sort platform to perform on.

sixteen-year-old Izzie Marshall receives her pize for the Ladies open

So not a vast number of runners for the meeting, but a quality one to boot.

All fallers and tumblers getting up and walking away from their spills, all applauded by the enthusiastic crowd which adds to the afternoon enjoyment.

Back to East Anglia again this weekend as Horseheath, one of the best viewing tracks available has its first meeting of the 2016-17 season, weather permitting……

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