The 2002 season kicked
off at Cottenham on Sunday, but not before passing two inspections
the day before. On the day itself, visibility throughout was poor
due to heavy fog with only the first three fences able to be viewed
for the majority of the races.
The first race of the season, the Club Members race was taken
by a Yorkshire horse, the Peter Maddison trained Minden
Rose. Clive Mulhall
sent the 9-year-old daughter of Lord Bud to the front from the off
and that’s where she stayed, coming home three lengths clear
of the ex-Henrietta Knight trained Wade Road with last years
winner, Fair Exchange, back in third. This was an impressive
performance by the winner and she must be followed wherever she
goes, which is likely to be Novice Hunter Chases.
The runner up stayed on well without ever looking like catching the
winner and should be winning if tried over an easy three miles.
Fair Exchange will come on for the run.
The Restricted went
North yet again, but this time to Scotland with the Phillipa
Shirley-Beavan trained Running Mute (Luke Morgan) an impressive
winner from the Gill Walford trained Clashbridane (Mark Walford)
with I’m Dreaming (Andy Martin) back in third. Running Mute
appeared to do this very nicely and should be watched closely as he
progresses through the ranks. The runner up and the third should
both be capable of taking a small race.
Make a note of Pagermar (Richard Burton), as he wasn’t far
behind in fourth place.
The Mens Open had a
disappointing turn out with only five runners. Of those five, three
were 12-year-olds and the other two were 13-year-olds, which made
this more like a veterans race!
The local horse, Hatcham Boy (Christian Ward-Thomas) was made
favourite, but had to be content with second place as Mister
Spectator (Stuart Morris) jumped and galloped his rivals silly
coming home a distance clear. This was an impressive performance by
the winner and doesn’t look like he’s finished winning
yet, despite his advancing years.
Hatcham Boy could never get into the race and was doing his best
work at the end. He appears to need more of a test of stamina than
this. Makin’ Doo (Clive Mulhall) looked slightly burly in the
paddock and should improve for the run.
The Intermediate also
had a poor turn out with only five turning up for the second race
in a row. Richard Burton took this on the 11-year-old Jorodec who
stayed on stoutly after the last to deny Claywalls (Charlie
Shirley-Beavan) with Oxendale (Philip Bull) three lengths further
back in third.
The form of the race looks decidedly average and the winner will
have to improve again if he is going to progress further. Young
Charlie Shirley-Beavan should be well pleased with himself as he
gave his horse every chance approaching the last and was beaten by
a more experienced jockey. He and Claywalls should have every
chance in their Members race if they choose to go down that
path.
The third looks a moderate sort as does the fourth, the well backed
Triple Eaves (Clive Mulhall) who seems to be
inconsistent.
The Ladies Open
provided another winner for the Northern area, with the prize going
this time to Billie Thompson’s Heart Of Avondale (Carrie
Ford). Formerly a useful hurdler with Nicky Henderson, the
9-year-old Broken Hearted mare appeared to trounce her field here
and looks the type to run up a sequence in Ladies races, just as
stable mate Balisteros did two season’s ago.
The runner up, China Lal (Gemma Swindells) ran the race of her
life, even though she came home a long looking distance behind the
winner with Borrow Mine (Lisa Marriott) ½ length
back in third and both riders should have a lot of fun with their
respective mounts this season.
Greenwich (Robert
Biddlecombe), who was placed in Hunter Chases last season, simply
outclassed his rivals in the 8-year-old & over Maiden coming
home a good distance clear of the rest. The winner has been called
a number of rude names in the past, but there is no doubting that
he has ability. The Marilyn Scudamore yard appear to have finally
found the key to him and he should be able to take a Restricted at
least.
Crackrattle (Tim Lane), a half brother to the useful Kingsmark, was
back in second with Final Escapade (Charlie Wadland) a further
twenty lengths behind in third. The runner up, who is now in the
care of Ben & Ninga Pollock, finished nicely clear of the
remainder and should have a chance in other Maidens. The third
showed his first sign of ability and may have a squeak in a little
race.
