Pictures from
Tweseldown Racing Club at Tweseldown
Sunday 10th December 2006
by Simon McInnes
This meeting had recently been taking
place in very bleak early January, but had moved forward a month as
part of the experimental pre-Christmas programme. The milder
weather, with consequent clearer viewing was a plus, but from a
purely personal point of view, an 11.30 first race does not make
for a chilled out start to Sunday. The car park did not look as
busy as normal, but the crowd seemed to be comparable to what had
been attending. Did the early start put a few off? Certainly not
your hardy National Hunt trainer as Messrs Hobbs P, George T,
Sherwood O, Buckler R and King J (retired) were all spotted on
site.
The track had endured the recent bad weather
rather well, and the horses did not appear any more stretched by
conditions than would be typical for the venue - even the puddle in
the pedestrian tunnel was a pale imitation of its predecessors!
Also, the fear of having to abandon races at the end was quickly
averted as the opener did not have to be divided. Given the number
of very long distance travellers, there must have been plenty of
sighs of relief around the place.
Gaydon's Farm
Tweseldown Racing Club Members, for 9yo and up, veteran &
novice riders [3m]
1: Chicuelo 2: Royal Tir 3: Christopher
Winner owned: Miss M Filby & Mr G Jenkins, trained: Mervyn
Loggin, ridden: Maxine Filby
Only arriving just in time for this eighteen runner spectacular, I
was not entirely with it as the race was run, and despite writing
down the finishing order as 2, 28, 3, 23, 7, when number 26 was
announced as the second, I scribbled my list out and wrote down
what came over the PA. At some point, it was announced that there
was a steward’s enquiry and the original result eventually
petered through. The confusion was understandable as the interloper
was Quickswood, ridden by Godfrey Maundrell, who has pretty much
farmed this race in recent years, and the judge was just acting
from habit. Alas, Quickswood is now 13 and the placings above show
that this was a rather hot heat as regarding Rules refugees, and he
ended up in midfield. Chicuelo was a surprise winner as this
ex-Pipe, ex-Henderson inmate seemed to have lost all enthusiasm
lately, but he was game enough on the run-in to provide Maxine
Filby with her first winner. Royal Tir, who came from France with
sacks full of winning form has not proved as prolific yet in
points, but ran a decent enough race. Once with Philip Hobbs, and
now owned by Mrs Hobbs and ridden by Miss Hobbs, Christopher was an
unlucky loser, being badly hampered when Gallery God fell at the
first (also bringing down Wealwayswillobeone - unfortunately not
true for horse and jockey) and was detached at the back quite
quickly. Given plenty of time to get his equilibrium back,
Christopher was closing fast at the end, and was beaten far less
distance than he lost. Native Performance made a good fist of
things in fourth, but Dun Locha Castle, back in fifth, needs a far
greater test of stamina.
Men's Open
[3m]
1: Irilut 2: Halexy 3: Rebel Army
Winner owned & trained: Robert Waley-Cohen, ridden: Sam
Waley-Cohen
A decent enough Mens Open that was won in quite good style by
Irilut for the second time in 2006. He had a good time of it in the
spring, but the Waley-Cohen horses always seem to turn out very fit
for their first runs and one or two rivals could be a bigger threat
if they meet again in the near future. Certainly Rebel Army would
be in that category, but Halexy is approaching the fifth
anniversary of his last win, and might not be one to trust in when
looking for progress. Winsley, supported on the day by his former
trainer Oliver Sherwood, was doing well in chases last season, but
only won at 2 miles - he did win over further as a hurdler. Today
he weakened quickly after the fourth last, and might be better off
in hunter chases below three miles.
Astaire & Partners
Ladies' Open [3m]
1: Gaye Trigger 2: Martin Ossie 3: Espresso Forte
Winner owned: Axe Valley Racing Partnership, trained: Richard
Barber, ridden: Rachel Green
It was impossible not to be impressed with Gaye Trigger's fifth
straight win, because he did it with ease despite looking less
match fit than his market rival Martin Ossie, who is back whence he
came (and won often) with Dick Baimbridge. He is not going to bump
into such talent everywhere that he turns up - words sure to come
back to haunt me! Third placed Espresso Forte also should be better
for the race, although his form under Rules suggests that he will
have to improve a bit to be winning Opens. The Hobbs family were
again scuppered by the first fence, this time Kocquelicot unseating
- at least without sabotage from a rival.
