16 March 2010 Landmarks: March 13th & 14th - Polly creates history
by Carolyn Tanner
The seven times champion Polly Gundry became the sport's most successful lady rider at Wadebridge on Saturday when she rode her 288th winner in the Restricted on Ned The Post, a six-year-old she trains for Roger Maggs. She had earlier equalled the record when landing the Intermediate on her own Mulligan's Pet.
The previous record of 287 was set in 2002 by Alison Dare who, aware last year that her tally would be overtaken sooner rather than later, laughingly suggested to Polly that she should pack up and start a family!
Polly, who is based at Ottery St Mary, opened her account in 1992 on Connemara Dawn at the now defunct Talybont-on-Usk course. Her many triumphs under Rules include victory in the 2002 Aintree Fox Hunter Chase on Torduff Express, and she has also enjoyed plenty of success abroad.
She was not resting on her laurels on Sunday, however, instead choosing to ride at Buckfastleigh where she partnered another two winners. She now needs just ten more victories to become only the fourth rider to reach 300, along with Julian Pritchard, Richard Burton and the late David Turner.
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James Best, 19, who was sharing the lead in the national novice title race with Richard Hawkins, went one clear of that rival by recording his first double at Cothelstone on Saturday. James, who works for Philip Hobbs, won the Hunt race on the outsider Hawkridge and the Confined on Think On This, trained by Charlotte Budd.
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There was an initial double also for Grant Cockburn, 17, at Friars Haugh on Saturday. Grant, who works for Lucinda Russell, teamed up successfully for the third time this year with Quinder Spring, winner of the Northern Area Club Members' race, and immediately followed up in the Maiden on Dee Cee Bolter, trained by Steven Turnbull.
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Friars Haugh was also the venue at which Amie Waugh recorded her first success, winning the Ladies' Open on her father Simon's High Five. Amie, 19, who works with the horses at home, near Morpeth, is one of the more vertically challenged riders on the circuit, and consequently her mount has to carry two weight cloths. A month earlier she was deprived of a third place on the same track due to a judging error, so this victory was thoroughly deserved.
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Spanchil Hill also had plenty of lead on his back, but it didn't stop him from carrying the 8st 5lbs Philip Prince, 17, to victory in the Novice Riders' contest at Larkhill on Sunday. It was Philip's debut between the flags, although he has one winner on the flat, Miss Firefly at Wolverhampton earlier in the year, to his credit. Spanchil Hill is trained for Philip's father Richard by Mandy Hodges.
"I didn't expect to win - I was more interested in just getting round," admitted Philip, who clocked up 30 winners from 60 rides in his three years' pony racing and now works for Mick Channon.
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Another to open his account, on his first ride of the season, was Joe Williams, 17, whose mother Joan is a former South Wales PPORA representative. Joe won the Hunt race at Howick on Sunday on Galtee View, who had previously run for both Evan Williams and Tim Vaughan.
Joe is currently studying for ‘A' levels in Business Studies, Economics and PE, and hopes in due course to go to University.
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Entrepreneur David O'Brien decided to take up the challenge of race-riding at the age of 40, and five years on, after several placings from a limited number of rides, he recorded his first victory on Big John Macarty, who took a division of the 3m Maiden at Bangor on Sunday. It was an initial success also for the former successful rider Katharine Diggle, who has taken over the training duties from her father John Swindells.
David believes in living life in the fast lane. His equestrian pursuits include hunting, polo-playing - he is a former one-goal handicapper - and team chasing, and earlier this year he did the Cresta Run.
