A REVIEW OF THE 2005 YORKSHIRE
SEASON
by Ian Marshall & Arthur Thompson
A superb season of thrilling
action excited racegoers in Yorkshire and 2005 will linger long in
the memory for the sheer number of class performances from both
horse and rider. With plenty of rain around, watering wasn’t
needed until late in the campaign and ground conditions were
generally easier than in many other parts of the country.
Even before the Yorkshire season
got underway, the region’s horses were scoring on their
travels. On the opening day, Lady Susan Watson’s Just Fluster
and Sarah Jane Stilgoe’s Cmewin made the long journey south
to Cottenham worthwhile by taking a restricted and a maiden
respectively. Mark Walford was the successful pilot on both, as the
unfortunate Richard Wakeham’s licence hadn’t come
through in time. At the same venue on 23rd January, Spider Music
flew the flag of the white rose for the Clarks in style too,
although there was more bad luck for Richard Wakeham who broke his
wrist in a fall.
It was at Market Rasen on the
last Sunday in January that things really got going though, with
many of “our horses” on show, and four of them came out
on top. Duchess Account took the restricted, which turned out to be
a recurring theme in the months ahead, and the three divisions of
the maiden went to Bulmer Bank, Vics Fane and West Coaster. The
Trish Russell-owned Bulmer Bank was making his debut on a
racecourse and created a favourable impression, going about his
business with the minimum of fuss under Simon Walker.
Disappointingly, the six-year-old wasn’t seen again after
pulled muscles followed by other niggles kept the gelding at home.
He’ll be worth keeping an eye on in 2006. Vics Fane was
mightily impressive in making all the running in his race. He was
produced well forward by trainer Roger Marley and gave rider
Richard Tierney, who was already extremely competent, his first
success between the flags. West Coaster dueled with Farington Lodge
for the last half mile, but the former stuck his neck out at the
death.
The opening Yorkshire area event
at Witton Castle set the tone for the year with a magnificent
four-timer in the saddle by Ben Woodhouse from his only four rides
and plenty of horses taking part. The first race went to the Sarah
Dent-trained and John Mackley-owned Carew, rewarding these
stalwarts of the game for their constant effort. In the
intermediate, one of the stars of 2005 was unleashed for the first
time, Mister Bromley, guided ably by Serena Brotherton, taking no
prisoners for a bloodless success. Mr Mahdlo won the mens open for
the Woodhouse team preceding glory in hunter chases for the
veteran. It was the imposing grey Auntie Kathleen in the restricted
that created the biggest ray of sunshine, destroying 17 rivals in a
clinical display.
With the West of Yore fixture at
Hornby Castle abandoned well in advance due to the track being
unfit and the Sinnington twice postponed, firstly because of snow,
then by waterlogging, it was a month until the next Yorkshire
meeting. In the meantime, there was a treble for Oliver Greenall at
Brocklesby Park on horses trained by David Easterby, the same
afternoon as a double for Ben Woodhouse. These were followed by
ultra consistent performer San Francisco making the long trip to
Netherby a fruitful experience.
Charm Park on 6th March was well
worth waiting for with a lot of quality on show, in addition to no
shortage of quantity. What was probably the strongest open of the
Yorkshire season was the mixed at this fixture and it was a tale of
three misters. Mister Friday looked a classy recruit when disposing
of two of 2004’s top horses Mr Mahdlo and Mr Pendleberry.
Having won a novice chase for Peter Niven, it was no surprise to
see Mister Friday go on to bigger and better things in later
months. No fewer than six of those beaten went on to score before
the season was out, two of them notching a brace. The confined was
equally interesting and Auntie Kathleen kept her unbeaten record by
making it three out of three, staying on just too strongly from the
courageous Mister Bromley. Auntie Kathleen wasn’t to be seen
again, but she remains an extraordinary talent. A restricted
triumph for Vics Fane reinforced his Market Rasen maiden victory,
fighting off Wilfie Wild after the last. The latter was stepping up
on efforts in the previous couple of years and built on this to
improve markedly as 2005 progressed. Mark Walford grabbed the final
two maidens on Wee William and Honor and Glory, trained by his
mother Gillian who is so profitable to follow in those races. There
were injuries to two jockeys though, Nigel Tutty escaping
relatively lightly with cracked ribs after a terrible fall from The
Viking and Richard Tierney breaking a collarbone in the last, in
contrast to his joy on Vics Fane.
