18 May 2009 Report: Clifton-On-Teme - Upper Sapey
by Pete Mansell
WHAT OF IT: winner of the Intermediate race, ridden by T Edwards
photo: David Thomas
Despite the unseasonable weather conditions there was an extremely high turn out for this meeting with 41 horses declared from an original entry of 82.
Burntoakboy had run out at the seventh fence at Bredwardine the previous afternoon but faced just 6 rivals in the Mixed Open at Upper Sapey and he revelled in the conditions with a 15-length success over Hambaphambili. The 11-year-old took the race by the scruff of the neck at the top of the hill and had no difficulty increasing his advantage over the final three fences.
Owner/trainer Dr Richard Newland from Claines (near Worcester) explained afterwards, that a small operation on the horses larynx earlier in the season had not gone as planned and this had itself required corrective surgery so it had been a race against time to get him back on the course. He was also hopeful the horse would recover in time to meet his engagement in the big Hunter Chase at Stratford on Saturday evening.
Eight runners went to post for the Novice Riders event which was won in decisive fashion by Earl of Buckingham. He was prominent from the start of this contest and it looked as though it was building up into an exciting finish as the four leaders bunched up coming down the final hill. That was a false dawn because Earl of Buckingham coped with the conditions much better than his rivals and galloped clear in the home straight. This was a popular win because winning jockey is the daughter of the meetings Great Witley based secretary Jill Whittaker.
Her daughter Polly was ecstatic afterwards and described her mount "as a star. He's been second four times this season and I can't believe he's won".
Chicago Alley's success in the Restricted meant that the mare leap-frogged Just Talking in the race to become the Areas Leading Horse and she also has the Mares Award in the bag with just one event remaining.
This victory provided Fergal O'Brien with his 18th winner of the season (his best ever total) and enabled the Naunton handler to land the West Midlands Area Trainers Title for the second successive season.
Hannah Lewis was all smiles after South Sands victory in the 8-year-old and upwards Maiden. The Westbury on Severn based owner/trainer/rider purchased the 8-year-old mare cheaply at Leominster Market (not normally a source of Point-to-Point winners) two months ago.
