South Devon
Ideford Arch
Saturday 12th February 2011
by Simon
McInnes
A voyage into the unknown, well pointing in
Devon anyway. Getting to know the unfamiliar venue was the first
task. It is just down the road from Exeter, a rules racecourse
where undulating territory makes for one of the worst views around
and being on a hilltop ensures that varied degrees of fog and mist
can make that even worse. Ideford Arch is undulating, but not so
high up, and the viewing is not bad. The runners do go into a dip
behind a copse, but it is a long way from the finish, and not much
is likely to happen there. Standing by fence next to the paddock
gives a fair sight of the action, and also on the raised edge of
ground near it. The best all-round perspective comes from the bank
in the car park, but that takes little working out, as once racing
starts a steady line of people pop up there, like a pack of
tweed-coloured meerkats. Overheard conversation was that the crowd
was smallish for the venue, but this was a rearranged meeting, and
the British people seem to have forgotten that they also have the
ability to adapt to minor changes in circumstance. It is something
to bear in mind if trying to visit Ideford Arch. In it's short
history, meetings have been very prone to postponement, so when
picking a day, check the fixture list for the scheduled dates and
choose any other weekend to be in the area.
If the journey is going to be a long one, and
the fear exists of not knowing the horses nor many of the riders
and trainers, and that discourages anybody from making the effort,
it should be noted that if you consider yourself a bit of a fan of
homemade cake, Ideford Arch is an essential visit - at least for
this meeting. The choice was magnificent. On the other hand,
architecturalists will be disappointed to note that arches are
absent, except the road to the course where it passes under the
A380 and that one is purely functional, holding the road up. That
long drive home did mean listening to the Scotland - Wales rugby on
the radio, where the world's most deadpan pundit, Gavin Hastings,
was trying to summon the emotion to put the Scots' shoddy effort in
perspective. The best he could manage was "I'm really very cross
with this performance." Devon, cake, a terrible Restricted and Ned
Flanders on the radio. Nice.
Going: Good
race 1: Marksway Horsehage & Mollichaff
Confined
1: Deloughtane 2: Quaddick Lake 3: The Apprentice
Winner owned: JAG Pearn, trained: Richard Woolacott, ridden: Alice
Pearn
A minor upset opened the day, as Deloughtane had only won up to
Restricted (plus a two runner Members), whereas his rivals had
often gone a step further than that. The two that filled the frame
had nearly made their marks as hurdlers, so after the second last,
as speed became a factor, the well-backed Quaddick Lake in
particular was shaping as a major threat to Deloughtane, who had
done much of the hard work at the front of the field. However,
Quaddick Lake was outjumped at the last, and that gave the winner
just enough edge for his good attitude to get the job done. The
Apprentice did fade slightly, but he looked as if the run was still
needed. The winning trainer was on board Bafaluto, who showed signs
of being on the up last season, after starting with two pulled ups.
It was another P to begin with in 2011, but that is possibly
nothing to worry about if we trust history.
race 2: Dodson & Horrell PPORA Club
Members, Novice Riders
1: Quizzling 2: Henri Prends Garde 3: King's Wood
Winner owned: K Legg & K Billings, trained: Mrs C Gray, ridden:
M Nolan
Another small upset, as the veteran winner was not very popular in
the betting. Sometimes in novice riders' races this can be a
reflection on the jockey, but the winning pilot here was not short
of rides on the day, and did not fall in the category of "looks
worryingly old to be a novice rider," so presumably it was
excitement about other horses. King's Wood, boasting several open
wins, stood out as the form pick, but he looked like the race was
needed and drifted in the betting. Again it paid to be prominent
sooner rather than later, as Quizzling was already up with the pace
with more than two miles to go, and Henri Prends Garde had been in
front early in the race, although he did lose his pitch for a while
on the last lap, recovering by tagging along with King's Wood as he
made his move from the back. The last fence was omitted due to an
injured rider being attended to, and as Quizzling was tying up most
noticeably at the time, it may have been to his advantage, although
he did respond as soon as the placed runners got within touching
distance. Fourth placed Imperial Sun looked set for a place, but
faded from the third last. He looked very fit, so stamina may be
the issue.
race 3: Rugglestone Inn 4-7 year olds Open
Maiden, 2m 4f, Div I
1: Isitanywonder 2: Diddypurptoon 3: Sweet Willow
Winner owned: Mr & Mrs DJ Staddon, trained & ridden:
Richard Woolacott
Anyone coming into the west country expecting the maidens and
restricted to be wall-to-wall elite prospects were in for a serious
disappointment today, with not many in these races today boasting
anything to recommend them. However, Isitanywonder was undeniably
impressive in seeing off his less than fearsome opponents without
turning a hair. Once his hand was played four out, only the fences
could stop him, and his jumping had been sound throughout - mission
accomplished. He had struggled in two earlier runs this season, so
either he needed them to get 100% right, or the challenge raced was
even worse than believed. Diddypurptoon, who led most of the way,
had pulled up on debut, and unseated in his subsequent race, so
this was an advance. Sobre Tresor, a runner-up at this trip last
year, went after the winner when he made his move, but tied up
dramatically and did not even make a place - he looks to have
serious stamina issues.