Rory Lawther 50th
Birthday Tweseldown Club Members Conditions Race [3m]
1: Phar City 2: Something Small 3: Thompsons Wood
Winner owned & trained: Bob Buckler, ridden: Charlotte
Tizzard
Winless since 2003, and once possibly dubbed on this site Phar
Sickle after a hapless Plumpton run, Phar City found the perfect
outlet for his dour plodability to see off the rather less
experienced Something Small, with the rest well scattered in their
wake. There were no hard luck stories amongst Phar City's victims,
but a few disappointments. The only one totally exonerated is
Something Small, who fits the Waley-Cohen blueprint perfectly, as a
compact, dark coloured horse, the only deviation is not being bred
in France. This was his third run so far, and probably best yet,
but he has some work to do to match some of his stablemates
achievements. Thompsons Wood did the donkey work out in front but
his best form, which is not too far distant, should have seen him
much more competitive with the first two. In the paddock, the
strapping Soldier Of Rome caught the eye, but he was nudged along
as early as the third, and despite clinging desperately on for a
long way, he eventually pulled up and dismounted after the third
last. He is better than this. Similar goes for Lord Of The Bog, who
was in the van and did not see it out. Perhaps the conclusion of
the last three comments is that the pace was much stronger than it
appeared to the naked eye. The manner in which Inaki stayed on
belatedly is typical of him, and does not influence the
interpretation. It is easy to imagine him doing that a lot in
points!
Astaire & Partners
Restricted [3m]
1: Whistling Straits 2: Dursey Island 3: Fully Loaded
Winner owned: Mr J Beasley & Mr G Hibbert, trained: Caroline
Robinson, ridden: Richard Burton
The only notes I had on Whistling Straits for this are 'led, jumped
well.' And it does sum up the race in a nutshell. Under the
circumstances it was mystifying that he could have come into this
with form of RF1, and although he was a little tired at the end,
the oppo had been seen off before it was a factor. Fully Loaded,
who arrived in the paddock after all but one of his rivals were on
their way to the start, was given a more patient ride than the dash
to get in and out of the parade ring, and he seemed set for second
until outstayed by Dursey Island, whose record of 1 win in 15
reflects his inability to hang in there when the pace quickens.
Milanista looked the fittest of the bunch before the race but she
was fading when pulling up in the cutting before the second last,
where quite a few gave up the ghost today. Daraz Rose was fourth,
and the only other finisher, but her jumping left an awful lot to
be desired, mostly by Polly Gundry who had the ride. Get that
sorted out and perhaps come on for the race, and she might not yet
be a forlorn hope for a Restricted.
Richard Robinson Horse
Transport Open Maiden, 4-7yo (Div I) [2m 4f]
1: Minouchka 2: Blackcomb Mountain 3: Frankiefromford
Winner owned & trained: SH Shirley-Bevan, ridden: Miss K
Bryson
With the field of 14 spread over five pages of racecard, perhaps a
racegoer friendly idea would be to divide races in number order -
although in this instance a prevalence of high numbers being
declared would have still seen division one cover four pages (and
division two a much more sensible page and a half). Often placed
under Rules, Minouchka made the journey down from Scotland a
worthwhile one, probably, by opening his account in his first
point. Marlion set the race up for him by going off in front as if
it was a 1 mile flat race, and when the time came to reel that one
in, Minouchka left the others floundering. His most likely danger,
Anshanjack was brought down by Up In The Sky at fence number eight.
The winning distance was vast, and Blackcomb Mountain's narrow
margin over Frankiefromford does not amount to much, although the
latter does seem the sort to have some improvement in him.
Richard Robinson Horse
Transport Open Maiden, 4-7yo (Div II) [2m 4f]
1: Rum Cake 2: Top Bombing 3: Parzando
Winner owned: GT Lever & N Robinson, trained: Jeremy Scott,
ridden: Neil Harris
The meeting began in the stewards room and ended there, with first
past the post The Brogue Rogue disqualified for weighing in light.
This was due to losing the weightcloth, which it appears happened
approaching the second last. If that was true, then he rates a most
unlucky loser, as the race was in the bag by that time, and the
loss of the lead (as in led, not leed) made little difference. In
obvious contrast, Rum Cake was a highly fortunate winner, having
come from miles off of the pace to pinch second in the dying
strides, whereas the other two placed horses at least made some
sort of vain fight of it with The Brogue Rogue. From the trio that
made the frame, Top Bombing is the one that had most to gain in
terms of fitness, and Parzando was at the opposite end of the
scale, looking ready to do himself justice now. Newcomer Tank Top
appeared to be going well until disappearing from radar four
out.