12 April 2011 Landmarks: April 10th
by Carolyn Tanner
MARK WALL: a century of winners
photo: Jackie Oliver
Mark Wall, who rode his first winner on Impenny in 2000, completed a century between the flags when Isle Of Skye, trained for Sarah Sutton by her daughter Tracey Bailey, won the Restricted at Barbury on Sunday.
That was only the start of an unusual day for Mark, who then drove the 35 minutes to Andoversford, where he recorded a double, taking the Confined on Rustic John and the Men's Open on the Cheltenham-bound Divine Intavention. Yet another dash followed, this time to Ascot, where he arrived in time to partner Sovereign King in the Hunter Chase, the pair finishing second to Just Amazing.
Mark has enjoyed success with his three Pointers this season, notably Comealong Cornwall, who has now been roughed off. He works for Chris Wright at Stratford Place Stud, approximately 100 yards from his own premises at Coln Rogers, near Cirencester, so the morning commute proves no hardship!
He is eyeing up another possible car journey this weekend, with Andoversford and a Stratford Hunter Chase two of his options.
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Neil Harris became the 20th rider to record 200 winners between the flags when Southwestern took the Men's Open at Littlewindsor on Sunday. Coincidentally the same horse had brought up Neil's 150 in 2006. Theirs has been an outstanding partnership, with their victories including the pointtopoint.co.uk John Corbet Cup at Stratford in 2007 and the Champion Hunters' Chase on the same track two years later. Among other high-profile triumphs were back-to-back successes in the Land Rover final with County Derry.
Neil, whose first success came on Sizehill at Williton in 1989, is a former travelling head lad to Noel Chance, but he is now based with Jeremy and Camilla Scott, for whom he has ridden so many of his winners.
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16-year-old pony racing graduate Oz Wedmore opened his account at Catsfield on Sunday when he won the Hunt race on Tirol Livit, a spare ride he had picked up only that morning due to owner Yoni Sharp's injury. Oz had given up his intended mount Soldershire to his debutant twin brother Quentin (the partnership took third place), so was delighted to get the opportunity of a ride in the race after all.
Oz started riding out at Di Grissell's yard five years ago, so no doubt Di's daughter Hannah, whose mount Delgany Gale finished second to Tirol Livit, had to endure a bit of ribbing after the race!
Oz will be sitting his GCSE exams this year, and having been threatened by Di that she will not allow him to ride out unless he continues his education, is intending to carry on with his studies!
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Another 16-year-old who enjoyed an initial success was Ivo Thomas, who is studying for his ‘AS' levels at Richmond. Ivo, whose grandfather used to ride in Point-to-Points, has always had an ambition to be a jockey, and is hoping to go into racing full-time when he finishes his education.
Ivo won the Hunt race at Hornby Castle on Sunday on New Time, who was bought privately as a schoolmaster for him and is trained by Sarah Dent. The partnership's next outing may be at Charm Park on Easter Monday.
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Hornby Castle was also the venue for the initial success of 20-year-old John Roche, who landed the Restricted on Brother Mark, trained by Lucinda Broad. It was John's first ride back after breaking his collarbone in a fall at Hutton Rudby.
John had a couple of rides in Ireland but decided to cross the Irish Sea due to lack of opportunities in his homeland. He is now based with Ferdy Murphy, to whom he was quick to express his gratitude for the help given in supplying him with contacts in the Pointing world. He has been schooling, among others, for Maxine Stirk, and is hoping to have a ride for Jimmy Walton, whose stepdaughter Catherine also works for Murphy.
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Derek Smith, 19, who rode as a conditional jockey when he worked for trainer Bill Moore, is now based with Will Kinsey, and he was another for whom a Hunt race provided a winning opportunity. Derek scored at Tabley on the Richard Edwards-trained Reasonably Sure, with his current employer ironically back in fourth on the aptly-named Heezbehindyou!
Derek originally went to ride out at the Kinsey yard last year when Will was busy at the sales, and he has now been based there full-time for four months. He hopes eventually to return to conditional status.
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Josh Newman, also 19, opened his account in the Hunt race at Littlewindsor on Sobre Tresor, owned by his grandmother Ros. Josh has worked for Alan King for nearly three years, and on Saturday was at Aintree with National runner West End Rocker.
Josh cut his teeth in pony racing, but he has been riding out racehorses from the age of 13. He is a member of a well-known West country racing family - his mother Tanya rode several winners between the flags, and her sister Sophie is married to trainer Nigel Hawke.
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There was a first double at Tranwell on Sunday for Daryl Millar, 24, who has been working for John Wade since just before Christmas. Daryl, who rode for a short time as a conditional with Howard Johnson, won the second of the young horse Maidens on Bianca Dunk's Miss Vivian and the Restricted on the Wade-owned Triggers Sun, his first Point-to-Point ride for his current boss. Triggers Sun's regular pilot John Dawson is currently sidelined with damaged knee ligaments.
Daryl, who rode three winners in Ireland, worked there for Ian Ferguson, who recommended him to his original employer in Britain, Nicky Richards.