The next weekend, several made
the trip to the northwest and Whittington. Ben From Ketton got
Simon Robinson off the mark, but The Big Breakfast made mincemeat
of his rivals in a maiden, rewarding Maxine Stirk’s patience
and giving Guy Brewer a 50th winner in the saddle between the
flags. The Big Breakfast had gone into many notebooks at Charm Park
when he received a gentle introduction in the hot confined. The
following day, Dalton Park had stronger racing than is sometimes
the case there. Mr Mahdlo proved resilient to hold off Shackleton
in the mens open and Ledgendry Line showed he is no back number in
the hands of Serena Brotherton in the ladies event. Wilfie Wild
indicated that a week ago was no fluke as he dispensed with a
reasonable lot in the restricted, hardly breaking sweat. Rider
Lynne Ward could scarcely remember her previous victory. Former
showjumper Kiora Bay made a winning start in a new discipline,
while there was the strange sight of Black Rainbow running twice,
finishing third in the first division of the maiden, having run out
at an early stage in the mares maiden earlier in the programme, a
race that saw Rising Talisker finally get a win under her belt.
Mr Mahdlo then found Sedgefield
to his liking when clearing right away in a hunter chase. Heavy
ground was again the order of the day on 19th at Hutton Rudby.
Ikdam Melody and Chaos Theory took the opens, the former being a
welcome winner for Jo Foster. Both horses were behind Mister Friday
at Charm Park at the beginning of the month. Orleans is a different
horse at the track and took the restricted, but the versatile
Mister Bromley is happy anywhere and again did enough. The
concluding maiden was characterized by a brilliant ride from Rachel
Clark on Been Here Before to swoop late on and land a massive
gamble. Back to Lincolnshire and Brocklesby Park for the Yorkshire
contingent on the Sunday and all eyes were on Mister Friday. He was
never extended in the mens open and this turned out to be his final
run of the year in points. Clive Mulhall was initiating a double,
which was completed on Mighty Man in the finishing maiden. Equally
impressive was an armchair ride for Jacqueline Coward on
Strongtrooper, well ahead during the final circuit, the ex-rules
performer absolutely trotted up.
The trip north to Mordon on
Easter Saturday allowed observers to be indulged by the displays of
Sams Way in the restricted and Wilfie Wild in the intermediate.
Both were in commanding mood, making all comers appear a rung lower
in the pecking order. Shackleton and Ledgendry Line were on the
scoresheet once more and, having had much success under the
professional code in his younger days, Birkdale claimed the mens
open at the age of 14 for a popular win. Market Rasen saw Clive
Mulhall gaining another double, but the general standard was low as
signified by Prioritisation and Milliners Guide capturing maidens.
As well as Freya Hartley did on top on Milliners Guide to give
trainer Mary Sowersby her first winner of the campaign, it was poor
stuff. Back at Charm Park on Easter Monday, Ben Woodhouse continued
his rich vein of form by guiding Ellie Bee home in the restricted,
while Bobby Buttons got his head in front at last in the maiden as
Tina Jackson took over in the plate for the first time. However, a
Brader family twosome via Duchess Account and Skew Whip was the
highlight. Having gained valuable experience at the first meeting
here, Emma Brader timed the mare’s late surge to perfection
to ride her first winner. A thrilling sight in full flight, Duchess
Account was seen to good effect later in the season as well. Skew
Whip was partnered by Nicky Tinkler and turned division one of the
conditions maiden into a procession. A couple of educational
outings had put him straight and this imposing customer has a huge
future.
The feature race of the
Yorkshire year is the Grimthorpe Gold Cup and this time Shackleton
won the day for Oliver Greenall, Lord Daresbury and David Easterby.
