08 February 2010 Scene & Heard: Jedforest - Friars Haugh
by Carolyn Tanner
The day belonged to reigning Northern area champion Kelly Bryson, who recorded her first ever treble. Kelly works for Simon and Philippa Shirley-Beavan, and the first of her victories was an armchair ride in their colours on Quotica de Poyans in the Hunt race.
"Our horses weren't right last year and he was very weak - he's still green," said Philippa. As regards future plans for the promising youngster, "He may go to a Hunter Chase or perhaps a Bumper," she added, "or somebody might come along and buy him!"
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It was a former Shirley-Beavan inmate, Silk Parasol, now owned by Alan Brown, who provided Kelly's second winner by making all the running in the Restricted. "She doesn't finish very strongly so she needs a good pace," Kelly explained. "She's done a lot of miles in the horsebox, as I've taken her to different gallops," commented Alan, whose mare had suffered with sore shins last season.
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Kelly's Open Maiden mount Buckstruther had also made much of the running, but looked to have to settle for a place at best when headed after three out. Under strong driving, though, he battled back very gamely to give owners Alistair and Rachel Bell, who bought him as a foal in Ireland, their first success between the flags. Unfortunately Rachel was at home with flu, "But she'll be asking me how much I've won," smiled Alistair.
Buckstruther is one ride which Kelly may not keep for the rest of the season, as he could at some stage be partnered by the Bells' grandson Keiran Edgar, who was due to celebrate his 16th birthday the following day.
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Owner Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, dutifully returned the trophy for the Mares' Maiden won last year by his Amalfi Storm, but it only left his possession for as long as it took for it to be presented to him again courtesy of the victory of his Piece Of Magic, who was given a peach of a ride by reigning champion Thomas Greenall, despite, as trainer David Easterby loudly informed those around the unsaddling enclosure, the jockey putting up 3lbs overweight!
"We're lucky to still have her," reported David of the mare. "The rider fell off out hunting, and she galloped down a bank into the river and swam half a mile before getting out - we couldn't find her."
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Amalfi Storm's racing career was curtailed by injury, and she is now in foal to Bollin Eric.
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David Easterby's claim that "I only come here for the bacon sandwiches - I wouldn't miss them for the world. The bread is fantastic," proved to be more than false words, the trainer being last seen heading towards the box park carrying two enormous bags containing 80 bread rolls with which he was intending to fill his freezer!
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Nathan Moscrop, who is highly rated by his boss Ferdy Murphy, was seen to good effect in the Men's Open on Briscoe Place, trained by former jockey Iain Jardine for Alex Dawson and his daughter Kate Campbell. Front-running tactics are usually employed on the ten-year-old, but it was Ferdy, said Alex, who suggested holding him up. "He's fairly keen at home," said Iain, who has three Pointers in this season and also takes horses for breaking and pre-training.
The next target for Briscoe Place, who is considered better at a sub-three mile trip and had surprised Nathan by staying on so well in the sticky ground, may be a 2m4f Hunter Chase at Musselburgh.
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With intended rider Val Jackson at Wetherby, where she won the Hunter Chase on Robbers Glen, Morpeth Point-to-Point secretary Joanna Boswell turned to Lucy Alexander to take the mount on Floreana in the Ladies' Open. Despite dropping her whip halfway up the run-in, Lucy played her part to perfection, getting Floreana home in a tight finish with Narciso, who was let down by some sloppy fencing.
Lucy, who works for her father Nick, is currently on her second gap year. "I took one after school, and then went to Edinburgh to read biology, but hated it so much I left after a month," she laughed. She may return to University in the autumn, this time to read sports science.
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There was an unfortunate outcome to the Ladies' Open, in which a judging error deprived Amie Waugh of third place. Amie had given High Five an attacking front-running ride, and the chestnut only gave best on the run-in, finishing a close third. The judge, though, gave third place to Lady Brig, whose colours bore no similarity to those of High Five, and despite Lady Brig's rider Kelly Bryson pleading Amie's case and pointing out that she had in fact finished no nearer than fifth, the judge declined to amend his decision.
The weekend proved a forgettable one for Amie, who was decanted at the first by Benny Boy at Witton Castle the following day.
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Grant Cockburn, who went to work for Lucinda Russell when he left school, enjoyed his initial success when giving Quinder Spring, owned by the trainer's father Peter, a positive ride to win the Dodson & Horrell Novice Riders' race. Lucinda herself was at Wetherby to saddle Quacity, unplaced in the Bumper.
Quinder Spring had a couple of outings under Rules and may return to that sphere, said Mark Ellwood, who is now work rider and travelling lad to Lucinda. A former successful Point-to-Point rider himself, Mark was forced by injury to retire from race-riding.
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Another member of the Greenall clan made his debut in the Novice Riders' race, Johnny's son Jack finishing fifth on No Complaint. Fortunately Jack was in better shape than his father, a former champion amateur, who had his arm in a sling after his horse lost an argument with a ditch on the landing side of a hedge.
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Alistair Findlay suffered a knee problem when Foxes Delight, close up at the time, suddenly ducked out at the 14th in the Restricted, but he was back in the saddle on Monday riding out for his uncle George Charlton.
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It was an eventful day for Michael Smith. One of his two boxes bringing runners to the meeting broke down on the A77, causing the police to close the road while the horses were transferred to the roadworthy lorry. Considering the upheaval and subsequent later-than-expected arrival at the track, both Golden Oak and Hawthorne Bay performed with credit, finishing third in their respective contests.