The first division of
the 5, 6 & 7-year-old Maiden over 2miles 4furlongs went to
Themanfromcarlisle (Polly Gundry), a debutante from the
Goess-Saurau yard. He came home the proverbial “country
mile” clear of the only other finisher, Crown Rule (Harry
Fowler). The winner is a 6-year-old son of Jupiter Island and if
the way he galloped and jumped here is anything to go by, he is a
real star of the future. Put him into your notebooks
now!
A double for the
Marilyn Scudamore\Robert Biddlecombe partnership was completed in
the final race, division two of the above, with Zaffaran Winds
scoring nicely from the fast finishing Harry’s Mare (Polly
Gundry) and Lovelock (Neil King). The winner has been disappointing
under rules but this looked like more his level. Like stable mate
Greenwich, he should have little trouble collecting a Restricted.
The second and third both ran creditably and should be good enough
to take a Maiden before the end of the season.
It’s
disappointing that so few East Anglian trainers didn’t
support the meeting with only fifteen out of the total number of
seventy three runners actually coming from the East Anglian region.
When a course can offer good jumping ground, as Cottenham did on
Sunday, it does seem a pity that more local people can't support
them.
However, despite the
fog it was wonderful to be racing once again and Michael Gingell
and staff should be praised for getting the fixture at all after
the big freeze than we’d all encountered over the previous
weeks.
Results
Club Members 1. Minden Rose (Clive
Mulhall)
2. Wade Road (Mark Rimell)
3. Fair Exchange (Paul Taiano)
Winner owned by Peter Maddison (Middleton)
Dist: 3l, 5l
Time: 6m 46s
9 Ran
Restricted 1.
Running Mute (Luke Morgan)
2. Clashbridane (Mark Walford)
3. I'm Dreaming (Andy Martin)
Winner owned by J.E.M. Vestey (Jedforest)
Dist: 10l, 2l
Time: 6m 28s
11 Ran
Mens Open 1. Mister
Spectator (Stuart Morris)
2. Hatcham Boy (Christian Ward-Thomas)
3. Makin' Doo (Clive Mulhall)
Winner owned by P. Hughes (East Sussex & romney Marsh)
Dist: Distance, 4l
Time: 6m 27s
5 Ran
Intermediate 1.
Jorodec (Richard Burton)
2. Claywalls (Charlie Shirley-Beavan)
3. Oxendale (Philip Bull)
Winner owned by D.E. Edwards & Mrs P.G.D. Sykes (South
Shropshire)
Dist: 2l, 3l
Time: 6m 37s
5 Ran
Ladies Open 1.
Heart Of Avondale (Carrie Ford)
2. China Lal (Gemma Swindells)
3. Borrow Mine (Lisa Marriott)
Winner owned by Billie Thompson (Berwickshire)
Dist: Distance, ½l
Time: 6m 26s
10 Ran
Maiden (8yo and over -
3m) 1. Greenwich (Robert Biddlecombe)
2. Crackrattle (Tim Lane)
3. Final Escapade (Charlie Wadland)
Winner owned by Mrs J.K. Powell & Mrs Marilyn Scudamore
(Cotswold)
Dist: Distance, 20l
Time: 6m 26s
16 Ran
Maiden (5, 6 & 7yo - 2m4f -
Division One) 1. Themanfromcarlisle (Polly Gundry)
2. Crown Rule (Harry Fowler)
Only two finished
Winner owned by Count K. Goess-Saurau
Dist: Distance
Time: 5m 7s
8 Ran
Maiden (5, 6 & 7yo - 2m4f -
Division Two) 1. Zaffaran Winds (Robert
Biddlecombe)
2. Harry's Mare (Polly Gundry)
3. Lovelock (Neil King)
Winner owned by Mrs Marilyn Scudamore (Cotswold)
Dist: 10l, 1½l
Time: 5m 2s
9 Ran
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