26 April 2011 Report: Fife - Balcormo Mains
by Peter Burgon
STREEDAGH LADY: Hunt race winner
photo: Grace Beresford
The firm ground took its toll on the Fife's first Easter Saturday fixture since 1973 with only 18 runners facing the starter, the lowest total at any Northern Area meeting since 1990. To make matters worse, the recent spell of hot, dry weather seemed a distant memory as racegoers endured a wet afternoon with temperatures barely into double figures.
It turned out to be a day to remember for Newton-by-the-Sea owner/trainer Victor Thompson however, as Militant, Anns Benefit, Lasting Memorys and Grey Whisper provided him with the first four-timer of his career.
Former Irish chaser Militant set the ball rolling for Thompson and initiated a treble for stable jockey Tristan Davidson with a walk-over in the Brewin Dolphin Mens Open Race. This was the 11-year-old's first win since March 2007, having been twice narrowly beaten in Open company in Ireland last year, though he did run in the 2010 Perth Gold Cup for trainer Gordon Elliott.
Newcastle upon Tyne-based mother of three Jenny Bond epitomises the true amateur spirit of hunt racing and, after being placed nine times in the last three seasons, gained a richly deserved first winner on Anns Benefit in the Dryburgh Associates NPPA Club Members Race. Given a positive ride, the mare led from the fifth and kept Mr Twins at bay on the final circuit to score by one and a half lengths, with the odds-on favourite, Laura's Light a remote third.
Bond, 50, worked as a personnel officer with Barings Bank for 20 years until its collapse in 1995. She joined Thompson's yard six years ago and only made a belated debut in the saddle in 2008. An ecstatic Bond said of the 10-year-old winner: "She gave me a great ride. I just let her do her own thing in front and she measured every fence perfectly."
Davidson had a second walk-over on Lasting Memorys in the Lundin Homes Open Maiden Race for 4, 5, 6 and 7 year olds. The six-year-old's success was a poignant one as he was named in memory of Thompson's granddaughter, Becky Hellmann, who died suddenly last April.
Grey Whisper completed Davidson's quartet and put him on a career-best seasonal tally of 15 with a half length victory over his solitary rival Gala Queen in the concluding Carters Chartered Accountants Open Maiden Race for older horses. The eight-year-old was only broken in last year and Davidson said of him: "He wants top of the ground and will have learned a lot today. This was a good confidence booster after another horse jumped into the back of him at Corbridge last time."
Streedagh Lady beat the odds-on favourite Almost Blue by 20 lengths in the Turcan Connell Fife Foxhounds Members Race. Sent to the front more than a mile from home, the Peter Buchanan-trained mare kept up a relentless gallop and never looked like being caught. Her 16-year-old rider Steven Fox, previously successful in 37 pony races in his native Ireland, said: "She loved the quick ground and could have gone round again."
Kit Alexander, a 19-year-old Durham University maths student, is 3pts ahead of Siobhan Doolan in the Northern Area Novice Riders Championship following his third winner of the season on Skipping Chapel in the Bruce Farms Restricted Race. Always going well, his mount finally got the better of Ellandshe after three out and stayed on strongly to score by seven lengths. Alexander said of the home-bred gelding: "He can be very headstrong but settled much better today and is fully recovered from a stone bruise which caused him to be pulled up at Crossford last month."
Greystoke trainer Nicky Richards was on hand to see daughter Joey partner her firm ground specialist, Itzacliche, to a 10th career victory in the A.B. Foods Ladies Open Race. The 11- year-old already had the prize sewn up when his nearest challenger, King's Envoy, unseated two out. His next outing will either be at Aspatria on May 7th, or in a Hunter Chase at Sedgefield or Market Rasen the following week.
