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MY FLORA: Last season's John Corbet Cup winner made a triumphant return
photo: Jackie Oliver

The 2011/12 season may still be in its infancy, but come June the Harkaway Club meeting at Chaddesley Corbett may well still be remembered as one of the best.

After the entries had closed, the organising committee made what proved to be a very wise decision to start the meeting at 10.30am. As anticipated three races required division on the day and the light was fading fast as the final race set off at 3.30 pm.

The Mens and Ladies Open were top class contests and resulted in victories for two horses that will prove very difficult to beat for the remainder of the season.

After her success in the inaugural running of the AGA Ladies Point-to-Point Final, Jane Williams has become "the face" for this year's AGA Lady Riders Championship.

Billyvoddan and Jane Williams featured in the AGA promotional material in the centre of the racecard and they started off this season as they had finished last year by seeing off a host of fancied horses and record a facile win in AGA sponsored Ladies Open.

A total of 13 horses faced the starter and in quality it would have been worthy of the final itself with Alex Dunn's Picaroon sent off a short priced favourite. He fought his way to the front after a couple of fences but was soon joined by Mayor Of Kilcock and with hindsight these two probably cut one another's throats.

The favourite's cause was not helped when he made a bad mistake at the 10th which resulted in him weakening into third place as the runners raced along the roadside for the final time. Unowatimeen and Nevada Royale led down the back straight and still held an eight length advantage on the climb to the third from home.

However, the whole complexion of the race changed as the runners started to freewheel into the home straight where Billyvoddan shot past his rivals to establish a winning advantage and using the words from the sponsors advert, was soon in "total control".

The Phillip Rowley-trained gelding had the race in his pocket approaching the final obstacle but made a mistake from which Miss Williams did well to recover. Sagalyrique fought his way into the runners-up berth but never looked like catching Billyvoddan who stormed home to record a 10 length success in the colours of Juliett Minton.

Nevada Royale was still disputing third when he took a crashing fall at the last, while Picaroon was pulled up after three out when his chance was gone, as was Marblehead who ran well considering the amount of time he has spent off the course.

"What a star" commented the owner after the race, while everybody agreed the horse had been given a brilliant ride. This combination were undefeated in four outings last year but Jane knows the horse like the back of her hand "He started to sulk at halfway, so I left him alone and he just took off up the final hill" said the Enville-based rider after the race.

On this performance you would not bet against the Wheatland-qualified gelding taking the Championship for a second successive year at Cheltenham in May.

Local qualified horses ran well throughout the afternoon but this was a meeting packed with both quantity and quality and several of them will find winning opportunities before the season is out.

It did not take long for the O'Brien name to get back onto the scoresheet but with her husband Fergal now firmly ensconced in the training ranks his wife Jelly was responsible for Kalulushi's victory in Division I of the Restricted.

The six-year-old son of Environment Friend was brought for just £800 at Doncaster last May having passed through the ring for £12,000 a year prior to that. A cast off from Donald McCains' yard, Kalulushi now runs in the colours of Ian and Angela Slatter and was partnered to victory by their son Nick.

As the field started out on their second circuit, Clive Bennett's runner Two For Luck was at the head of affairs, closely pursued by Abouttimeto. Kalulushi had moved into third place about four lengths behind the leaders at this point and the order remained unchanged until they straightened up for the judge.

With the two leaders tapped for toe Kalulushi swept into the lead and soon had the race in safe keeping and was able to pull out extra as the placed horses closed the gap on the approach to the final obstacle.

The Mens Open was a race to savour with last year's John Corbett winner My Flora installed as an odds-on favourite for this 16 runner contest. After her demolition of this top class field few would disagree with Alistair Crow's comment of "we have just seen a future Foxhunters winner".

Once again the runners set off at an almost suicidal pace before the field started to sort themselves out at halfway. Jumping the island fence (14th) Ask The Thatcher held a narrow lead over Cleni Boy, My Flora, Rosies Peacock, Bradley and Over the Phone.