It was hardly a vintage renewal, but the horse has kept his form
well and been there or thereabouts at all times in 2005. The
Middleton members is often quite a decent heat and this year was no
exception as the magnificent Mister Bromley kept on stoutly from
Kings Boy and Duchess Account. Richard Wakeham’s return to
the saddle from injury was a triumphant one, guiding Skew Whip home
in the restricted. Quickening clear impressively from the second
last, Skew Whip soon stamped his authority on the contest. Wilfie
Wild continued his phenomenal rate of improvement when disposing of
Ledgendry Line in the ladies confined, whilst Texas Ranger was well
adrift. Both divisions of the two and a half mile maiden went to
nice types. Mr Tee Pee came right away at the climax in the opening
part and is highly thought of by Ben Woodhouse. In the second,
Bexley hacked up under Richard Tierney for the Marleys in the style
of a horse to follow, fitting perhaps as he was owned under Rules
by Trevor Hemmings.
On Grimthorpe day, Market Rasen
was the venue for Mister Friday’s eagerly awaited hunter
chase bow and his supporters didn’t go away disappointed. He
treated his rivals with disdain, although assignments in the time
ahead were undoubtedly tougher.
Hornby Castle on 10th April
again saw a feast of runners and some close finishes. Buddy Girie
got the better of Sams Way in a scrap for the confined, Forty
Shakes snatched the restricted on the line in a tight tussle with
the revitalized Bobby Buttons and Oso Tilley was all out from No
Info in the concluding maiden. Trooper Collins in the members and
Backsheesh in the mens open gave Grant Tuer a double in what was a
difficult season for him. Backsheesh’s appearances are few
and far between, but he is always worthy of consideration if
turning out. Silver Groom claimed the ladies open with great
tenacity to show that even at 15 and in his final campaign he
can’t be written off. San Francisco and Wilfie Wild filled
the places, indicating the calibre of the opposition. The opening
leg of the maiden witnessed Black Rainbow giving her all for Tina
Jackson to land the odds.
Midweek, Mister Friday was back
in action, this time in a hunter chase at Cheltenham. Another
immaculate display from Yorkshire’s finest meant he was in
front again at the post, Mullensgrove, former festival foxhunters
winner Earthmover, Tanager and Denvale being among those left in
his wake. Going from strength to strength, Mister Friday will take
some beating, even in this company, at hunter chase level.
A Herculean effort from all
concerned at the Cleveland hunt to remove thousands of gallons of
water from the course allowed the meeting at Stainton to go ahead
on bottomless ground. In the members kicking off proceedings, the
winning almost white gelding Stepastray could hardly be identified
as such at the end. Horses that like to come from behind were to
the fore, Duchess Account in the intermediate, Scotmail Lad in the
mens open, Mister Bromley in the ladies open and Cmewin in the
restricted, the latter sprouting wings from another county to sweep
past Queenies Girl as she faltered.
Mr Mahdlo remained in fine
fettle to land a Perth hunter chase, before Maxine Stirk’s
other youngster Clever Nora headed north to pick up a Corbridge
maiden under Freya Hartley. Brought along slowly, Clever Nora will
be better still with a bit more growing under her belt. Easingwold
isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but course specialists
Civil Gent and Hadeqa certainly like it, the respective opens
heading their way, astoundingly at generous odds too. Hattie
couldn’t be caught in the members, Shirostran was rewarded
for his consistency in the restricted and Noggler paid immediate
dividends to Serena Brotherton for purchasing a half share in him
in the younger horse maiden. Wynyard Dancer created a surprise in
the confined. The mare has dumped Tina Jackson on several occasions
over the last two or three years, not least when called a few names
at the Middleton three weeks previously, but she put her best hoof
forward this time.
There followed two highly
notable victories for Yorkshire-based horses in hunter chases.