race 4: The Farriers 4-7 year olds Open
Maiden, 2m 4f, Div II
1: Lethal Dream 2: Mt Kintyre 3: Glorious Gin
Winner owned: M Bult, trained: Mrs J Bult, ridden: Alice Mills
This looked the lesser of the two divisions, but was run in a
faster time, possibly because there was quite a ding-dong battle
for the win rather than the easy stroll in division one. After a
ragged start, the field impersonated a concertina in mid-race,
thinning out again in the final half mile. Mt Kintyre, a faller on
his debut but with racing experience on the flat, came with a
dangerous run to get a slight lead two out, but when he was not
totally fluent at the last, Lethal Dream seized the opportunity
with all four hooves and just held him at bay. More interesting was
the run of Glorious Gin, who has an unseated and a pulled up
already this season. He went to post very steadily, jumped off last
and a bit detached and pulled so hard early on, it seemed likely
that he was going to be a non-finisher again. However, he somehow
sneaked into contention and only in the last furlong did the
earlier energy wasted fighting his rider tell. Clearly capable of
much better if his brain ever gets to work normally.
race 5: Totnes & Bridgetown Race Co Ltd
Mixed Open
1: Distant Thunder 2: Openditch 3: Ibberton
Winner owned & trained: R Prince, ridden: P Prince
When the field was announced, this race shaped like a Pipe and
Alner yards reunion, but the horses were utterly professional in
their approach and the paddock did not turn into a nostalgia fest.
The 2009 winner of major events in the Coronation and Dudley Cups,
Distant Thunder had not done so well last season, and thus sat in
the middle of the betting market. He was not exactly back to his
best in this, but the end result was a win, a hard working one, in
open company, and there could well be more to follow. Openditch was
inclined to jump left - the course is right handed - and come the
end of the race he lost by a small enough distance to think that it
may have cost him the race. Rank outsider Ibberton may also have
been unlucky. A racecard error had him down to carry 12 stone 7
pounds, whereas the others were all on 12 stone. His rider was
weighed out as per the racecard, and although someone brought the
mistake to the officials' notice, it was too late to change and he
carried the extra seven pounds in the race itself. He did not lose
by as much as seven lengths... This was also a bad race for paddock
watching, as two horses got quite sweaty in the preliminaries -
Distant Thunder and Openditch. On the other hand, Joaaci, who
appeared very fit, ran like he was not and weakened badly into
fourth late in the race. Johnny's Way, who broke a series of
running out in his races by winning his last three in 2010, was
gradually closing on the leaders, when he was pulled up suddenly
turning for home. Another relatively youthful and progressive
horse, Prince De Bersy, also looked very well tuned up for this,
but ran poorly, calling it a day around four out when well
behind.
race 6: United Molasses Restricted
1: Killoran 2: Lutteur Bleu 3: Party Pictures
Winner owned: Messrs Biddick & Alford, trained & ridden:
Will Biddick
Only six of the twenty entries were declared, and seeing the half
dozen that lined up and the way the race unfolded, some of the
defectors will be kicking themselves at giving it a miss. Lutter
Bleu jumped off alertly and was soon eight lengths clear, but soon
decided that there was no fun in isolation and dropped back into
midfield, leaving Midnight Marine and Party Pictures to show the
way. The field began to spread out again in the last half lap,
where Killoran was travelling notably sweetly - recent results
involving either pulling up or coming second raised the question of
how long that would last. He led before the third last, with Party
Pictures trying to hang in with him and the others losing touch.
Approaching two out, the lead was only a couple of lengths, and
being slowly eaten into, when Party Pictures suddenly slowed. From
the bank, it seemed at first that Party Pictures had run out, but
as the jockey began working harder on him, it seems he merely
decided to pull himself up. This left Killoran clear and an easy
winner, but the reluctance of Party Pictures meant that Lutteur
Bleu, ambling on at his own convenience, could nab an unlikely
second. The two runners not to be previously mentioned were Rogue
River and Mayfair Lastchance, who could not compete with the other
loonfest. Enought said?
race 7: South West Racing Club Open
Maiden
1: Comanche Chief 2: Ned White 3: Nobetter Buachaill
Winner owned & trained: Mrs JV Wilkinson, ridden: Rilly
Goschen
Eleven went to post for this, from thirty-six entries, and the
field contained three debuting and another couple who had one run
to their names, pulling up. Comanche Chief had a bit more
experience to his name, having a second in 2010, but also a fall
when in with every chance and a refusal, so the evidence for
supporting him as favourite was mixed, to say the least. We saw the
good side of him today and he secured a fairly comfortable win,
seeing off Ned White, who missed 2010 and made a reasonable return
under the circumstances. The two to catch the eye in the paddock
were rules refugee Camomile Green, who ran well for a long way but
appeared awfully slow from the third last, and Harriet De Burell,
who was one of the two with a pulled up to her name. She landed
awkwardly and fell at the third. Of the newcomers, Beat The Banker
had a stroll round towards the rear but began to lose touch going
out onto the final lap and was pulled up - another half mile would
have been more encouraging. Just Amy was very green in the paddock
and nervous of every sound and movement. She belied that bad
impression once the race got started and managed to hang in with
the main protagonists until six from home. Unfortunately all the
good work was spoiled when she fell at the next, but she showed a
bit of longer term potential.