REVIEW |
Anyone who had out a
few pound on Evan Williams winning the Welsh title would have left
Howick on Saturday with a warm, glowing feeling. This talented
trainer and rider graced the winners enclosure on no less that five
occasions , and the bookies made sure that no one made too much
money out of the fact as virtually everything Evan sat on was
instantly made an odds on favourite.
The only decently priced winners of
the day came in the Restricted and Ladies races. Bonny Rigg (16-1)
and young William Oakes, were denied a race to the line by the fall
of Under Milk Wood two out. "Dylan" as he is affectionately known,
had set a strong pace from the ditch and although losing his lead
as he ran into the closing stages was giving Louise Anderson a
wonderful ride and his hopes of her first ever paddock finish. This
in only her third ride in a point to point and to tackle the Howick
fences at the pace she did is commendable, and no one was more
upset than her when she hit the ground. After fifteen worrying
minutes when the horse lay winded on the floor he thankfully got to
his feet none the worse and is back to his usual laid back self. As
someone commented to his disappointed if relieved The Ladies winner was also handed a
little help from fate when the well backed favourite Gregale lost
her action in the home straight and was nursed home by Fiona Wilson
and not given a driving finish to challenge Tickertys Andrew Price took the members on the
old favourite Twilight Tom and Steve Blackwell drove Reefer Dancer
to victory in the final maiden rather gutting for yours truly as I
wanted to buy the horse in Ascot and didn't have any The rest of the day belonged to Evan Williams. Although Vals Well's walkover in the Intermediate was disappointing for race goers, it was another win on the score sheet. Another badly supported race was the Land Rover Open in which Sparkling Spring trounced his opponents, as did General Custer in the first division of the restricted. Cherry Gold duly increased his tally in the confined and Evan got onto one of David Brace's, Marico, to win the first maiden. Although the day did not produce huge fields there were some good finishes, but having lost the whole season last year due to foot and mouth, it is a little surprising that there are not more horses ready to race. |