First of all, Mister Friday returned to Cheltenham to again take on
Mullensgrove in even hotter company, but the result was just as it
had been before, a cosy success. As he likes the track, Mister
Friday must hold a real chance in the Foxhunters at the 2006
Cheltenham Festival if staying healthy. He can hold his head up
high after his first campaign at this level and, on what I have
seen so far, must take all the beating in his quest for further
honours. Up at Hexham, the Heart of All England hunter chase found
Imps Way in the form of her life and the mare showed a good
attitude to grab the headlines, Wilfie Wild and Bobby Buttons
capsizing at the bigger fences. Clive Mulhall was the winning
jockey on both Mister Friday and Imps Way. Imps Way later performed
with even greater distinction to be placed in the John Corbett Cup
at Stratford.
More monsoon conditions at
Heslaker on the final day of April (doesn’t it always pour
with rain on the morning of the meeting here) meant races were a
war of attrition. Blank Cheque went out on a high at the age of 15
with a bloodless triumph in the members. A grand servant over the
years, he has earned a long and happy retirement. There were more
jubilant scenes in the winners enclosure for the Brader family as
both of their horses won on the same day for the second time in
2005. Emma Brader now really looks the part in the saddle and she
timed Duchess Account’s challenge to perfection in the
confined to collar the longtime leader at the last, having at one
stage been a distance in arrears. Duchess Account gives her all and
the tally of four wins during the season speaks for itself. Skew
Whip is a fine stamp of a horse and he completed a hat-trick in the
intermediate in the hands of Richard Wakeham by taking the scalps
of Marrasit and the Richard Burton ridden favourite Rebel Army.
Skew Whip is an exciting prospect for 2006. Mister Bromley is a
class act and he made no mistake in the ladies open for his fifth
success of the year, leaving the smart Step And Run trailing
behind. Be it a slog like this or top of the ground, Mister Bromley
handles it all the same and Serena Brotherton must be very pleased
with him. Snizort, following several placings in recent months,
went one better in the restricted with blinkers reapplied,
surviving a howler at the final fence to lead home his Sowersby
stable companion Kindle A Flame.
Witton Castle on the opening day
of May got off to an inauspicious start with a farce of a members
race, which is best left described as that, but thankfully the
afternoon improved significantly. Bobby Buttons’ rise to
prominence gained momentum with a hard fought display in the
intermediate to defy Ellie Bee. Only the previous evening, he had
come to grief in a hunter chase at Hexham. In the same boat was
Wilfie Wild, who impressed once more in the ladies open, holding
Ledgendry Line at bay again. It is hoped that Wilfie Wild can carry
on where he left off next year. Prioritisation stepped up on his
Market Rasen maiden victory to land the restricted, while Royal
Snoopy was the ready winner of the mens open. Dannymolone fully
deserved to get his head in front in the second division of the
maiden after some promising efforts. The other two divisions saw
trainer Roger Marley unleash a couple of useful young horses in
Just Jay and Ballyowen, both of whom received many favourable
comments.
Sikander A Azam then secured a
Fakenham hunter chase, The Butterwick Kid fended off Imps Way to
take the Yorkshire Point-to-Point Association hunter chase at
Wetherby and Royal Snoopy was on the mark in a Market Rasen hunter
chase.
Easingwold was the venue for two
hard fought opens. The mens saw Civil Gent eat ground up the hill
to somehow beat longtime leader Journey having looked dead and
buried, while Heather Lad was superbly ridden by Annabelle Armitage
to keep Hadeqa at bay in the ladies. After her victory at Hutton
Rudby in a maiden, Queenies Girl has often gone close in
restricteds, but today was her day. Paul Frank always had things
under control and Queenies Girl resolutely saw out the trip.
The Hiscox final at Huntingdon
featured Bobby Buttons and Skew Whip stepping up in class. Neither
seemed out of place though and both distinguished themselves well,
departing at the third last and fourth last respectively when
appearing likely to be placed.
An uncompetitive card at Mordon
brought the Yorkshire season to a close with Sir Alf winning the
members for trainer Maria Myco on home turf. Strongtrooper finished
alone in the confined and Journey made every yard in the mens open.