My Flora jumped her way into the lead at the next obstacle and the race was over as a contest from this point. The mare held a clear advantage approaching the penultimate obstacle, with Rosies Peacock running on well to deprive Over The Phone of the runners up spot.

Connections admitted afterwards "we thought she might need the run" and what would be very worrying for potential opponents, "the mare is sure to benefit from this race and come on for the run".

Having had to settle for third spot with Over The Phone in the Mens Open, Clive and Joan Hitchings and trainer Andy Hobbs went two better in the Intermediate.

Anynearexit led for most of the contest and was still in front when departing at the 15th but as they turned for home the race had become a battle between Commander Kev, Dusshera and Ice Cool Benny.

There was nothing between these three horses at the second from home but Tom Weston timed his run to perfection as Ice Cool Benny stormed into the lead approaching the final obstacle and was two and a half lengths clear of his rivals as they passed the judge.

The horse was placed in all four outings in 2011 after breaking his pedal bone the previous season. He looks a better horse this time around and "we have put a lot more work into him and I think it showed" said trainer Andy Hobbs after the race.

Unfortunately Mrs Hitchings was unable to be present, as she had spent the last few days in hospital so her husband Clive accepted the prize on her behalf. No doubt this victory will have provided a welcome pick me up.

The opening Conditions race had to be divided at declaration with the first half going to Margaret Moody's prolific winner Galway Jack. The odds on favourite set off to make every post a winning won and Johnny Baileys mount did so - but only just!

The favourite saw off the challenge of last year's winner Mister Kay Bee on the final turn though Nick Sutton and Offshore Account moved up menacingly between the final two fences but was still three lengths behind the leader at the last.

Bailey's mount made his only mistake of the race at the final obstacle and the eventual runner-up was quick to take advantage; storming up the run-in they were inseparable as they flashed past the post.

It took several minutes before the result was announced with victory going to the favourite by a short head.

"He's very head strong and it's difficult to work him at home" stated trainer Gerald Bailey after the race but he did note "that a Hunter Chase is a future possibility".

Division 2 of this contest went to the Robert Waley-Cohen owned and Sam Waley-Cohen ridden Any The Wiser, although it's doubtful this victory will be much consolation for Long Run's defeat in the King George VI Chase at Kempton the previous day.

The race developed into a straight fight between Any The Wiser and Crazy Eyes in the home straight with fortunes going first one way then another. Any The Wiser looked the winner approaching the second from home but Crazy Eyes then held a narrow advantage before Waley Cohen's mount fought back tenaciously between the final two fences and already had the race at his mercy before his rival's last fence departure.

Any The Wiser won a Bumper at Uttoxeter in October 2009 but was pulled up in both his runs between the flags last season. "He had a wind problem and was operated on over the summer and that has obviously worked" reported the owner after the race. "I thought he was the winner before the other horse departed at the last".

Naunton trainer Marcella Bayliss took two horses to Chaddesley Corbett and both of them were placed. Twiga Woods finished third to What A Laugh in Division 2 of the Restricted, while his stablemate Roiofthetigers had to settle for the runners-up berth behind the Sheila Crow-trained Woodview Prince in the Non-Rules Runners Maiden.

Julie Mansell has a stable full of young Maidens this year including Icansingarainbow. He was sent off as favourite for Division 2 of the Open Maiden but was always struggling to get into contention and eventually had to settle for third place behind Tinkwood and Realt Ag Leimt.

Upton-on-Severn trainer Claudia Wilesmith had several runners at Chaddesley Corbett and her weekend pleas for information regarding conditions at Ideford Arch obviously meet with a positive response as she sent Never So Blue on the long journey down to Devon.

That proved a wise decision as Ryan Hatch guided Never So Blue to a six length victory while another West Midland qualified horse Kilbeggan Blade took third place.

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