16 February 2010 Landmarks: January 13th & 14th
by Carolyn Tanner
CHARLOTTE CUNDALL (right): won the family battle against father Chris
photo: Grace Beresford
Charlotte Cundall, whose 25th birthday it was on February 9, had further reason to celebrate on Sunday, when she recorded her first victory in the Veteran & Novice Riders' race at Duncombe Park on Major Shark, ironically beating the horse's owner, her father Chris, into second place!
It was a deserved success for Charlotte, who missed all of the 2008 season after breaking her back in a fall - "cross-country schooling over a 2'6" fence," she admitted - in 2007.
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Amy Derham, 19, made a winning debut in the Novice Riders' race at Milborne St Andrew on the veteran Rules winner Royal Auclair, who still carries the Kauto Star colours of Clive Smith. Amy, who has been riding out for her uncle Paul Nicholls, is on a gap year before going to University in the autumn. The next possible target for Royal Auclair, who has joined Chloe Roddick's yard, is the Members' race at the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale, with whom Amy hunted the 14-year-old.
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Jerry McGrath, also 19, opened his account between the flags at Barbury Racecourse when Cavite Beta, trained by Tom Lacey, landed the Maiden Division One. Jerry had previously ridden one Bumper winner, and less than 24 hours earlier had triumphed on the flat at Wolverhampton for his boss Brendan Powell.
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It was a good weekend for 19-year-olds, as James Best, who has been based with Philip Hobbs for 2 ½ years, rode his first winner at Black Forest Lodge on Saturday on the Charlotte Budd-trained outsider Think On This, who took the Restricted. James, a pony racing graduate, started riding out for Jackie du Plessis, a near neighbour to his family home, when he was 13, so it was fitting that his next winner, the following day, was for the Saltash owner-trainer on St Georgina at Milborne St Andrew.
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Milborne was also the venue for a first double for Jack Barber, 18, who won the Men's Open on his own Thisthatandtother, trained by his grandfather Richard, and the 3m Maiden Division One on Bob Buckler's Different Trades. Jack, who is based with Paul Nicholls, was given Thisthatandtother by Graham Roach, and this was the partnership's first venture into Open company following five Novice Rider race successes last season. Richard Barber must have had mixed feelings at the victory of Different Trades, as the runner-up was one of his own charges, Round Tom!
