Vale Of Aylesbury with
Garth & South Berks
Kingston Blount
Saturday 9th May 2009
by Simon McInnes
photos
by Neale Blackburn
http://
Whilst this may seem a dramatic step purely
to avoid going to Peper Harrow, the proximity to the M40 and a day
of pleasantly clear roads meant that this meeting was relatively
accessible, and despite the fastish ground, fairly well endowed
with runners. On arrival, there did not seem a huge number of
horseboxes in the parking area, especially considering that there
was pony races as well, but a few more trundled along and those
present must have brought multiple animals, as there were 45
declared over the seven races.
Going: Good to Firm (Good places)
Race 1: The French
Horn, Sonning-On-Thames Restricted
1: Sheknowsyouknow 2: Sorbiediditmyway 3: Apple Days
Winner owned & trained: Michael Hawker, ridden: Mark
Wall
After winning out of the blue last year,
Sheknowsyouknow found things harder at this level, but in 2009 she
has been more consistent, even if only winning once before today,
and was able to take this mediocre restricted without too much
bother. She was fifteen lengths to the good at the fourth last and
gradually went further and further ahead. Life becomes a lot
tougher for her from now on. Sorbiediditmyway was the one go try
and take the winner on, but he struggled through the last
three-quarters of a mile and was being worn down by Apple Days for
second when the line came to his rescue. Farmer John, third at
Larkhill last time in a rare completion, did looked like a horse
who thinks that made for a sound career and now is time to call it
quits.
Sheknowsyouknow and Mark Wall take the last
on route tovictory in the Restricted
Race 2: The Shepherd's
Crook, Crowell Open Maiden (4-7 yo) 2m 5f
1: Sir Ronan 2: Mirage Prince
Winner owned: D Spearing, trained: Alan Hill, ridden: James
Tudor
The nature of this race changed dramatically in
the dip going away from the paddock, which was out of sight from
the point I had experimented with for viewing, assuming that the
hidden ground would be fairly innocuous in how the events would
unfold. Leader Charles Street Lad had some problem around about the
eighth fence, and went from a few clear in front to almost tailed
off, and Showman (five out of five for non-finishing), Aldridge
Hill and Madam Molly (signs of residual inexperience on her second
run) all departed at the same point. This left Sir Ronan (unseated
debut and remounted for second in his follow up run) and Mirage
Prince (reliable to make the frame but winless in thirteen tries)
in control, and they were left further clear when Shrewd Dude fell
four from home. Given his history, Sir Ronan put in a solid round
of jumping and clearly has ability, but he was not really
challenged to win this race and has to prove that he can do it
under pressure.
Sir Ronan and James Tudor take the Young
Horse Maiden
Race 3: The Fox
Country Inn Ladies' Open
1: Avesomeofthat 2: Rustic John 3: Teeton Prince
Winner owned: AA Wintle, trained & ridden: Hannah
Lewis
When with Seamus Mullins, stamina was not really
Avesomeofthat's forte, although fast ground was, so for him to
struggle earlier in the season was no surprise. However, it came
right in his previous race, and he repeated the dose with
authority, easing clear after hitting the front four out and
finding the triumph as comfortable to secure as a cabinet member
submitting an unscrupulous expense claim. Rustic John was on a roll
earlier in 2009, but looks like he has gone a touch off of the
boil. Teeton Prince was never dangerous and only inherited third
when High Rank ran out of steam quite rapidly from the third
last.
Avesomeofthat and Hannah Lewis take the
Ladies
Race 4: Volkswagen
Touareg Men's Open
1: Itsalf 2: Burntoakboy 3: Virginia Preuil
Winner owned: DH Morgan, trained: Julie Houldey, ridden: Dave
Mansell
A healthy seven declared from eleven entries,
but three stood out on form, and they dominated both the betting
and the race. Itsalf did briefly rise to be favourite, but late
money for Burntoakboy restored him to that position. The rumour
going round the course was that the horse had been subject to
problems in a wind operation, and there was an element of
experimentation to this run to see how well he had got over it. The
others were prepared to ensure any failings were exposed, as Itsalf
and Virginia Preuil ensured a good pace, with the latter often
niggled along to hassle Itsalf into stepping it up a bit more.
Initially it seemed that Burntoakboy had passed the test as he
passed Virginia Preuil when asked for a bit of effort on the far
side of the course, but approaching the final turn it was apparent
that he was not going to do any better than that, and Itsalf was
not, in the end, hard pressed to retain first place.
Itsalf and Dave Mansell purple with yellow
hoops on sleeves on route to the mens open
Race 5: Cornbury
Festival Intermediate
1: More Trouble 2: Jewel Song 3: Intaglio
Winner owned: IR Mann, trained: Alan Hill, ridden: James
Tudor
Despite a couple of pieces of bad luck, More
Trouble has adapted really well in his first pointing season and
this was win number four, but he did not have a totally easy time
of it. Jewel Song made a decent stab of things in second, and his
problem seems to be a lack of finishing oomph, otherwise he would
have probably won more than the three times he has to date. One to
note from the race was Intaglio, on his first run for eighteen
months. His rivals did seem to have a bit of an edge on him for
fitness, but he only dropped out of contention for second as they
approached the last fence on the far side. A promising
comeback.
More Trouble and James Tudor clear at the
last in the Intermediate
Race 6: Lewis Open
Maiden
1: Leadbrook Lad 2: Thenford Lad 3: Trenley Lawn
Winner owned, trained & ridden: Patrick Millington
From the fourth last fence this race changed it's complexion
dramatically. Leadbrook Lad was eye to eye with Angies Castle, who
had pulled up on five out of six runs (three each side of the Irish
Sea). It did look as if Angies Castle had the edge, ever so
slightly, when he fell three from home, and third placed, but
beaten, Free From Magee pulled up lame at the same point. This left
Leadbrook Lad a distance clear of Thenford Lad (in vain attempt at
a win number thirteen) and Trenley Lawn (taking another backward
step from a couple of decent tries mid season). Inexplicably, with
the oppo mere dots on the horizon, the winner was ridden out
strongly on the run-in, ensuring a huge margin of victory. Owston
Ferry caught the eye in the paddock, but ran considerably worse
than he looked, and after appearing to be not off at Penshurst, Ath
Tiomain tried harder to day, with no improvement in the outcome for
it.
Leadbrook Lad and Patrick Millington take
the open maiden
Race 7: Richardsons
Chartered Accountants Members
1: Bering Gifts 2: Long Courrier
Winner owned & trained: Alan Hill, ridden: Gabby
Hill
In the preliminaries, commentator Chris Leigh
revealed that we had a 61 year old veteran jockey up against a 16
year old having only her third ride, which did seem an untimely
waste of info that could be used to fill dead time in the two
runner race itself. That proved a wrong assumption, as the pair
served up a decent spectacle, the lead changing hands several
times, and then seeing the two split by no more than a length or so
from the second last. With 7/4 briefly available, it was tempting
to support the benefits of youthful vigour financially, but even
after eleven (now twelve) pointing wins, I do struggle to forgive
Bering Gifts his stint as a fairly ungenuine hurdler for Charlie
Mann.
Gabby Hill is lead back aboard her first
Point to Point winner Bering Gifts with Mum, Lawney
[left]
Alan Hill gets the celebrations under way and drenches the
photographer in the process