Race Reports by Nicola, Stephanie & Martyn Dean
Race 1: The Albert Hall Dance Floors South East Hunts Club Members Conditions Race
Nine runners made their way to the starter with Repeat Business (James Tudor) sent off the 1/2 favourite. Last year’s winner Scenic Route (Mark Wall) was next in the betting at 4/1 whilst Paddycards (Sam Painting) was priced at 11/2. Dunloughin (Philip Hall) and Time Is Tickin (Oz Wedmore) were both priced at 10/1 and Chasers Chance (Caroline Dennis), Definite Ridge (Ray Glennon), Rio Novo (Peter Bull) and Terra Bleu (Clare Wills) were all priced at 20/1.
Scenic Route led the field over the first fence ahead of Terra Bleu, Time Is Tickin, Paddycards, Rio Novo, Definite Ridge, Chasers Chance, Dunloughin and Repeat Business. Time Is Tickin moved up to take the lead after the third fence whilst Dunloughin and Repeat Business were held at the rear of the field. Turning to face fence five Definite Ridge slipped up on the bend and brought down Chasers Chance reducing the field to seven. As the runners set out on their second circuit Time Is Tickin continued to lead from Paddycards, Scenic Route, Terra Bleu, Rio Novo, Repeat Business and Dunloughin who was starting to get detached six lengths behind his rivals. Paddycards jumped into the lead at fence ten with Time Is Tickin half a length behind. Repeat Business started to move through the field as the runners set out on their final circuit and was in third place behind Paddycards and Time Is Tickin at fence thirteen where Terra Bleu made a mistake. Repeat Business was moved to lead on the run to fence fifteen (third open ditch) with Paddycards and Scenic Route chasing followed by Terra Bleu and Time Is Tickin with Rio Novo and Dunloughin even further behind. Paddycards started to move back up beside the leader on the run to fence sixteen but made a mistake which allowed Repeat Business to quickly open up a six length advantage. Repeat Business managed to maintain his advantage and safely negotiated the final two fences to secure the victory. Paddycards held onto second place ahead of Scenic Route with Time Is Tickin taking fourth ahead of Terra Bleu. Rio Novo and Dunloughin both pulled up at fence seventeen.
1st Repeat Business James Tudor 1/2 (Favourite)
2nd Paddycards Sam Painting 11/2
3rd Scenic Route Mark Wall 4/1
4th Time Is Tickin Oz Wedmore 10/1
Distances: 8 lengths and 3 lengths
Time: 6mins 30 sec
Five finished
Race 2: The Highfields Farm Men's Open Race
Four runners were declared for the Men's open race with Quinz (Joe Hill) the odds on favourite at 1/5. Anseanachai Cliste (David Maxwell) was priced at 4/1 and Dance Tempo (Philip Hall) and Coursey Rover (Gordon Gallagher) were both priced at 8/1.Quinz led the field over the first fence ahead of Dance Tempo, Coursey Rover and Anseanachai Cliste. At fence three (first open ditch) Quinz had a two length advantage over Dance Tempo and Anseanachai Cliste with Coursey Rover a further four lengths behind. The four runners completed their first circuit without any incident but by fence nine (second open ditch) Quinz had a six length advantage over Dance Tempo who was three length ahead of Anseanachai Cliste with Coursey Rover a further four lengths behind. Quinz continued to lead with a clear advantage as the four runners completed their second circuit with Dance Tempo in second four lengths ahead of Anseanachai Cliste who was six lengths ahead of Coursey Rover. At fence fifteen (third open ditch) Quinz had a twenty length advantage whilst Dance Tempo started to tire as Anseanachai Cliste moved into second. Dance Tempo was pulled up before the sixteenth fence whilst Quinz had an unassailable lead over his remaining two rivals and his only danger was the obstacles he had to face. Quinz jumped immaculately over the final two fences to win comfortably whilst Anseanachai Cliste took second ahead of Coursey Rover who also completed.
1st Quinz Joe Hill 1/5 (Favourite)
2nd Anseanachai Cliste David Maxwell 4/1
3rd Coursey Rover Gordon Gallagher 8/1
Distances: A distance and 6 lengths
Time: 6mins 24 sec
Three finished
Race 3: The Investec Wealth & Investment Ladies Open Race
Ten runners were declared for the ladies open race with Done A Runner (Lucy Wheeler) the even money favourite with Little Legend (Cynthia Woods) also popular at 6/4. Behind The Scenes (Ella Darwin) was next in the betting at 8/1 whilst Counting House (Anna Sansom) was backed from 20/1 to 8/1 by the start of the race. The other six runners Cool Steel (Frankie Pullar), Lord Snow (Kath Port), Noble Commander (Alyce Fisher), Ukrainian Star (Clare Wills), Thenford Ryde (Frankie Hickman) and Tobougg Welcome (Hannah Rawdon-Mogg) were all priced at 20/1.
After an initial false start Little Legend led the field over the first fence ahead of Thenford Ryde, Behind The Scenes, Ukrainian Star, Done A Runner, Cool Steel, Counting House, Lord Snow, Noble Commander and Tobougg Welcome. Tobougg Welcome was very slow over the first couple of fences and allowed his rivals to gain an eight length advantage before reaching fence three (first open ditch) whilst Little Legend and Thenford Ryde continued to lead the runners. The ten runners completed their first circuit without any problems but with Tobougg Welcome detached from his rivals. At fence nine (second open ditch) Little Legend continued to lead from Thenford Ryde and Ukrainian Star with Done A Runner also close behind with Behind The Scenes and Counting House a further two lengths back ahead of Cool Steel with Lord Snow and Noble Commander a further two lengths behind and Tobougg Welcome a further ten lengths behind. Lord Snow fell at fence ten reducing the field to nine. As the runners headed out on their final circuit Done A Runner moved up to second behind Little Legend and the leading pair had a six length advantage over Ukrainian Star and Counting House with Behind The Scenes also still in contention. Cool Steel pulled up before the thirteenth fence whilst Noble Commander and Thenford Ryde continued ahead of the detached Tobougg Welcome. Counting House was asked to chase after the leading pair on the run to the fence fourteen where Noble Commander pulled up, but Little Legend and Done A Runner continued to lead by four lengths. Behind The Scenes also made up ground on the run to fence fifteen (third open ditch) and moved into third ahead of Counting House. Little Legend and Done A Runner continued to battle for the lead at the sixteenth fence with Little Legend maintaining a half length advantage over Done A Runner and Little Legend still held a slight advantage turning into the finishing straight. Little Legend took the penultimate fence ahead of Done A Runner and was still a length clear at the final fence but hit to top of the fence and caught a leg causing the pair to fall. This looked as if the race had been handed to Done A Runner but Done A Runner was brought down on landing by Little Legend as he got to his feet. Counting House had regained the advantage over Behind The Scenes for what they thought would be third place but now looked to have the race on landing over the final fence but Counting House jinxed to his left at the fallen jockeys and caused Anna Sansom to unseat which in term handed the race to Ella Darwin on Behind The Scenes. Thenford Ryde and Tobougg Welcome had both continued to complete and in doing so picked up second and third placings.
1st Behind The Scenes Ella Darwin 8/1
2nd Thenford Ryde Frankie Hickman 20/1
3rd Tobougg Welcome Hannah Rawdon-Mogg 20/1
Distance: Distance and Distance
Time: 6mins 33 sec
Three finished
Race 4: The Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club Members Race for Novice Riders
Previous course winner Citizens Arrest was sent off the 5/4 favourite in the six runner novice riders race whilst Lord Multifix (Charlie Marshall) was priced at 3/1, Hunters Lodge (Gareth Henderson) and Alpha Native (Susannah Gill) were both 4/1 and Rather Curious (Rex Dingle) and Tucumcari (Laura Thomas) were both priced at 8/1.
The six runners set off at a reasonable pace with Hunters Lodge and Alpha Native leading from Citizens Arrest, Rather Curious, Tucumcari and Lord Multifix. The six runners all jumped well throughout the first circuit and as they set out for the second circuit Citizens Arrest moved up to join Alpha Native to lead the field as Hunters Lodge dropped back to last place with Rather Curious, Tucumcari and Lord Multifix just in front. The six runners all jumped well for their second circuit again until fence eleven where Citizens Arrest made a mistake but the partnership was maintained. As the six runners headed out on their final circuit Alpha Native just had the advantage over Citizens Arrest whilst Hunters Lodge had moved up to share third with Tucumcari followed by Lord Multifix and Rather Curious. Citizens Arrest jumped up to lead at fence fifteen (third open ditch) but at the penultimate fence Citizens Arrest, Tucumcari, Alpha Native and Hunters Lodge were in the air together and the four raced to the final fence in a line across the course. All four took the fence well and continued to battle to the line but it was Citizens Arrest who just had his head in front at the winning post to deny Hunters Lodge for a second time. Tucumcari took third ahead of Alpha Native whilst Lord Multifix also finished in fifth and Rather Curious completed in sixth.
1st Citizens Arrest Alice Stevens 5/4 (Favourite)
2nd Hunters Lodge Gareth Henderson 4/1
3rd Tucumcari Laura Thomas 8/1
4th Alpha Native Susannah Gill 4/1
Distances: a neck and 1 length
Time: 6mins 34 sec
Six finished
Race 5: The Woodcote Green Garden Centre and Nurseries Restricted Race
High Hatton (James Tudor) was the 4/6 favourite to win the restricted race with De Clare Man (Rose Grissell) at 2/1, Country Foolery (Will Clarke) at 4/1, Printing Blue (G Bingham) at 7/1 and Shannon Smacker (Joshua Pearce) at 10/1.
Country Foolery led the runners over the first fence ahead of Printing Blue, Shannon Smacker, De Clare Man and High Hatton. Shannon Smacker made a mistake at the second fence and dropped to the back of the field but the five runners remained tightly bunched as they completed their first circuit with Country Foolery leading by a length from Printing Blue with De Clare Man and High Hatton a length further behind and Shannon Smacker just behind his rivals. Country Foolery and Printing Blue continued to lead at fence nine (second open ditch). De Clare Man made a slight mistake at fence ten and allowed High Hatton to move into third behind the leading pair. Country Foolery regained a length advantage as the five runners set out for their final circuit but at fence fourteen High Hatton was asked to increase the pace and quickly moved into the lead by a length ahead of Country Foolery whilst Printing Blue was a faller at the fourteenth. At the final open ditch (fence fifteen) High Hatton had a two length advantage over Country Foolery with De Clare Man a further two lengths back and Shannon Smacker a further five lengths behind in fourth. Country Foolery moved back up to join High Hatton at the sixteenth fence but on the run to the penultimate fence High Hatton regained a clear advantage ahead of Country Foolery and De Clare Man. High Hatton looked to have the race for the taking but made a mistake at the penultimate fence and unseated leaving Country Foolery and De Clare Man to battle to the final fence. The pair took the final fence together with Shannon Smacker also closing in on the leading duo but Country Foolery was able to find a little extra to pull away from De Clare Man on the run to the winning post whilst Shannon Smacker finished for third.
1st Country Foolery Will Clarke 4/1
2nd De Clare Man Rose Grissell 2/1
3rd Shannon Smacker Joshua Pearce 10/1
Distances: 2 lengths and 3 lengths
Time: 6mins 46 sec
Three finished
Race 6: The Burden Bros Open Maiden Race
Twelve runners completed in the concluding open maiden race. Minerfortyniner (David Maxwell) was the even money favourite with Boy Of Boru (Will Clarke) also popular at 5/2. Jenna Pride (Philip Hall) was priced at 4/1 whilst Crowd Control (James Tudor) and Nightscape (Clare Wills) were both priced at 8/1. Inside Out (Oz Wedmore), Iskrabob (Rose Grissell) and What About That (Charlie Marshall) were all 12/1, Showtime (Peter Bull) was 16/1 and Whispering Boy (Mark Clark), Realta Na Maidine (Tabitha Worsley) and Beat Master (Chris Dennington) were the 25/1 outsiders.
Iskrabob was a first fence casualty whilst What About That, Whispering Boy, Minerfortyniner and Nightscape were the early leaders followed by Realta Na Maidine, Jenna Pride, Boy Of Boru, Inside Out, Showtime, Crowd Control and Beat Master. Showtime made a mistake at fence five whilst the favourite Minerfortyniner dropped back through the field. As the eleven remaining runners set out for their second circuit Whispering Boy led from What About That and Nightscape with Jenna Pride in fourth ahead of Boy Of Boru, Crowd Control, Minerfortyniner, Realta Na Maidine, Showtime, Inside Out and Beat Master who was getting detached. Beat Master was pulled up at the eleventh fence having become detached and Realta Na Maidine was also pulled up before the eleventh having also started to get detached from the main field. As the remaining nine runners set out on their third and final circuit Whispering Boy led from Nightscape with Minerfortyniner close behind in third just ahead of Showtime, Boy Of Boru, Crowd Control, Inside Out, Jenna Pride and What About That. Showtime made a mistake at fence thirteen and lost a couple of lengths. Minerfortyniner moved up to lead on the run to the fifteenth (third open ditch) followed by Nightscape, Crowd Control and Jenna Pride as Whispering Boy started to drop back. Minerfortyniner quickly opened up a five length advantage on the run to the sixteenth fence and continued to pull further clear on the run to the penultimate fence where his advantage had increased to ten lengths. Minerfortyniner took the final fence fluently to secure the victory and loose his maiden status whilst Nightscape held on for second ahead of Crowd Control who finished strongly for third ahead of Jenna Pride. Boy Of Boru, Inside Out and Whispering Boy also completed whilst Showtime pulled up.
1st Minerfortyniner David Maxwell Evens (Favourite)
2nd Nightscape Clare Wills 8/1
3rd Crowd Control James Tudor 8/1
4th Jenna Pride Philip Hall 4/1
Distances: 15 lengths and 5 lengths
Time: 6mins 41 sec
Seven finished