Charm Park managed to avoid the worst
of the torrential rain that hit the Yorkshire coast the day before,
leaving the going as Good to Soft. The course was still bearing the
scars of the first meeting here, but where possible the bends were
moved a little to take in new ground.
Five set out in the Hunt Members and
Willywont He came home in front under Steve Charlton. Having shown
little in bumpers and over hurdles, the six-year-old was well
behind Dayenoo in 7th at Hutton Rudby on his point debut last week.
With something to learn about jumping, Willywont He did well to
repel the renewed challenge of Colonel Ludlow and Chris Cundall in
the final half a mile. This was Colonel Ludlow’s best chance
of further success as he finds restricteds a tough ask because he
barely gets three miles. Only these two got round. Calder Rosie was
a lot more cooperative and manageable today prior to pulling up and
appears to possess at least a modicum of ability. Fryup Vision was
pulled up badly lame at the 10th.
The seven runners for the Restricted were
soon reduced to five as Search Party and Fayalie departed at the
3rd. Ben Woodhouse got maximum effort from Ellie Bee on the run-in
to deny the fast finishing Snizort and Freya Hartley. Ellie Bee had
taken her maiden at Witton Castle in February and then been a good
third to the very useful Vics Fane and Wilfie Wild here in her
first crack at a restricted. Snizort is an out and out stayer,
struggling to keep up for much of the journey, but closing like a
train at the death. He’s now been second on all three outings
in 2005, the same pattern of running occurring on each occasion.
Scenic Storm, who was third for Philip Kinsella, can more than hold
his own at this level. Mandate Man (David Thomas) was fourth and
never runs two races in a row alike.
There was another bloodless victory in the
Mixed Open for Chaos Theory and David Thomas, following their
success at Hutton Rudby a week ago. Chaos Theory was again able to
dictate matters from the head of affairs with his three rivals
racing in Indian file behind him. Owned by Richard & Henrietta
Burridge and trained by John Cranage, his task was simplified by
the odds-on shot Nordic Crest being pulled up lame after the 6th.
The winning margin of four lengths was flattering to Marrasit
(Steve Charlton) in second, but the latter might come on for his
seasonal reappearance. Hadeqa (Charlotte Brown) in third has yet to
find his form this year.
The connections of Chaos Theory were chasing
a double with Busted Flat in the eight-runner Confined, but he
could only manage a disappointing fifth. Emperor’s Son and
Serena Brotherton struck for home with four to jump and appeared to
have done enough, but were collared in the shadow of the post by
Duchess Account and Emma Brader. Duchess Account likes to drop
herself out in the early stages of her races, however this time her
jockey did not allow her to do so and the customary late charge
gained the day. It was the rider’s first victory between the
flags and all the more meritorious as one exuberant jump in mid
race caused her to lose and then regain an iron. A nice sort,
Duchess Account could be the type to look out for in the 2006
Grimthorpe Cup. Emperor’s Son lost nothing in defeat and can
find a confined before the season is over. Call Me Jack and
Jacqueline Coward were 20 lengths back in third, a performance on a
par with their distant second in a Leicester hunter chase on his
previous run. Johnny Brushaside was a tired fourth under Ben
Woodhouse. He wasn’t quite as forward as many of the
stable’s horses, having last been seen at Larkhill in 2003,
so could be a little better than this. Mr No Man got rid of Michael
Morley at the first, while Bonito made a terrible mistake at the
7th that left Philip Kinsella with no option other than to pull him
up.
Ten horses lined up for the Maiden and Bobby
Buttons, who many regular Yorkshire racegoers have taken to their
hearts, finally lost his maiden tag at the 15th attempt in point to
points. He’d gone close on many occasions in the past and had
actually been placed eight times before this. His two previous runs
in 2005 hadn’t been up to his usual standard, but a first
association with Tina Jackson in the saddle paid dividends. The
ever enthusiastic runner-up Mighty Rising is another who a lot of
people would like to see visit the winner’s berth. He never
gives up and is the perfect horse for Charlotte Cundall to learn
her trade on. The third and final horse to finish was Oso Tilley
(Jo Foster). She wasn’t at her best this afternoon, but has a
race in her. Dannymolone was legless when pulled up between the
last two fences. He has plenty of scope, but has now had three hard
races. Lady Lola had been very headstrong at Dalton Park on her
point debut, but Lee Bates managed to restrain her here and she was
nicely in touch when capsizing at the 12th.
Skew Whip made it a day to remember for the
Brader family in Division One of the Maiden for horses that
hadn’t previously finished second or third. A fine ride from
Nicky Tinkler saw Skew Whip dispose of his eight opponents with the
minimum of fuss. He came home in splendid isolation from Fully
Loaded. Charles Brader trains just the two horses at present, both
winning today. The newcomer Fully Loaded, with Ben Woodhouse in the
plate, was pretty weary and was shrugged off over the final four
fences. This was a decent effort, although some ponderous leaps
mean he needs to brush up his jumping. Third-placed Secret Racine
(Joanne Brown) takes a fierce grip and was very tired at the end.
The hard-pulling front runner Where Eagles Dare ran out at the 9th.
Harwood Dale wasn’t out of it when he ejected Mark Walford at
the 11th.
Eight turned out for Division Two of the
Maiden for horses that hadn’t previously finished second or
third, which went the way of Jey Jey Keen. Clive Mulhall did the
steering and he had to be at his best to get the brave Jey Jey Keen
up on the run-in. It was a successful Easter weekend for the rider
as he notched a double at Market Rasen yesterday. Trainer Roger
Marley rarely has a horse that doesn’t need to be taken
seriously. The form of Kiora Bay’s Dalton Park maiden is now
looking solid as both the fourth Jey Jey Keen and the fifth Skew
Whip from that heat won today. Like in the previous race, Ben
Woodhouse had to settle for second, this time on Black Leopard. A
tongue tie helped Black Leopard no end and he has a maiden in his
sights. Tango Bojangles (Freya Hartley) came third and has
performed with some promise on his last two starts. Only three
finished.