Jump to navigation

13 April 2010 Landmarks: April 10th & 11th

by Carolyn Tanner

Josh Guerriero, 21, recorded his first treble at Cothelstone on Sunday, winning the Hunt race on Le Forezien, the Restricted on Weather Permitting and the 3m Maiden on Rapid Pete.

Josh, who only learned to ride at the age of 14, scored his first success two years later on Orswell Crest at Chipley Park. He rode as a conditional for a while in 2008 but reverted to amateur status when weight began to be an issue, and he now works for Victor Dartnall.

***********

There was an initial treble also for another former conditional, Miles Seston, 26, who enjoyed success in that sphere when based with Malcolm Jefferson. Miles's threesome was at Tabley on Noble Persian (Hunt), Ballyeightra Cross (Restricted) and Fairymount (2m4f Maiden), all trained by Gary Hanmer. His first victory between the flags was on Freds Heir at Alnwick in 2006.

***********

Having completed a career 50 at Lydstep on Easter Monday, John Mathias wasted no time in getting to his half-century between the flags, the milestone being reached on the same track on Sunday on the Kristal Harris-trained Misamon in the Mixed Open. Misamon was the fourth of John's five weekend winners, and he is now just one behind Richard Burton in the title race.

***********

Pipsacre's Maiden success at Whitwell on Sunday was a first, on only her second ride, for Heidi Oldershaw, 34, a former Master of the South Notts. Pipsacre, trained by David Easterby, has been leased to Heidi by Joss Hanbury and has had a tie back operation since her sole outing last season. Heidi, a laser therapist who lives at Horncastle in Lincolnshire, rides out at David's two or three times a week before travelling on to the Manchester area, where most of her work is based. Some of the Yorkshire jockeys have also received her laser treatment - "I'm more used to seeing them naked than with clothes on," she laughed.

************

There was a first success at Great Trethew on Saturday for 18-year-old Daisy Sharp, who won the older horse Maiden on Wreford Lake, trained by Nikki Frost for husband Jimmy. Daisy originally worked for Tom Dascombe but chose not to make the move to Cheshire when he relocated. She now works for the Frosts, whose jockey son Haddon is her boyfriend.

Daisy, who started riding out racehorses when she was 11, and who hopes soon to get a Category ‘B' licence, was always destined to go into racing. Her mother is assistant trainer to Julia Tooth, and her father Phil made the headlines in 1997 when he refused to evacuate the Aintree stables after a bomb scare, choosing to stay to look after his charge Suny Bay, who finished second when the race was run two days later.

************

Another first-time scorer was Lizzie Luxton, 20, at Upcott Cross on Sunday. Lizzie, whose mother trained Pointers, won the Intermediate on Jayjay Valentine for her employer Jackie du Plessis, for whom she has worked since September. She was recommended for the post by her friend, and Jackie's former stable jockey, Emily Noszkay, who is currently working in London. It was a third ride between the flags for Lizzie, who events up to Two-Star standard and has also team-chased.

*************

The youngest of the weekend's riders to get off the mark was Emily Godsall, 17, who won the Restricted at Bitterley on Sunday on Napalm, beating Richard Burton, no less, in a close finish. Emily admitted that she had said to herself "I don't care who you are - you're not coming past me!" Napalm is owned and trained by her mother Sally, while her father Graham rode numerous winners between the flags, including on this track.

Emily, an ‘A' level student, works and rides out at Richard Price's yard in her holidays and at weekends.

*************

Springfield Dante's Maiden triumph at Tabley on Sunday gave Simon Walker a 150th career success. The tally includes 55 on the level, Simon having won the Amateur Flat championship on numerous occasions. He rode his first winner between the flags on Spritebrand at Dalton Park in 1991, and also has well over 300 Arab racing victories to his credit.

Members Log In Login: