REVIEW TEME VALLEY BRAMPTON BRYAN SATURDAY 30 MARCH 2002 by Mal Davies |
It was a treble for
Richard Burton and double for Emma James at Brampton Bryan on Saturday.
Burton stoked his challenge for the National Men’s title with the first
two winners on the card aboard JORODEC in a strong looking confined and
LOCHNOMORE, back to form in the Men’s Open. Pam Sykes’s Jorodec
breezed home in front of Lara’s Grey and Gold N Shroud, who appreciated
the firmer ground and surely win again soon at this level. Lochnomore who has been
bitterly disappointing this season, was another to finally get his ground,
and came home a tidy seven lengths in front of Roll With It. The winner
was dismounted by Richard Burton after the line and was blowing really
hard. If he gets over this, he should be worth following in Opens and
under Rules on good to GTF ground. Jalcanto ran well for along way and
came a fair third, six lengths behind the runner up. Burton was aboard the hot
favourite in the Intermediate, Asthefellasays, but he had no answer to an
inspired performance by Emma James on UPTON ADVENTURE, the mare taking her
seventh win from eighteen races by six lengths, with Wild Edric back one
and a half lengths in third. This was a fairly hot race of its class in
the Welsh Border region, and all three placed horses look booked for
further success. Coddington Girl was going well (would not have won mind)
when falling two out and should be noted in lesser company. Candidate for the worst
race of this, or several seasons was the open maiden. The writing was on
the wall when one of the handlers left the parade ring on a stretcher,
presumably in need of dentures, and the Richard Burton ridden favourite One Day (half brother to
Lochnomore) also misbehaved badly. Frankly, the paddock at Brampton is far
too small for 17 maidens, and it showed). In the end, Burton was content
to give his horse a school in rear (jockey seen stroking horse’s ears
past winning post first time round whilst 50 lengths off lead, so
‘school’ may be a fair comment here). The jumping of most of them was
appalling, and commentator Martin Harris had much fun describing the
ensuing chaos. Eventually, about 5 of the 17 starters came round the home
bend, with second favourite Wave Back and Robert Langley about 15 lengths
clear. I’ll try to get Martin Harris’s commentary about as verbatim as
I can…….. Fair play to BELLE MOSS,
she did look like the winner when making an appalling blunder 4 out, but
take a look at the horses who ran in this, apart from her and resolve
never to back any of them. Ever. Emma James got her double
on STRETCHING who is in fine form, in the Ladies Open. The even money
favourite was too strong on the run in for Hag’s Way, who ran well on
unsuitable ground. Favourite Bagalino was disappointing, and was pulled
up; he didn’t seem to relish to bouncy ground either. This particular
website’s favourite rider Sophie Talbot took a purler of a fall on
Geisway when beaten two out, but both horse and rider seem to have emerged
unscathed. Damien Duggan deserves
several plaudits for his enterprising ride on EVIEIE’S BOY in the
Restricted, with a pillar to post win at rewarding odds. Following a
double disqualification of the placed horses, only the frustrating Teal
Bay finished otherwise. David Barlow notched a
useful win on Ian Anderson’s HOLDING THE FORT in the first division of
the older horse maiden, with Adam Wadlow on Goldstone second, and Ali
Beedles on Blacon Point third. Richard Burton made it three in the day’s last race with victory on another Pam Sykes horse, OH SO DROLL part owned by father Rob. The winner came home in front of Embargo and Persona Pride. As usual the setting at
Brampton was as bucolic as it gets; however, black mark for the PA
announcements. There were two stewards’ enquiries, an air ambulance
arrived, one of the maidens was delayed, and at no point was the large
crowd kept informed. There were lots of entreaties to join the Countryside
Alliance, which is all fine and dandy, but the punters were really left in
the dark too often, and as mentioned above, there needs to be either a
reduction in the safety factor for maidens to about 14, or the paddock
needs to be made larger. These few gripes aside, a good day, and a first for me- and I have never got sun burnt in March in the UK ever before! |