Wynyard Dancer dug deep in the ladies open, prior to Carew winning
the restricted, having been successful on the opening day of the
campaign in a Witton Castle maiden. The climax of 2005 was a
maiden, going to Oaklands Ted, who gave rider Tina Jackson a double
on the day. Chris Dawson was left with a dislocated shoulder after
a nasty tumble.
Victoria ’s Boy traveled
to Tabley to collect a mens open and many Yorkshire-based horses
made the trip to Hexham for their two point-to-point meetings. At
the first, there were three entrants at the head of affairs passing
the post. Ronnie Barr’s Penny Peppermint, a striking
13-year-old mare, who has had her problems, put them behind her to
manage the intermediate, ahead of Sams Way. Scenic Storm, having
put in a very creditable performance in the Heart of All England
hunter chase on the National Hunt track here, had sufficient
staying power in the restricted. Snizort, sharpened up by blinkers
and Freya Hartley’s assistance in the saddle spreadeagled the
ladies open field by a convincing margin of ten lengths.
The second Hexham fixture also
had three of the Yorkshire contingent in front. There was a repeat
of the previous week as Snizort was in the same sort of form in the
ladies open. It was a stronger field this time, including the smart
Swiftway, but the result was no different and never in doubt. A
hat-trick underlined the importance of headgear to keep
Snizort’s mind on the job, but reinforced the view that he
has great potential. Annies Answer made up for a final fence fall
at Corbridge when she would have gone close by hacking up in a
maiden. Reg Makin’s charge is another young horse with fine
prospects. Strong Will came out on top in the hands of Lee Bates in
the other maiden.
There was still time for Colonel
Ludlow to head south to poach a restricted at Garthorpe. Loving the
easy track, Colonel Ludlow moved Chris Cundall one nearer 100
winners between the flags. He is in the nervous nineties.
Hunter chasing in late May, 25th
at Cartmel found Victoria’s Boy, Ikdam Melody and Wilfie Wild
making it a one, two, three for Yorkshire. A competitive contest
produced a tight finish, but Victoria’s Boy found most at the
business end. Imps Way was back at Hexham for victory, Clive
Mulhall as usual in the plate. The mare always seems to keep
finding more. On Bank Holiday Monday, Buddy Girie hit the headlines
in a maiden event at Cartmel. He might not have had all that much
to beat, but he did enough.
All in all a fantastic year and
the only areas of real concern are the sharp bends before the
second last fences at both Easingwold and Mordon. They are a major
worry and something must be done to ease their tightness. Several
horses slipped up at them, one such fall leading to Chris
Dawson’s injury, and it is only luck that prevented a horse
being seriously hurt.
Ben Woodhouse had an amazing
year and ran away with the male jockeys’ title, ahead of
Oliver Greenall, who is learning quickly. Clive Mulhall was also in
superb form, in hunter chases as well as points, while Richard
Tierney is undoubtedly a name for the future, along with Chris
Dawson, and Richard Wakeham used his talent to good effect when
available. Nigel Tutty was beset by injury and Guy Brewer and Lee
Bates were equally quiet, but they’ll back in force next
year.
Among the ladies, Serena
Brotherton took the honours, going barely a meeting without a
winner. Tina Jackson and Freya Hartley managed to get through a
season unscathed, allowing them each to show just how good they are
really are. Lynne Ward made herself known, Rachel Clark has much
potential and Emma Brader did superbly well in her first
season.
Turning to the trainers, both
Ben Woodhouse and Serena Brotherton showed that both disciplines
can be combined. David Easterby remained strong, whereas Mary
Sowersby took time to get going. Roger Marley and Gillian Walford
can never be written off and Charles Brader did fantastically with
just two horses.
Of the horses, Mister Friday is
the major force and carries our main hopes next year in hunter
chases. Imps Way is adept in that sphere too. Mister Bromley is
simply phenomenal, closely followed by Duchess Account and Wilfie
Wild. Vics Fane and Auntie Kathleen had immense beginnings to 2005,
but were sidelined after two victories each. Two younger horses to
become front page stories were Skew Whip and Snizort and
we’ll be seeing much more of them, together with the born
again Bobby Buttons.
See you in 2006.
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