05 May 2009 Report: Devon & Somerset Staghounds - Holnicote
by Brian & Gill Armstrong
MISTORRI BELLE: winner of the 2nd Division Open Maiden race
photo: Nick Jay
Boscastle (Cornwall) trainer Karyn Heard and Shropshire owners Robert and Rachel Allwood combined for their first doubles with Presenting Jack (Intermediate) and Flying Schuttle (Restricted) at Holnicote.
Presenting Jack, partnered by Robert and Rachel's son, Sam, made virtually all the running and sealed victory with a quicker jump than runner-up Greenhill Bramble (Josh Guerriero) at the last. Ian Popham then took the reins on Flying Schuttle, who collared Midnight Marine (Sam Allwood) up the final climb. "Sam was so impressed with Midnight Marine at Cothelstone that he jocked himself off our horse, but I expect he'll be back next time", smiled Rachel. Both horses had finished third at Stafford Cross six days previously. "It was softer there than we expected and we shouldn't have run them really", explained Karyn. "This is perfect fast ground and it's suited them much better".
Josh Guerriero had earlier gone one better on Gin ‘N' Fonic, who landed the Hunt race for Wootton Courtenay owner-trainers Ian Stephens and Belinda Powell, joint-secretary of this Saturday's Minehead Harriers & West Somerset meeting. "He won a 2003 Wolverhampton seller on the Flat and this is his first win since", said Ian proudly. "We've had him four years and he'd been placed four times for us, although he suffered from colic two years ago and needed an operation at Bristol".
Withypool-based Carolyn Woods, 26, rode her first-ever winner when home-trained My Pal Val surged clear of his PPORA Conditions race field in the last half-mile. "This is my fourth ride and My Pal Val was gifted to my mother, Carole, by Harold Winton out of Ben Case's Banbury yard where I used to work", explained Carolyn.
The Nyland Partnership was celebrating after Barney Blue made virtually all to follow up his 2008 Men's Open success. Winning at Holnicote for the fourth time, Barney Blue put in a fine round of jumping - "he was awesome at the fences", reckoned jockey Will White - and stormed clear after Touch Of Flame had briefly threatened going out on the final circuit.
The Maiden race was run in two divisions. Derry City, carrying Harry and Margaret Findlay's familiar purple colours, got up right on the line to take the first division after landing third over the last. "He jumped well as always but the first-time cheekpieces have made the difference", said Wellow trainer-rider Chloe Roddick. Spaxton handler Marie McGuinness trained her first Holnicote winner with her landlord Ray Barrow's 6yo mare Misttori Belle (Rob Lee) in the second contest. "Marie bought her outside the ring for 800gns at Doncaster about five minutes after doing the same thing with our Cothelstone winner, Insured", explained Leighton McGuinness, representing his wife, now on the 13-winner mark, but away saddling their runners at Flete Park, Devon.
Rachael Green reached the eight-winner mark when Peter and Sandra Maltby's Rye Brook outsprinted Imperial Sun (Keira Clark) after a tactical match for the Ladies' Open.
